First time start up 2.9 VR6

[Rado87 10]

So after 16 months of doing bits here and there whenever work and family commitments allowed, my engine is finally rebuilt and installed!! One thing thats bugging me...when we first started her, (started first crank by the way) she was very top end knocky! we had it running for approx 3 mins and turned her off due to noticing a coolant leak. After tending to that we fired her back up and it was quieter and towards the end of that run was noticeably quieter still but still a bit tappy! Thats where we finished for the night as it was heading for midnight and i don't expect the neighbours would of been best pleased! I can try and add a vid of the noise if I can work out how too!!

[Jim 1]

If indeed it is just top end ticking, rather than knocking, then it's not uncommon for the tappets to be noisy. Bear in mind they've been totally drained of all oil and are bone dry.

 

Did you literally just start it up bone dry, or did you pull the fuel pump relay and crank it for a while to build up oil pressure?

[robrado974 1]

As Jim says . I know it's not the same as a rebuild , but they can be noisy when left for long periods . I did major work to the body and other bits , it was not started for around six months . She fired straight away but the noise was awful , it was so bad I turned it off . I started again and it was still bad , I then drove gently for half a mile , it was still bad . We checked the oil once it had cooled and it was fine . I then started it again and it was dead quiet.

[Jim 1]

The VW workshop manual actually says that you need to run the engine at something like 3,000RPM for a couple of minutes as this should fully charge up the tappets. It seems a bit er.. interesting.. given that you're attempting to cure a lack of lubrication by increasing the engine revs. But just let it run, rev it up a bit, take it for a drive if you can - it should quieten down.

[dr_mat 0]

It's not a lack of lubrication it's a lack of oil pressure in the tappets themselves. The oil gets everywhere in the first couple of seconds after a restart to provide lubrication but you need to rev it a bit to get the pressure up enough to fully pressurise the tappets.

[Rado87 10]

Thanks everyone for replying, its made me feel a bit happier! Ive put so much time an money into this and desperately want it right! Cant wait to take her for a spin! Before we started her up we disconnected the coil pack and let her crank for 5 or 6 seconds and we did that twice. Im trying to upload some vids but can't work it out at the mo!!

[sexybourbon 0]

Jesus you should of heard mine it was awful !!! I seriously thought it was shafted

 

I pulled the main engine loom and turned it over for about 10 or 15 seconds then plugged her in and fired her up and left it running

Oil soon got warm and like clicking your fingers it just silenced its self

 

Tappets take a while to fill with oil thats all

[easypops 8]

The storm I bought last year had been sitting unused for god knows how long, wouldn't start when I got it, turned over plenty but wouldn't fire......changed fuel pump relay and it fired up......sounded like a tractor, I fully expected it to fall apart it was that loud, left it for five mins then took it a spin round the block a couple of times and it quietened right down to how it should sound

[Rado87 10]

All good to hear, thanks guys! I'll persevere! Hopefully sorted the coolant leak last night, those plastic thermostat housings are a bugger! Just the o rings to do on the injectors then MOT time!! 😬