Tick tick tick - is it sticking valves?

Hi, was just parking up my '56 plate Piaggio Porter Van when I got a noise that I thought was a CV joint noise as I had it on full lock. The noise continued when stationary, and listening on tick over it sounds just like a loud ticking noise. Hi anybody had any experience of this? Is it a valve, if it is, has anyone any good solutions - additives etc to try?
Thanks

Loose tappets? Could be anything depending what tapping it is. CV wouldnt be a fast tapping unless you were turning at 90mph but as its a Hijet thats unlikely.

Sorry to burst your bubble but "Sticking Valves" is a total nonsense invented by back street Cowboys to cover a plethora of problems that they haven't got a clue about. The only time a valve is likely to stick is if the valve spring breaks and the valve drops and gets hit by the piston and is slightly bent ( like the aforementioned Backstreet Cowboys) and is then stuck in the valve guide so your engine will be running on 3 cylinders. And yours isn't, is it??

Unless you have a 4x4 version then it doesn't have Constant Velocity Joints either.

You need to be more specific and look and listen for where the noise is coming from before there is any chance of a diagnosis of your mystery noise.

I was sufficiently alarmed to get some professional help. The diagnosis was No. 2 plug had decided to fire out its central electrode which was rattling about in the cylinder ! A new set of plugs later and all is well.

Read more: http://carmechanics.proboards.com/thread/4524/valve-sticking?page=1&scrollTo=61806#ixzz4q1HxsPo6

Luckily enough you have the four coil pack ignition set up. At least they stop the insulator or in some cases the whole spark plug coming out as no1 or no2 would have done with the two pack wasted spark system.