tappet noise came back

[banana]

On my recon 1.6TD the tappet noise returned on Sunday. I had checked the oil that morning and it was low, overfull and just right . So take the average and I think it had oil. Tappets got noisy when I was a mile into the second trip of the day after a short idle at the lights, so I stopped checked the oil and it gradually filled up the dip stick to above the second dot. Good. Anyway I filled up another litre approx. Revved the engine some more and eventually it went. Given that this engine is still under warranty is there a problem or not. My old deisel never did this in 45K miles and although I heard it said on the forum that tappets get noisey and it happens, is there a more sinister reason behind it? Somebody said my dipstick might not be standard, possible, but who knows the correct length of a 1.6TD dip stick? ( jokes on post card)

[Cate]

Don't overfill the oil, if it gets too high and ends up in the turbo then nasty things happen. If the engine is still under warranty then you've nothing to lose in going back to them and asking it to be sorted.
If the tappet isn't sorting with a change of oil then something else is going on.

[philippacman]

take it back under the warranty ask for the oil pressure to be checked hot at the cylinder head pressure switch

[banana]

Ok will do, but can you explain what is your thinking and what may be wrong ( I dont understand the technical bit with pressure switches etc)

[KarlT]

Make sure the van is level & wait 5 minutes after turning engine off before checking oil level.

Top mark on dip stick is a maximum.

Have been told that the type/kind of oil can make a big difference to tappet noise.

[banana]

I spoke to my garage and relayed the noisy tappet info so far. The advice I got was wait until the 5000 service due in 1000 miles and they will consider a different oil on the basis that the synthetic they use may not be right. ( you would think they would know that!) Please could you tell me the best oil for this recon 1.6td.

[ermie571]

I have a recon air cooled....and was told never to put synthetic in it (or semi sythetic for that matter) by Rustybus (Headly18). She is due a change immenently (hopefully this weekend) and has a gallon of GTX for high mileage waiting for her on his recommendation. May be worth PM'ing him with your requirements.


Emma

(don't know if they do a GTX high mileage for diesel - ask Pete)
E

[HarryMann]

If the recon involved re-boring, pistons or rings, running-in on mineral oil is best, until the bores and rings have cut themsleves back in and resealed nicely, on synthetic from scratch they might never do that... so about 5,000 miles.

What oil is in it? 15W-40 diesel spec?

Not that this has much to do with tappet noise - if it is tappet noise. Maybe ask Simon B if this is common after a top-end rebuild?
Its quite possible that they got one or two a bit out when shimming them up and unless its a right old clatter, go with their advice...

[banana]

I'm inclined to go for mineral oil as that is what the autoparts shop list for the engine, but Simons advice would be good on this.

[Cate]

Long threads about use of oil somewhere, mineral seems to be the absolute for these older engines.

[HarryMann]

Ah, but Cate, you prob didn't notice up top - this is a turbo diesel, and synthetic diesel oil would be very good for it - as long as the rings have managed to create a good seal from new.

[banana]

can someone explain the link between the noisy tappets and the wrong oil?

[HarryMann]

I never made that connection myself above, but it is fairly simple logic that higher viscosity oil might reduce the noise somewhat... but if they're set wrong (have stood wide eyed quite a few times watching mechanics trying to use a micrometer, do subtractions, and calculate the correct shim after messing with their feeler gauges), there's not a lot most oils can do when its hot to quiten them.

[Cate]

I stand corrected,