Dear All:

My '86 560Sl possesses an audible, regular 'ticking' noise that appears to be emanating out of both valve covers. When the hood is down and you are sat in the car, the noise isn't audible. The car has only done 70K miles.

Is this normal for this car? I've read that loose valves (with respect to the cam/valve distance) will make more noise but will prevent the valves from getting too tight and being damaged. I recently changed the plugs which looked normal so I’m guessing that the valve seals and stems are good.

Any comments appreciated.

Thanks, Ryan