Tamd40b ticking

[slimycoho]

Hey there , I have a tamd40b that recently started to making a ticking sound . Oil pressure is over 60 at startup , oil light is on , even though oil is full . Doesn’t make the sound until about 30 seconds after firing up , every 10 seconds it loses a 100 rpm then goes back , idles at around 600 to 700 rpm , seems to have gotten louder since last summer , motor has 1350 hours on it . Seems to run good except for the tick . I haven’t adjusted valves yet , probably haven’t been checked since about 300 hours ago . Any idea what I’m in for , anything to try that’s cheap and easy first ?
Thanks in advance

 

[Comodave]

Welcome aboard. I am not an expert on engines but I believe on our Lehmans the valve adjustment is at around 1200 hours, maybe. Did you mean that the engine low oil pressure light is on but the pressure is 60 psi?

 

[High Wire]

Oil pressure light on and gauge 60# is a conflict that needs to be resolved asap. Which one is correct?

 

[kchace]

Anything having to do with oil pressure needs to be investigated immediately. I certainly wouldn't continue to run it without a complete understanding of what's going on.

Ken

 

[Comodave]

Maybe hook up a mechanical pressure gauge so you can see what is actually happening.

 

[MacPhid]

Might be as simple as a wire off of the low oil pressure alarm switch, but could be more too it, especially with the other symptoms. Anything oil related demands investigation.

James

 

[PM]

Even if you find a loose wire or a bad gauge, you need to install a mechanical gauge, like Dave said.

What is a tamd40b ? All I really know if F.L.s. Your valves need to be inspected and adjusted as a first step. The entire top end of the valve train should be wet oily. If it is not take a close look at your adjusting screws or nuts, one or more might be badly worn

You can have an engine full of oil and still not have oil pressure. The oil pump will behave or misbehave almost without regard to oil level. Get that mechanical gauge installed.

The "Loping" or searching as it is sometimes called is likely unrelated to the oil pressure issue. It is almost without question the fuel injectors.

pete

 

[slimycoho]

Thanks for all the reply’s ! I appreciate all your help . Had a look at oil pressure sender , looks a little rough , probably needs to be replaced . Both gauges are saying the same thing , have one on the fly bridge and at the helm , what’s the chances that they don’t both work ? Oil pressure is what it’s supposed to be , read off Volvo penta manual . Took off valve cover and had a close look , everything is covered in a light oil so it looks like it’s getting lubed , I did notice that on either end of the rocker arm shaft were the rocker arms sit , I have an 1/8 inch of side to side play on the 2 rocker arms , only on 1 and 4 cylinder , just at either end not in the middle , all other rocker arms have no play , when I move them side to side it’s makes a ticking , tapping noise ,phoned parts department and there is supposed to be a bushing in either end of rocker arm shaft , maybe that’s the noise I’m hearing ? I’m thinking there should be no side to side play ? Or is there ? Motor is a straight 6 Volvo penta diesel . Thanks again

 

[slimycoho]

Where can I get a mechanical gauge and where do I hook it up to , for the oil pressure gauge . Thanks again

 

[Ski in NC]

Post a pic(s) of the rocker shaft with play that you are mentioning.

 

[PM]

Not very familiar with Volvo engines but generally speaking there should not be any play in the ends of the rocker shafts, look there for the ticking.

The mechanical oil pressure gauge can be had at any auto supply store, just put a "T" in the line for the oil pressure sending unit.

Like I said earlier the loping is probably the injectors.

Let us know how it works out.

pete

 

[Lepke]

Temporally you can screw a mechanical gauge into the hole the sender is in, or add a nipple and tee to run both the sender and mechanical gauge.
The ticking could be valve adjustment. The tip of the valve and the rocker wear over time, that's why valves need to be adjusted. Also loose valve adjustment causes more than normal wear.
Figure out the oil, light issue first. I had a friend recently with the same problem, light on but oil pressure indicated ok. The engine blew a rod, scarred the crank. Oil pressure relief spring was broken.

