Noisy/tappy engine, VR6

[Jim Bowen 1]

Changed my engine recently and i have a tappy/cluttering noise (will have to get a recording) Its not as bad as some i've heard on youtube. Sound like something to do with the head imo

 

Don't notice it so much at idle, but mainly hear it from 1500rpm to 2500rpm, am sure its still present at around 3000rpm, but harder to hear it over the engine and road noise.

 

I have originally thought tappets/lifters, but the fact its louder at 2000rpm than it is at idle has got me thinking its something else, or could still be the lifters.

 

Just wondering if it could be anything to do with the chain, my old engine had a similar sound appear. The only bits i swapped over was the upper chain tensioner and the tensioner bolt and one plastic guide (both mk4 items)

 

I feel confident enough to change things, but am no expert and still not great at diagnosing things. I may just ask a local garage to see what they think, but tbh i don't have much confidence in non-specialist garages and not sure i fancy driving all the way to stealth.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Have you taken the oil cap off to see if oil is making it up to the head?

 

Could just be tappets. Are they new ones?

[Jim Bowen 1]

There is oil on the underside of the cap if thats what you mean, or take it off with engine running?

 

Tappets aren't new, i bought the engine 2nd hand, it does have 263 cams, i wondered if that may affect things?

 

Am sure i didn't notice the noise on the test drive before i fitted engine, although its one of them you notice at certain speeds while driving next to a wall etc

[FasthunVR6 0]

Interesting, I have the exact same issue.

 

Have had for 36,000 miles since I bought her!

 

Initially I panicked, replaced the chains and tensioners, which made no difference at all.

 

So I spoke to Vince about it, and apparently just one of them noises that some corrados make. The noise irritates me but I have had her for almost 4 years and we look for the source every time she goes up to Vince (about twice a year) and can find nothing wrong.

 

So if there is a solution to this, I too would be most grateful.

 

Unless expensive in which case not so much.

[fla 9]

could be big end shells.

[Jim Bowen 1]

Tried to video it, but you can't really hear it like you can while cruising through a town or slowing down through the revs etc

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifwobBFIcRQ

[Kevin Bacon 5]

There is oil on the underside of the cap if thats what you mean, or take it off with engine running?

 

Tappets aren't new, i bought the engine 2nd hand, it does have 263 cams, i wondered if that may affect things?

 

Am sure i didn't notice the noise on the test drive before i fitted engine, although its one of them you notice at certain speeds while driving next to a wall etc

 

Yeah take the cap off with the engine running and you should be able to see the front cam looking nice and oily as it spins round, plus globs of oil spitting out of the rocker cover at you. It's a good sign. If it's all drier than a Nun's knickers in there, well, y've f'cked int ya :D

 

Unless the 263s are worn down or incorrectly installed, not sure what else it could be other than tappets. You may have got them with the engine but are they the engine's originals or were they new ones put in with the cams?! Questions questions. Where's Jonathan Dimbleby, he'd know the answers.....

 

But yes, Corrado VR6s do make a 'clattery' noise in general. They were never silent like the 24V.

[Timbo 0]

I've got the same thing, for what it's worth. I've never worked out what it is. It's confusing as it comes and goes, but it's usually more obvious after the car has been sitting for a while.

[J.C 10]

Mines the same, but my golf 2.8 OBD2 vr6 was a lot smoother,

looking forward to the 24v if it's quieter (I'm very much an aural person),

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Aural or oral? :D

 

The OBD2 2.8 always was the best 12v.

[J.C 10]

Lol!!!!

aural or oral? :d

 

the obd2 2.8 always was the best 12v.

[P3rks 11]

Mine makes a very similar sound, as does my mates.

 

Think it's just a characteristic of the VR.

 

I've put in some 10w60 fully synthetic which has quietened it down a bit.

[Jim 2]

I have the same thing with mine (also have SP263's) and have done for the last few years - it drives me nuts and have been told the same that 'some VRs just sound like that' - would love to know the reason for it though, and what could be done to SHUT IT UP.

[Jim Bowen 1]

Had a good listen to it today. Was doing the engine flush and had to let it run for 15mins at about 1500rpm.

 

I wedged the throttle arm on the throttle body. Noticed the revs kinda pulsed a bit. Like up and down 100rpm. I notice this pulsing feeling while sat in traffic or idling. Might that be the icv?

 

Anyway the noise seems to be loudest at the rear of engine down behind the intake elbow/manifold area.

