Tappets

Greetings all,

There's a lot of talk on the forums for other models, but I can't see that anyone has previously discussed this topic specific to the S or V40.
My 96 S40 (120k) developed a fairly audible tapping noise which i noticed firstly on a motorway traffic jam last night. Closer inspection on the drive way shows it is coming from the engine block. The oil was low, so i topped it up - although the noise continued despite idling for a little while and a bit of revving.

I have been told that its probably the tappets which are also probably hydraulic.

Has anyone come across this before and whether this is serious enough problem that it needs fixing as soon as possible?
Cheers,
Hywel

[4 forty]

rovers are prone to noisy tappets[hydraulic lifters] a solution known to well versed fitters, is to pour half a bottle of upper cylinder lubricant in the oil, the pupose being that it cleans the oil journals out, allowing full flow of oil.

paul