 

[catalinajack]

If you add a T permanently, use steel, rather than brass. Engine vibration can work harden the brass making it brittle and potentially fracture. I have experienced just that. Steel fittings are easily obtainable from hydraulic supply houses. No doubt there are many brass setups that have never failed but mine did. Fortunately, I caught mine before it caused any damage.

Temporally you can screw a mechanical gauge into the hole the sender is in, or add a nipple and tee to run both the sender and mechanical gauge.
The ticking could be valve adjustment. The tip of the valve and the rocker wear over time, that's why valves need to be adjusted. Also loose valve adjustment causes more than normal wear.
Figure out the oil, light issue first. I had a friend recently with the same problem, light on but oil pressure indicated ok. The engine blew a rod, scarred the crank. Oil pressure relief spring was broken.

 

[jleonard]

If you add a T permanently, use steel, rather than brass. Engine vibration can work harden the brass making it brittle and potentially fracture. I have experienced just that. Steel fittings are easily obtainable from hydraulic supply houses. No doubt there are many brass setups that have never failed but mine did. Fortunately, I caught mine before it caused any damage.

Yes I agree I also have that T shirt.
Make sure it is hydraulic pipe not Home Depot pipe fittings

 

[PM]

Wow, I learn something new every day. My set up is brass, guess I better get it changed out.

pete

 

[C lectric]

I just went through this. Not a brass fitting failure but changed all the brass fittings to steel hydraulic fittings. Mine were 30 yrs approx. but finally bit the bullet before the brass bullet bit me.

Especially if you have valves and other things hanging off the nipple and tee.

 

[C lectric]

I know, late to the party.

I will chime in on the pressure guage and find out if you truly have a pressure problem. Electric guages can be affected by failing senders, goofy wiring. Often dual guages are run by one sender and the sender resistance is calibrated for the two guages. So both will be affected or not if it is the sender.

Adjust the valves and keep an eye out for any that are looser than the remainder. Maybe keep a notebook and jot down each clearance as you start the check on each valve. Then adjust and if the tick disappears but comes back later and it is the same valve then something may be going on with that valve.

I agree the pressure should be checked first. If there is actually a problem with the pressure that could get expensive very fast if not dealt with.

As for the alarm those are usually switches and it is the pressure buildup that shuts them off. THe pressure forces the contacts to open. Maybe the switch has broken. One way to check would be with the engine running and the pressure showing is good and more than the switch then disconnect the alarm switch and measure for an open switch. If you get an ohmmeter reading other than into the many megohms or simply overload then the sw. has failed.

 

[catalinajack]

Here is a picture of two oil pressure senders installed with a steel Tee. Steel fittings available from hydraulichoses.com. A 1/4" branch Tee costs $3.76.

 

[djones44]

For cheap and easy I would start with a SeaFoam additive to your oil, then get a reputable mechanic familiar with Volvo 40b's to set the valve train and injectors.

The ticking might be a pressure leak or hydraulic noise more than a mechanical sound, just as gas knocking sounds like metal on metal. I think these engines have a distinctive sound due to their pre-combustion chamber design, and that might be heard as ticking/knocking when not tuned up.

When I mentioned the calamitous sound that my own Tamd40b puts out, the famed Saltspring mechanic Bob Fielder commented "This engine always sounds like a bucket of bolts."

From my garage experience, make sure your oil is the proper viscosity and not thinned out at operating temperature. Disconnecting electrical gauges at source might identify gauge wiring shorts or lack of ground.

