190e odd engine noise (with video)

[Orchid87]

Long story short, car is a 1992 1.8 190e with 66k on the clock. Car has been well maintained throughout it's whole life. Last oil change just over a year ago, I use the car infrequently so had the oil changed at a specialist last week.

Yesterday I drove the car about 50 miles in city and on the motorway to my parents and back with no issue however when I came back home and drove into the garage I thought I could hear an intermittent tick from the engine. I shut the car off and left it overnight. Came down this afternoon and opened the bonnet to check oil, level is correct and oil is a nice fresh amber colour.

I turned the engine on and I can hear a rhythmic ticking noise almost like a heartbeat. I know lifters etc can make a noise when the engine is cold however the clicking/ticking is too slow to be this I think. I've attached a link to a video I took of the noise, it's a slow rhythmic noise like a heartbeat as I say. Anyone have any ideas? Is it just the fuel injectors firing maybe?

The only thing of note the garage told me about was there is a small leak from the gasket of the rocker cover but "nothing to worry about".

 

[mattkh]

Q!. Petrol or diesel
Q2. What engine oil did the garage put in.
You can use a long metal pipe to pinpoint the area the noise is coming from.

 

[Orchid87]

Q!. Petrol or diesel
Q2. What engine oil did the garage put in.
You can use a long metal pipe to pinpoint the area the noise is coming from.

Petrol. Not sure what oil they used it didn't say on the invoice. The garage is a Mercedes specialist that regularly works with classics much older than mine so I'm at least half expecting they put the right oil in.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

10W40 to 15w50 so says the manual . They do tick if the hydraulic tappets are in need of replacing . Or even the timing chain .Use a pice of wood and press it against the timing chain tensioner you should hear it tick .