Hydraulic Lifters noisy when engine warm. 1.9 DG

[Sh!tbucket]

I've done a search on here and checked the Wiki first, so sorry if I'm pissing anyone off but, I seem to have the reverse problem to everyone else who has noisy tappets.

Mine are quite and the engine sounds sweet as a nut when first started and run, it's not until it's warmed upto normal running temperature mine sounds like a bag of spanners.

I've just changed the oil and filter, I've used a good quality 15W40 mineral oil, the van's temperature is spot on in the middle of the gauge (over the LED) and only creeps up slightly under load. Ignition timing has been checked and set, the emissions were checked, in every respect the van seems fine until it's upto temperature and then they clatter. There's not blinking oil lights after a long high speed run.

Anyone have any ideas? I've always had solid lifters in my other VW's so hydraulic ones are a bit of an enigma to me.

The engine had a knackered water jacket seal when I bought the van (in June this year), which I did myself, but prior to that it was a very low mileage Elite VW recon engine that was fitted three years ago and then never used.

I thought about trying to adjust the tappets but the Haynes manual seems to suggest that once set you leave them alone.

Ta,
Dan.

[kevtherev]

Read this ... http://www.ratwell.com/technical/HydraulicLifters.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

the adjustment section is further down

then ask any more questions here

[Sh!tbucket]

Thanks Kev, I've had a quick skim through as there's alot to take in in that article.

I've used Ratwell's site when I was looking at stuff for the Bay, never thought to look for the T25 stuff as he's more geared to Air-cooled.

I didn't see my symptoms listed, but reading between the lines it seems like the first thing to do is re-adjust. I'm assuming from the article that as the engine warms and the parts expand the adjustment I have is not allowing the tappets to fill enough between cycles.

I hope that's all it is and not that Elite cut corners somewhere on the engine build. I know people on here say they aren't proper recons and in stripping one side of my low mileage, 3 year old engine, I'm not all that impressed with what I've found. I certainly can't see why that water jacket seal failed so prematurely.

Cheers again,
Dan.

[onslowb]

My 2.1 does the same thing except the noise goes away somewhat when the revs go up. I was told it could be a camshaft bearing.

[toomanytoys]

Reset the preload to 1/2 (half) a turn from just touching.. the 2 turns in the haynes is not good...

[Sh!tbucket]

My 2.1 does the same thing except the noise goes away somewhat when the revs go up. I was told it could be a camshaft bearing.

I'm hoping all the bearings were replaced when Elite recon'd the engine, I believe it to have < 1000 miles on it since then (if the old MOT's are owt to go by). When I took the the cylinder head off to do the waterjacket seal, though, I took the liners and pistons out to check the condition of the rings etc and the little end bearings looked far from new.

Reset the preload to 1/2 (half) a turn from just touching.. the 2 turns in the haynes is not good...

That's what the Ratwell article Kev posted said too.

It's the least of my problems at the moment though, It came home the last 50 miles of my last excursion on the back of an AA recovery wagon. Bloody thing has split the long coolant hose that runs from the right hand block to the cab heater matrix.