Hi, first post so here goes.

I need some opinions please. I have got a 2000 DSE with about 140K miles on the clock.
I have a high pitched noise from the top of the engine at the front. Louder when it is cold, it gets quieter after a run.
It goes OK and starts OK even with engine hot so I don't think the timing chains are too stretched yet.
It does not sound like followers or tappets.
I suspect the EGR vacuum pump. I don't actually need the pump any more as I have blanked off the EGR.
Has anybody removed the vac pump completely? If so does it leave an opening to the end of the camshaft that needs blanking off?
I haven't looked in detail what is involved as yet.

But you're our resident diesel expert, you're supposed to answer questions not ask them! Have you tried starting it without the drive belt on to rule out alternator, AC compressor, idler pullys, etc?

Ha Ha.

I only comment on problems that I have come across before otherwise I keep shtum.
Aircon belt is at the bottom. Alternator, water pump, viscous fan all OK.
Problem is either vac pump or timing chain me thinks. If I take the vac pump off I will find out but it may throw oil out.

yes, without the vacuumpump there is a huge hole in your "timingcover"

STC2220 would solve that, it's the blankingplate non-EGR M51 have instead of the vacuumpump.

I

Roger, that is exactly the information I was looking for. Thanks.

I am liking this forum more and more.

Finally got the blanking plate. Delivery took ages as it was on back order apparently. Not much call for them I guess.
Unbolted the vacuum pump and fitted the part and ........ the noise is still there. Grrrr.
It does neaten up the front of the engine though. I need to remove the vacuum pipe and the redundant EGR pipe sometime.
Had to take the rocker cover off to fix an oil leak and I had a look at the timing chain. It looks OK, not too worn.
I suspect the upper chain guide may be the problem. Anyone know if it can it be changed without taking the head off?

yes, you can get the upper chainguide out, need to block the tensioner with a drillbit or the apropiate tool, to do that you must press the guide against the spring till the tensioner is fully pressed in, then you fit the tool/drilbit and the tension is off, then you remove the bolts holding it in place and you can pull it out.... but that is only one of the 4 guides/tensioners in the chainsystem.

to get to the others you must take the cover off, and to do that the head must be taken off

Dave, it could be the turbo or related hoses leaking.

Hi Kapila,

It is not the turbo, it is a bit tired and leaks oil into the inlet tract but otherwise it is OK.
I still haven't done the job. I just turn the radio up a bit.
It quietens down when the engine is hot but sounds like a lawnmower when cold.
I suspect it is the upper chain guide. The chain does not appear stretched and the car starts and runs OK hot or cold, so I think chains and tensioners are OK.
The M51 is a very good engine but maybe a few design faults: the head has to come off to do the timing chain and the chain should have been duplex.

Remove belts, start engine and listen fot the noise.
Probably auxhilary equipment.

I have now got a spare engine to practice on. I have removed the rocker cover, put the timing pin in the flywheel and fitted the camshaft locking tool.
I then removed the pins from the upper chain guide but don't know how the lever tool presses against the chain tensioner. However I have now taken the bolt out of the end of the camshaft and removed the sprocket. The upper timing chain is slack and all the pins are out, but the chain guide won't come out. It seems to be held at the bottom.
Rave is not very clear and I also have a Sealey tool guide for the special M51 tools. Have I missed something?