[Byrd 10]

Had a FULL rebuild last year and was hoping the noise would go away, but no chance- still tapping away. Glad to hear so many of you have the same noise!! :cheers:

[Jim 2]

Had a good listen to it today. Was doing the engine flush and had to let it run for 15mins at about 1500rpm.

 

I wedged the throttle arm on the throttle body. Noticed the revs kinda pulsed a bit. Like up and down 100rpm. I notice this pulsing feeling while sat in traffic or idling. Might that be the icv?

 

Anyway the noise seems to be loudest at the rear of engine down behind the intake elbow/manifold area.

 

Often been told that this noise can emanate from a leak in the exhaust manifold gasket... possible suspect?

[P3rks 11]

My sound is from the exact same area. Almost like it's coming from the PCV valve hole on the rocker? That area in the engine is the breather and there is a huge gap in the head for the bottom end to breathe. I believe it's just where the engine sound resonates to. A later plastic cam cover makes a huge noise difference as the earlier metal style just resonates it even further. Mine has quietened down a tad more with the OBD2 conversion. Whether it's ISV related or that damper pot or even that there is less pipework?

 

10w60 oil works a treat for the sound too.

 

Have you tried the good old ATF trick? it works wonders on cleaning engines. Trust me. If you do have a sticky lifter; that will solve it. I can provide pictures of how clean my internals are.

Edited June 20, 2013 by P3rks

[Jim Bowen 1]

Often been told that this noise can emanate from a leak in the exhaust manifold gasket... possible suspect?

 

I am starting to wonder if something has loosened off around that area, as i had to repair the thread on that very area :(

 

Am really losing patience with the car now, not sure if i want to carry on doing all this work, starting to consider getting rid of the corrado and replacing it with a renault twizy :lol:

 

---------- Post added at 9:44 AM ---------- Previous post was at 9:42 AM ----------

 

Also did the engine flush and installed the castrol magnatec but still sounds the same.

 

Went all over the head with a metal bar held to my ear and it all sounded quite smooth in there, just a gentle whir from things spinning around.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Buying a turkey twizzler to replace the Corrado really is throwing the towel in in a less than spectacular way :D

 

It's a weird trait of the engine for sure. When mine was standard it was the same. Piston slap when cold, followed by tapping when hot. Pretty much how they all are. It wasn't until I imported a big valve head from Schimmel, used Schimmel cams and new INA followers that I was finally bestowed with a silent 12V engine.

 

Interestingly enough, Golf Highlines always purr like kittens and my imported head was from an OBD2 engine. I wonder if there's a link?

[Jim Bowen 1]

Don't think i could seriously buy a renault twizy, maybe a bit extreme of me.

 

Started to look into storing the corrado, but costs are from £10-£20 a week, so that'll be a waste of money as don't see it appreciating that much. Could see me digging out in 5yrs time and parts being even more expensive and the roads being even ****ter.

 

Going to look around for another car anyway, just to see what appeals to me.

[Jim 2]

Buying a turkey twizzler to replace the Corrado really is throwing the towel in in a less than spectacular way :D

 

It's a weird trait of the engine for sure. When mine was standard it was the same. Piston slap when cold, followed by tapping when hot. Pretty much how they all are. It wasn't until I imported a big valve head from Schimmel, used Schimmel cams and new INA followers that I was finally bestowed with a silent 12V engine.

 

Interestingly enough, Golf Highlines always purr like kittens and my imported head was from an OBD2 engine. I wonder if there's a link?

 

I'm at the point that, if I knew a brand new head would fix the issue, I'd probably pay it. It drives me nuts!

[DriverVR6 11]

I have to say that mine is lovely and quiet. It's now got nearly 80k on the clock. I've always used Mobil 1 in it & it's never given me any problems. Even passed the MOT emissions a week ago with ease & that's on the original CAT and Lambda. Only thing I have ever had to do with it mechanically is replace the upper tensioner, & I even replaced that with the original two piece one as I did not know then that you could use the latter one piece one. It was ten years ago that I replaced it.

[Jim Bowen 1]

What is attached the middle cog when doing timing chains, not the cam ones or the one on the crank, the one where both chains attach to.

 

Is that something to do with oil? Am wonder if something there could be making a noise.

 

Am sure my old engine developed a similar noise just before i removed it.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It drives the oil pump. There are bearings on that shaft that could make a noise, but it's not common.

[coullstar 0]

Just turn the stereo up!