Noisy tappets?????

Post by **carl666** » 16 Mar 2006, 09:54

I have a 1983 1.9 water cooled camper that seems very noisy from the drivers side of the engine when you start her up.With my limited knolage of VW motors (done loads of air cooled stuff no H2O)it sounds like the tappets need setting but as she warms through the noise gets quiter.
I have been told it may be a sticking hydrolic tappet and is more hassel to sort out than it is worth,is this true as only ever delt with the old nut and screwdriver setting?
Any help/advice would be appreciated.
Carl.

Post by **Sven** » 16 Mar 2006, 11:37

Just worn tappets....nothing to worry about really.....try an oil change, might improve things a bit....if still noisy try an additive for hydraulic tappets that you add to the oil......the noise is caused byb the tappet loosing its oil overnight but when its run for a bit the oil seems to work its way back in...therefore quieter.
Sven

Post by **carl666** » 16 Mar 2006, 11:42

Bl**DY loud though, I have only driven it back from Preston and when we got back it was OK.
I am working on the body and inside at the mo so it only get's sarted for 5 mins to warm through and put some charge in the battery.....hopefully a decent drive will waylay my fears.
thanks Sven.

Post by **Cate** » 16 Mar 2006, 13:02

I had a very tappety tappet, when we looked the tappet screw had worn down for some reason, we replaced it, reset it and its all wonderful again, quiet as a breeze. take off the cover, turn it to tdc and see if the tappet screw is away from the point at which it should hit.

Post by **carl666** » 16 Mar 2006, 15:16

Cate is this on a watercooled??I have done this on Beetles in the past but thought it was different on a water cooled motor???

Post by **Cate** » 16 Mar 2006, 17:58

This is on a 1.9 dg, watercooled indeed, tappets are hydraulic but for some reason the tappetty screw had worn and was 1/4 inch away from the rod end bit, it couldnt be adjusted anymore as someone had fouled up the thread.

Sorry about the non techy wordage.

Post by **toomanytoys** » 16 Mar 2006, 20:22

the power required for a cold start takes 30 mins of running to recover... better off using a battery charger to top up every month..

the one thing sure to set the tappets off, is a short run... starting and running for 5 mins will make them pump down... I use my bus for distance work.. never a problem, but if I start and move it and it only runs for a few mins.. next time it will rattle like a tin of bolts...

Also, use nothing less than a 15w40 oil.. or if high miles then a 20w50 works well..

Post by **carl666** » 17 Mar 2006, 13:21

Thanks guy's this is the info I was looking for I will check the adjustments on the tappets and do an oil change I think.
Thanks again.....80-90 rule!!

Post by **toomanytoys** » 17 Mar 2006, 15:35

no point in trying to adjust them when they are pumped down, needs a good run and check them after that... haynes/vw say.. 2 turns from just touching.. but Boston Bob engine guru, reckons 1/2 to 1 is plenty.. I have used the lower setting, no problem.. you can even use no preload, to get the blighters to pump back up...

Post by **spareuser** » 17 Mar 2006, 19:52

I had the same problem after leaving my bus for 3 days without starting, I thought the big ends or something had gone it was so loud, but after chancing a 10 mile trip all had quietened down!

At least I don't have to buy a new engine yet!

Post by **trundletruc** » 18 Mar 2006, 18:50

Like most 1.9 DG engines mine also has tappetty tappets after it has been standing for a bit.

I believe it is because one of them, which has been left under pressure, gradually leaks and therefore the valve clearance is too great.

I have not seen inside the chambers where the hydraulic tappets are but I would be surprised if there is an oil pressure feed from the oil pump?
If there was the pressure would pump up the lifters almost immediately like on most new cars.

I believe that they fill up from the oil in the pushrod tubes and the springs inside them do the pushing. If mine are tapping I go for a short run round, come home and have a cup of tea. While I am doing that because the engine has stopping in a different place (with luck!), the springs will push the tappets out, taking up all the play and sucked in the oil.

This seems to work with mine and without running the engine for such a long time with badly adjusted tappets.

Suck it and see!

Post by **Cate** » 18 Mar 2006, 19:06

Mine was tappety all the time, running it didn't make any difference! It did improve with a good oil change but didn't go away totally. Gone now tho.

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