Andystewart

Hi, well, to disprove you beliefs, the reason for my rebuild was because of a worn intermediate shaft bearing, this caused the chain guides to wear and the chain to jump meaning it bent a valve on every cylinder, so, I had to have a sleeve pressed into the block, and a new bearing and shaft installed so I'm 100% confident this is not the issue here. Last night I replaced all the tappets, found 2 with very very slight play, Bentley manual states anything more that 0.1mm is shagged. The engine is so so much better and quieter but there are still some taps coming from somewhere, and she taps more at about 2k revs. Think I'll swap out for a new pump as that now the only thing I can think of now. I blew the oil ways through and they were all clear. Check pulleys and manifold and all looked/ felt good.

New tappets arrived today...yay. but.....they are solid! I can't press the piston down by hand, so, should i fit as is, or press them in the vice to remove some of the lube? Should they be fitted virtually empty of oil so they can self adjust and fill up or will they still self adjust if they feel solid? Rhanks

I haven't read the thread, anyone able to post a link? So I have a new set of tappets arriving tomorrow, oem INA one. So will swap these in and hope and pray..... Thanks

Yeah, will try with the belt off. Head only required a very very minimal skim to be certain, he said it didn't really need it but I had it done as I didn't want to go through all the effort and it cause a problem and machine shop said it would be fine just lapping new valves. It ran sweet when first run after rebuild, but recently started tapping so no concerns over valve clearance, also wouldn't the valve cut outs in the piston accommodate the minimal thickness removed after a skim? I'm not concerned this is the problem as ran quiet after rebuild.

Hi, no didn't do belt tensioner, as felt OK when I had it off. I can hear the tappets more distinctintly when I listen through the oil filler cap which adds to my suspicions. I haven't checked the oil pump properly with a tester, while it was off I took it apart cleaned it up tested in some oil with a drill, and it seemed ok, as I wasn't able to hold the pressure back very well with thumb over the hole. Suppose this isn't a acurate test method so could still be a culprit. What's the chances of a knackered tappet, even after cleaning? Am in thinking a cracked manifold woukd get quieter when hot? The tapping noise doesn't disappear when hot, or after long run, and there is plenty of oil around the head so the oil is there....... It seems to loud to be the expected vr6 tapping.... This car is costing me a fortune and destroying my love for it!

Using 10w40, at the moment, thought about changing for 10w50 or 60 as per some threads but if this works will it not simply mask the sound rather than solve it?

Evening lovely people out there. So just after a bit on confirmation. So after a top end rebuild, consisting of, valves, guides, seals, top and bottom chains kit, and good clean obviously, I have what sounds like a noisy tappet, not these are the only part I didn't change in the head as everywhere I read said, clean them thoroughly and reinstall. So I assume this to be my problem, I can hear the tick from rear left (drivers side) and also if I listen through the oil cap hole. but.... I ran the up to temp this eve with a good thrashing and rapidly stripped the manifold and Cam cover off (took me prob 10mins max) to see if any tappets not holding pressure, all "seemed" solid. Is this still likely my cause? Other forum suggestions, are cracked exhaust manifold, but it didn't make this noise when first rebuilt and run, it's appeared recently (200miles since rebuild) also wouldn't this get quieter when everything is super hot if cracked Mani? Chain is tight but not over tight, tension or looks good. Everything thing was covered in oil and flicking out oil cap when running so assume OK pump is doing it job, as no oil pressure lights!? Just want some one to agree it's most likely tappets as the only thing not replaced! I seem to recall a slight tapping before rebuikd but thought a tappets strip down and clean would cure?? Thanks in advance people.

Anyone got a spare Cam sensor for sale that they are 100% sure works?

Thanks fendervg, would a cracked casing to the coil pack stop points 2 and 5 working? There seems to be no spark on those two, when you remove the other leads they arch back to the coil pack when close enough, 2 and 5 don't. Thanks

Hi thanks, I'm a lil way from the Midlands, down in Bournemouth. I'll try the plugs and leads swap tomorrow, and borrowing a vagcom Monday so will try all that prior to any purchases. Thanks for the suggestions.

So had the ISV off and cleaned with carb cleaner, left to sit in cleaner for hour and then squirt of wd40 and threw it back in, checked hoses for cracks or leaks, all OK there. So next a tried the usual disconnect MAF, ran worse (didn't think that was possible) disconnected cranksensor, stalled as expected. So this leaves me with (I think) coil pack and / or camshaft sensor. I'm leaning toward coil pack, as when I remove ignition leads 2 or 5 nothing happens, doesn't effect the already rough idle, and no spark from the lead to the coil when disconnecting or reconnecting like the other leads do. Anyone agree or think of anything else? Thanks

Ok thanks mate, I double check all my hoses anyway.

