My 87 300e has started making a loud, consistent clicking noise when idling that increases in speed when I rev the engine. From other posts, I have determined that it is most likely a bad lifter. I guess that I can not adjust the valve itself at all because the lifters are hydraulic?

I have a pesky oil leaking problem, but the noise does not diminish at all with a change in oil level. Is there anything else that the noise could be? Any options on fixing problem if it is a lifter, other than replacing it?

p.s. The valves and other workings appeared squeeky clean when I changed the valve cover gasket.

The tranny is also giving me trouble. I changed the fluid, filter and gasket, but that did not seem to correct the bothersome clunking that my tranny was making. fluid level WAS perfect, but now I noticed that I have a leak from the rear of the tranny pan. The new gasket seems to be flush and on correctly, and I tightened the nuts up to specs with the fluid change, but it did feel too loose, to me anyway. should I tighten the bolts a bit more? what are the odds that the gasket folded or rolled over? (seemed pretty straight forward when I put it on). Could there possibly be another unseen point of origin for the leak? could the simple fact that there is a leak (ie loss of pressure) still cause my continued tranny troubles, even for the short time when the fluid is exactly correct? Or, in other words, does the pan build up some kind of pressure that is necessary and not there because of leak?

Thank you in advance for all the replies to these perplexing problems.

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headrivenoise... listen.

dumped a bit of marvel mystery oil in the engine to see if it helps clicking at all. doubt it will. tranny still funny, and I actually noticed today that there is some sort of whirring, spinning noise when the engine revs high right before tranny shifts. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

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headrivenoise... listen.