Tappets, what do you make of this?

[Rams 0]

Hi all

 

My mechanic and I were at the workshop tonight and we were at the point of replacing the tappets with the new ones I've got.

 

I said to him yesterday, we need to put them in engine oil over night to fill up.... He then looked at me and said why? I explained the forum etc advises to leave them in oil to fill up.

 

What he actually did was remove the valve from the new tappet and drain the clear lubricant from inside and put the valve back in. He said he was taught by a superb mechanic to install tappets in this way and has never had an issue. He also said something about the movement of the valve once fitted can adjust before filling up... Anyway, thats the long and short version I think of what he said.

 

Once he installed the new tappets he finger wiped the surrounds with oil as a form of lubricant. I'm interested to hear peoples opinion as I have gone with his method. Will clearly find out what its like once its fired it.

 

Rams

[Dodgy Phil 0]

I pretty sure the 'clear lubricant' they're supplied in is oil! When I did them on my golf I just submerged each one in oil and pumped them a few times and dropped them in situ. Then I smeared oil on the camshaft and cam caps and all was perfect on fire-up and has been ever since :)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

LOL, tappets are filled hydraulically, just take them out of the packet and drop them into the head. It's that simple really :D

 

Soaking in the oil over night indeed :lol:

[dannyboy 0]

your supposed to wait 30 minutes before starting engine up on new hydraulic tappets

Perfectly honest itll take 30 minutes to get the cover on and all the pipes back so you could start it up straight away pretty much.

 

soak hydraulic tappets overnight is an old practice,some vehicles you do have to do it but not VW

[pumbaa 0]

Yeah, no need to 'soak'. You could pump them whilst in oil but there is no point. Just fit them. They may be slightly noisy until they properly fill up but nothing to worry about.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Don't have to wait 30 minutes either. When you cold crank an engine the oil pressure is enormous, up to 10 bar in the VR6's case. No soaking, or waiting, or any other snake oil or old wives tales methods is going to have anything to say about 10 bar. The tappets will get filled with oil almost immediately.

 

Just drop the damn things in the engine and start it. End of!

 

If they're still noisy after a few minutes of fast idling, take it for a drive until they're quiet. End of!

[Rams 0]

Cheers peops, Im glad its cool as to what hes doing and said he always drains them and wipes the cam lobes etc as posted above. Engine will be back together tonight. :clap:

[aide 0]

if there in tolerance I read you can actually rebuild tappets, bit fiddly due to component size, but can be done.

 

there's a guide on vortex/ club gti, plan to investigate when i do mine.

[hyland770 0]

whys it a good idea to replace tappets? im thinking of replacing a few bits and bobs in my engine so may do these if its worth it?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You replace them when they get tappey. That happens when they wear out and no longer fill with oil completely, or at all. Some people like to fit new tappets when fitting new cams (it's a good idea to) but other than that, there's no reason to replace tappets.

[hyland770 0]

You replace them when they get tappey. That happens when they wear out and no longer fill with oil completely, or at all. Some people like to fit new tappets when fitting new cams (it's a good idea to) but other than that, there's no reason to replace tappets.

 

do they usually get "tappey" on a cold start up? i might do this as im planning on putting some fast road cams in...cheers for the info :salute:

[Rams 0]

To replace tappets is a fairly involved job if you are only replacing the tappets, the process is simple but if your removing the cams it only takes a few minutes to put new ones in, I would be inclinded to do them. Depends how long you want to keep the car as well....

[pumbaa 0]

If you can afford to and you're changing the cams anyway its a no brainer not to.

 

Once cams are out simply pull the lifters out and replace. Job done. (i've only worked on 4 bangers but i cant see why 6 would be any different!)

[Purple Tom 0]

I did it at the same time as chains/tensioners/clutch/OBD2 conversion on my old VR.

 

I just took them out of the packet and dropped 'em in. Got it built and fired up eventually despite some trouble with the OBD2. One of the 12 was noisy for roughly 10 minutes, as soon as I got it moving and the oil temperature up to normal it quietened down lovely.