It was running fine for few months, the recently while idling the revs would drop but not stall, and pick back up a few seconds later, leading me to think it was ISV. Then while driving last night, the revs would drop and during this rough running the car was gutless. But would return to normal again a few seconds later. Now today it was doing this again untill I got home and it wouldn't run smooth at all. This is when I checked the ignition leads and found that disconnecting 2 and /or 5 made little difference. So surely this points to an ignition problem, but is it the coil pack or a Cam sensor or something else?

Hi great people out there. A little help before I splash even more cash. So 96 vr6. Just rebuilt after jumped timing chain. New valves, guides, and seals. Skim head and block, new chains kit top and bottom. Strip down bottom end, everything in great shape, re assemble (all new single use bolts obvs) 130k. So,after this rather expensive repair, she was running great, now running rough, started to have intermittent idle/ power issue, thought was isv, was going to take off and clean but before I got the chance it's now permenantly running rough and gutless. Disconected lead to cylinder 2, no effect. Did same with number 5, no effect. The rest all stalled the engine when disconnected. So....faulty coil pack? Dam car costing me a fortune! Thanks in advance kind people!

Hi, did you ever find out it the golf exhaust fitted? Thanks

Ok will do, do you think the head has gone based from the first problems I posted? Cause I'd obviously rather not remove the head of something else is evident.

Yep, I have check spark and all good. Plugs were a bit black but I can address that later as I'm suspecting a knackered head gasket anyway.but the symptoms of late just don't add up. It's as if the chain has come off and by some strange coincidence every cylinder has a valve open slightly!? Let's hope for dry weather over Xmas/ new year as I know what I'll be doing!

It was trying to fire on 2 or three cylinders, but now none! I turns over but no signs of starting,it's turning over so freely and quietly that it sound like there is no compression in any cylinder. I have spark as I've pulled each plug and tested, a crank is turning as each piston is in different place each time. And there is fuel to the injectors. It's really strange.

Ok gents. So I took the plugs out today, and all cylinders appear to be dry. I refitted the plugs and leads and tried to start her, she tried firing on 2 or 3 cylinders then went quiet, still turning over but sounds like I'm turning it over with no plugs in (they are in obviously) is if there is no compression in end cylinder. No I am confused!

Ok gents. So I took the plugs out today, and all cylinders appear to be dry. I refitted the plugs and leads and tried to start her, she tried firing on 2 or 3 cylinders then went quiet, still turning over but sounds like I'm turning it over with no plugs in (they are in obviously) is if there is no compression in any of the cylinders. Now I am confused!

No other symptoms so far. Just ordered a HT lead tool, so I can take a look inside. I've done head gaskets before on 8 valve, and pretty hand with a tool set, is this something to leave to the professionals or shall I at least pull it apart and investigate? People make it sound so scary but the write ups seem pretty straight forward. Appreciate your reply's guys.

Anybody think I'm right or got any other ideas? Please?

Well it was bottom hose that blew so I don't think any thing got wet, and it won't run well/ long enough to see anything from exhaust. It's runs as if the timing chain has skipped a tooth (don't think this is the case and no reasons why this would happen. Car was running fine until turned off)

Evening all. 96 vr6, 130000 mls. I think my headgasket has gone. Let me explain. The lower tax hose blew off today (new hoses so just assumed I hadn't fully tightened a clip) I reconnected and refilled, started up and sounds like a bag of s**t, sounds like its only running on 3 cylinders. So I'm thinking, gaskets gone, pressurised the coolant, blew the pipe off, engine turned off allows the cylinder to fill up and now partially hydro locked? Any other ideas? Thanks

Soo, seems I may have oil in my nice fresh coolant again! I did a coolant flush, and connected the garden hose to give it a good wash through. And today I put my finger in the coolant tank and pulled out a little oil!! Dam dam dam dam dam! Going to watch over next few days just in case, just.....in case there was still a little bit left in the system! Anyway, been searching and looking a pictures, and wondering where on the head gasket the problem could be, where do the oil and water come close? I've not had the pleasure of removing a vr6 head before, so does anyone have a diagram of the block labeling the oil veins and water veins (if you can call them that). Thanks