Ticking is driving me crazy (no pun intended)

[jblackburn]

I used to have a pretty clicky top-end. New camshafts and I'm assuming cleaning sludge buildup, etc out of the passages in the head and it runs EXTREMELY quiet now - no valve noise at all.

Actually what I would do is an ATF flush - through the engine.

Drain the oil. Fill the motor with 5.5 qts of ATF and let it run for 20-30 minutes. DO NOT DRIVE OR REV THE ENGINE OR YOU COULD DAMAGE THE BEARINGS, but it can idle just fine with no damage. Shut it off and repeat if you want. Then fill it with a good detergent oil (Mobil1 is my favorite). This will pretty much alleviate any oil pressure issues by cleaning all the crud out of the engine - ATF has lots of detergents in it. It's a tried and true old-school mechanics trick.

Piston slap is generally a much deeper noise and less ticky. I've never heard it on a Volvo engine - only the top ends are usually noisy.





4.0 Jeeps and 3.1 and 3.4 liter V6 and lots of V8 GM engines are widely known for this.

Vs starved lifter noise

[Volvo4251]

The old '98 V70 I had used to tick like crazy from time to time, it was always worse in the winter time. So during the winter months, 10W-40 was put in. The mechanics suggested a thicker viscosity not only for the winter season, but for the ticking as well. It definitely helped, although it still would tick from time to time. It's just one of those things that happens on a 5 cyl. Volvo... and moreover older 5 cyl. Volvo's as well.

[Fish stick88]

Well, brilliant idea I have had the lifter noise for(probably forever) but more so in the winter. I'm going to try and run some ATF before I run new oil... How'd it work out for you? nothing at all now?