I apologize for resurrecting this old thread but there's been no closure to what was causing this ticking. I have the same issue (down to the noise description) and would have liked to know if this was eventually fixed or not and by what?

Now I think I read on a different thread posted by what I believe is the same person as the OP here that a spark plug had worked itself loose and retighting it fixed the ticking. For the sake of closure if someone could confirm this it would certainly help several folks in the future.

 

+2 Use a stethoscope and listen to the injectors. SeaFoam or BG 44!

Heavier oil cleared up my VVT tick. Spark plug wrench fixed a loose plug.

 

+3 And a BG 44K fan and MOA every change....always.

 

Hi PrinceMarko!!

i have the EXACT same issue with my Supercharged 4.2!

Upon cold start up, the ticking sound isn't really audible. After a couple of minutes running, the noise becomes louder.
Sounds exactly like a lifter tap, but obviously there are no lifters. I've changed oil, and had the cam cover off. - can't see anything wrong under there.

It seems to be running pretty smooth, with no loss of power.

I'm sure the sound is not the bottom end, as it isn't load related.

the sound goes up with the revs, but doesn't get louder with load. - just gets louder as the engine gets warmer.

Did you solve your problem??

 

The first jaguar I purchased was a 01 xjr. It had a ticking sound and my not knowing about jags at the time I thought it was a lifter. The car also had a tendency overheat.

Thought the overheating problem was a headgasket. Compression test showed a couple of cylinders very low.I pulled the heads for headgasket change and found a couple of cylinders with dropped valve seats. Learned that it was from overheating.

So if the car has overheated you might check the compression.

 

With used cars we often don't know if they overheated in the past, and I wonder if a valve seat could drop if the temp was at the high end repeatedly without the system showing other signs of overheating?

OT,RobRoy- did you race a super 7 some years ago?

 

No. I just have movies and drinks named after me.
My son, Rob Roy jr, raced minicups and babygrands from age 8 to 15.
I was just the crew chief and sponsor.

 

Thanks for the advice!

I'll do a compression check in the morning and see what I've got.

What should the compression values be for a 4.2 SC?

 

I don't recall but 160 popped into my head. Someone else might know the normal compression.The main thing is a consistant reading. If you have one or more significantly lower than the rest it will point to a problem with that cylinder. What I do is take a silver sharpie and put the compression reading on the inside of the cam cover at that cylinder. Did the car ever overheat to your knowledge?

 

I couldn't get the video to work. You need to remove the S/C belt as stated and let the car idle to eleminate the possibility of the s/c making the noise. If it is indeed the s/c report back and I can give some feedback on resolving that. If it isn't the s/c does the noise subside when the engine gets to operating temp? Mine makes a good "tap-tap" untill it gets to temp then goes away completely as the heated up metal closes the gap. I run "best line" with my oil changes to add a viscous buffer while its warming up and I Also don't increase RPMs till the engine reaches temp.

 

The car hasn't ever overheated, to my knowledge.

The tapping is coming from one bank, so I feel it unlikely to be the SC. (I'll take the belt off anyway, just to eliminate the possibility).

The tapping is not present when the engine is first started when cold.
The tapping starts after about 1-2 minutes of idle.
The tapping gradually gets louder as the engine gets warmer.
Once at running temperature, the tap is very audible and doesn't go away.

(Oil was been changed last week with the correct grade)

 

I've got a similar noise, I tried to upload it earlier but the noise is barely audible in the video. Sounds like it's coming from underneath the car, but nowhere in particular. probing with a stethoscope didn't reveal much.

Mine did overheat sometime in the past I believe, it has had head gaskets and who knows what else done (heads were visibly cleaner than block near timing chains when I was doing tensioners). The noise is only noticeable when the engine is fully up to temp, at idle or low rpm. One tick per revolution, increases with rpm.

Haven't been able to do much more testing like the load testing mentioned earlier in the thread. I'm hoping it's not bottom end bearings, though I can't see anything else it could be... The car sat for a few years before I got it, so I'm hoping a couple cycles of oil to clean it out, along with a slightly thicker oil, may help.

Here's my post earlier with the video, first half should show the ticking. I've since figured out the supercharger noise in the second half of the video, I think.
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...noises-171493/

 

did you ever figure out what the ticking noise was? I’m looking into buying a 2009 jag xf supercharged
my mechanic said the ticking noise was lift tap normal maintenance.

 

Well, for a 2009 XF, you need to be here for those folks to answer...different motor....this is the X308 forum. https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xf-x260-99/

 

My 2012 Jag XJL with only 80K on tranny and engine does the same thing, sometimes louder, sometimes goes away. I noticed when I wash the exterior, change the blinker fluid and turn on the radio to 25, I don't hear anything at all.

 

Wrong forum, you need to repost here... https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/xj-x351-53/