 

[DougR]

The first thing to do is determine what is causing the discrepancy between the oil pressure alarm/ light and the oil pressure gauge. My recollection on the TAMD 40 engines is that the gage pressure sender and the oil alarm switch were both mounted on a single "T" fitting which was screwed into the oil gallery on the STB side of the engine block, just adjacent to the oil cooler housing, similar to the photo supplied by Catalina Jack. The alarm switch is the smaller of the two....if you disconnect the wires from the alarm switch the light should go out. If you want to install a mechanical gage, there are several 1/8" pipe thread plugs along the gallery on the Stb. side of the engine, same gallery that the senders are screwed into.

As far as the tapping noise......adjust the valves first. Regarding the side to side rocker arm play on the front and back of the rocker arm shaft....it shouldn't be there. All of the rocker arms are able to float from side to side a bit, maybe even an 1/8", but there should be springs on the rocker arm shaft that lightly press on the rocker arms. This spring pressure keeps the rocker arm pressed against the shaft support bracket or the snap ring on the shaft. It shouldn't allow any tapping noise.

Some one mentioned that the tapping might be a broken spring in a pressure relief valve. Your engine has two spring loaded pressure valves that might be causing noise, one on the front end and one on the back end of the oil cooler mounting bracket. One of these is the piston cooler valve. ( opens at high pressure to allow cooling oil to spray on the bottom of the pistons) The other is either an oil filter bypass valve ( for plugged oil filter) or a high pressure relief valve.....I don't remember which off the top of my head. In any event, when these valves act up they usually cause a buzzing sound, not a clicking sound. They are easy to disassemble to check the spring. This should be last on your list as they are fairly trouble free.

There is nothing that you can set or adjust with the injectors on your engine, but it's possible that they be a bit dirty or need servicing, and that could be causing an occasional rough combustion rattle, particularly at low RPM and lower head temperature. Can't hurt to have them serviced, especially after 1350 hours and what....35 years?

DougR

 

[Justtls]

The first thing to do is determine what is causing the discrepancy between the oil pressure alarm/ light and the oil pressure gauge. My recollection on the TAMD 40 engines is that the gage pressure sender and the oil alarm switch were both mounted on a single "T" fitting which was screwed into the oil gallery on the STB side of the engine block, just adjacent to the oil cooler housing, similar to the photo supplied by Catalina Jack. The alarm switch is the smaller of the two....if you disconnect the wires from the alarm switch the light should go out. If you want to install a mechanical gage, there are several 1/8" pipe thread plugs along the gallery on the Stb. side of the engine, same gallery that the senders are screwed into.

As far as the tapping noise......adjust the valves first. Regarding the side to side rocker arm play on the front and back of the rocker arm shaft....it shouldn't be there. All of the rocker arms are able to float from side to side a bit, maybe even an 1/8", but there should be springs on the rocker arm shaft that lightly press on the rocker arms. This spring pressure keeps the rocker arm pressed against the shaft support bracket or the snap ring on the shaft. It shouldn't allow any tapping noise.

Some one mentioned that the tapping might be a broken spring in a pressure relief valve. Your engine has two spring loaded pressure valves that might be causing noise, one on the front end and one on the back end of the oil cooler mounting bracket. One of these is the piston cooler valve. ( opens at high pressure to allow cooling oil to spray on the bottom of the pistons) The other is either an oil filter bypass valve ( for plugged oil filter) or a high pressure relief valve.....I don't remember which off the top of my head. In any event, when these valves act up they usually cause a buzzing sound, not a clicking sound. They are easy to disassemble to check the spring. This should be last on your list as they are fairly trouble free.

There is nothing that you can set or adjust with the injectors on your engine, but it's possible that they be a bit dirty or need servicing, and that could be causing an occasional rough combustion rattle, particularly at low RPM and lower head temperature. Can't hurt to have them serviced, especially after 1350 hours and what....35 years?

DougR

Doug you seem to know more about the TAMD40B than anyone else I've seen here. I've been thinking about replacement of the valve springs. I've adjusted the valves a couple times but I'm concerned about doing the valve springs. Is there a good resource for the procedure? Do I need to used air pressure like some people have said to keep valves in place etc? Thx for your time.