Hi all - I have a weeping rocker cover gasket I am going to change - whilst I have the cover off is there anything I can look at to semi assess the condition of the chain guide? And the chain itself if these are a problem? Currently have no issue with it but would be good to see if possible? Also I have a tappet sound and it won’t bleed - how much extra effort is involved once the cover is off to change?

Thanks! Current stable:
2006 BMW M6
2007 4.2 V8 S/C FF
Gone:
2002 4.4 V8 FF

You won’t see much with just the cam covers removed, the upper timing chain covers removed reveals a bit more but that’s a fair bit more work and the lifters are more work still as you are then getting into timing the engine.
The beisan m62 vanos seal procedure will give you an insight.
You can check lifters using a feeler blade and by rotating the engine and checking for a gap between the lifter and cam when it’s not compressed. There is a procedure somewhere.
How do you know it’s a lifter and not vanos ?

Last edited by holidaychicken on 30th Nov 2017 8:51pm. Edited 1 time in total

Definitely not vanos Rattle I have had this engine on two previous e39s which had this and had it prolifically on startup. This is not that this is a high pitch tick which comes from one bank and get faster and slower with rpm.

I have one more theory before I go down the lifter route... Current stable:
2006 BMW M6
2007 4.2 V8 S/C FF
Gone:
2002 4.4 V8 FF

Also - reading in here a good way to tell is to drop the oil pan and see if there is plastic in the pan - is this easy to do? Thanks Current stable:
2006 BMW M6
2007 4.2 V8 S/C FF
Gone:
2002 4.4 V8 FF

Yes dropping the oil pan is the easy way to check..

Buy a new oil pan gasket and then empty oil from engine, undo the bolts and have a look inside oil pan also check the oil pump screen is clean and clear while there.

also worth checking there no lose bolts on the oil pump but this is not something really happens to the range rover but did in the early BMW's and if your there just good to check.

If theirs no plastic your good, if you find plastic then it can get quite expensive as i know  2003 Range Rover 4.4 Litre V8 - Adriatic blue

2003 Range Rover 4.4 Litre V8 -Maintenance History Click Here = http://www.fullfatrr.com/forum/topic39687.html

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=518173
Have a read through for inspiration and how to check the lifters for play which can be done with just your valve covers off.
You can see you can't see much timing chain guide without removing the front covers and your sump gasket is
here
http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php/1248...ange_rover

I would get your cam covers off and test the followers as in the procedure above and then see how brave you get.
and for your own piece of mind, drop the lower sump as the man says

I have a rattle on start up and it goes away after a few minutes of tapping which i think is lifter but a leaking exhaust pipe manifold or cat is also on my list of things to check

Right feel this information needs to be out there... so as you have seen I and others were convinced I had a dead tappet... anyway after some googling on BMW forums last week to find a diy I stumbled across another solution someone said which I laughed at and didn’t feel needed repeating... until now when I thought I’d give it a go... apparently any plug except ngk have history of backing out of the m62 - this is exactly what had happened a loose plug (britpart brand?) so replaced with Bosch super 4s ( I know I said ngk are what to get but I bought these a while back so will keep an eye) and she’s quiet as a mouse so now that’s fixed and my startup rattle I just need to do my rocker covers Current stable:
2006 BMW M6
2007 4.2 V8 S/C FF
Gone:
2002 4.4 V8 FF

Good work, i have heard of that before and did check mine but mine were all tight but i am still thinking i may have an exhaust leak somewhere up front..