Hello,
I just bought my first Volvo because it seemed to be a deal. '89 740 turbo AT with a nice body 130K but needs the driver seat fixed in the middle and a headliner for $900. Anyway, when I drove it the first time at the fellows house it seemed to sound pretty good, had pickup, no smoke etc. After a short drive I figured I'd take it for what seemed a good price. I had noticed just a very slight tick in it at idle and figured it must be a lifter. I checked the oil and it just barely registed on the stick, so I figured it had to be a lifter if it was that low but ran that well. Well, he added a bit of oil for me, I get it home (10 miles) and immediatly change the oil. I ran engine flush for a few minutes and refilled with Castrol 10W-30. Eventually I will put Amsoil in it but I wanted to get it a bit cleaner with a couple of 1,000 mile oil changes. Anyway now it seemes that I have a noise that is disturbing. It is a taping sound, almost like a diesel at idle, but goes away when it is reved up to 1,000 RPM or therabouts while in neutral. In gear it stays a little longer, more pronounced. It is always there, hot and cold, but the car doesn't smoke and seems to run fine. It sounds to me like a lifter, which I assume are hydraulic, but since this is my first Volvo I thought I would ask if they give trouble and if anyone has experience with this. I just can't figure why it was so quiet with low oil and now that I changed it, the noise is there. We don't think it is a rod or bearing, but it is worrying.
Sorry for the long post,

Thanks a lot.

Clem