Loud tapping noise when cold

[Roger Chatfield 0]

When cold I'm getting a loud tapping sound from the engine, it sounds like a badly adjusted tappet but I'm lead to believe the VR6 has hydraulic tappets.

Once hot (after about 10 mins) the sound disappears.

 

Anyone shed any light on this??

 

Rog.

[mic_VR 3]

I'd say it was just a sticking tappet that's taking a little while to fill with oil and free up. Almost all VRs I've heard, including my own, have a bit of tappet noise when cold.

[vw rule 19]

Hello there,

 

100% as what MIC_VR has said.

 

I believe all the Corrado engine versions = G60, VR6, 16v's, 8v's

have hydraulic tappets so zero maintenance.

 

Check your oil level just in case it is on the low side.

 

You could carry out an engine oil / filter change if it hasn't been done for 5,000 miles are more,

plus you can get a engine flush to put in the engine and run the engine for about 10 mins,

then drop the oil out, like I say if it hasn't been done for a while.

 

Some people use the engine flush and some don't,

it is one way to help keep all the sludge and carbon building up too much,

which of course can give you a loud hydraulic tappet,

when the oil galleries are coated up, or the tappet is slightly blocked.

 

10W/40 engine oil is normally used in most Corrado's,

and slightly thinner for the G60 as it's supercharged

 

 

You also can get hold of a oil additive to add to your clean new engine oil,

it's slightly thicker when cold then your normal oil,

but it thins down once it's heated up and so it helps to quiet down loud tappets,

but don't really think you should use it on the VR6 or G60 as they've got slightly smaller oil galleries,

compared to the other engines, well the G60 has plus it's got small tolerances with in the supercharger,

so it gets very hot so thinner oil is better for the G60.

 

But more then likely it'll be the inner spring / plunger gone inside the hydraulic tappet,

which when warn do sound very loud when cold and quiet down once up to temp.

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Si

[CazzaVR 0]

As above, Rog. The VR especially is a little clattery from a cold start. Soon settles down though. Some people have used thicker oils e.g. 10W 50.

[Jim 1]

Could also be piston slap - my VR is incredibly noisy from cold and only really settles down when fully up to temperature.

 

Planning to give 10w50 oil a try in the near future but it costs a fortune (~£50 for 5 litres) so not got around to it yet!

[Dox 22]

My VR rattles / taps a bit on start up (8V MK2 Golf also was tappety from cold), lets face it they're 20 years old and a 30 year old design and shouldn't be compared to the majority of modern cars.

 

I was at a classic car auction on Wednesday with a mate looking at a BMW 850 V12, it rattled and tapped a bit on start up as oil got around the engine, sounded acceptable to me, my mate declared it a money pit............. It was quieter than my VR

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Cheers fella's, nothing to worry about then.

I think I'll give it an oil change shortly anyway, what oil to people recommend?? I've used the Halfords own brand 10W40 semi in my Honda's before with no problems so was wondering if its any good for the VR.

 

Also, out of interest, how easy is it to change a tappet??

 

Rog.

[CazzaVR 0]

Halfords 10W 40 would be fine. Not sure on the tappets!

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Little update, I've done an oil change and it's made no difference.

In fact it's getting worse, you can now hear it even when warm, strangely it's practically loud at about 3000 rpm.

The noise sounds like it's coming from the air box end of the engine and fairly certain it's from the valve train.

 

'VW rule' has mentioned that it's probably the inner spring/plunger on one of the valve that has failed, what do the collective think?? Also how hard is it to change these?

 

Many thanks

 

Rog.

[Jim 1]

This seems to be a VR issue as they're getting into truly tall mileage. I've discussed it with other members on here in the past. Do you find you get the noise appearing at certain revs and then vanishing at some revs? And some days does it seem louder than others?

 

I get similar, often from the air box rather than chains side. I think the only way round it is going to be a full head refurbishment.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Do you find you get the noise appearing at certain revs and then vanishing at some revs? And some days does it seem louder than others

 

That's exactly it Jim.

 

How hard is it to remove the cams and check the followers?

 

Rog.

[davidwort 0]

Tappets do get noisy with age but it's very hard to diagnose which one(s) are making the noise as they all drain down eventually as you strip the head down.

to change them you need to remove the cams and then they just lift out/in, best to change the lot if you're going to the bother. There's various ways of trying to improve he sound, engine flushes, ATF fluid in the oil for a short time, different grade oils. Worn ones won't cause any damage but it depends how loud they get and when you get fed up with it's to when to change. Engines with aftermarket cams may well develop tappet noise, either from the age/wear or the extra stress of different cam profiles.

[Jim 1]

I think the tappet change might be a waste of time, and I'm starting to get curious as to whether this is some side effect of running schimmel SP263 cams - does yours have them fitted, Roger?

 

I forget the name of the forum member who I was talking about this problem with but he'd posted up similar sounding problems to both you and me and was fairly sure it was valvetrain noise. He decided to swap the tappets and this did fix the problem for a few weeks but it didn't take long for the problem to come back. He too, I think, had the Schimmel cams. I'm not rubbishing them as I think they're excellent and the power gains can't be disputed, but I just wonder if they're doing something to one of the valves or tappets that wears them in a very specific way, to make them noisy?

 

Graham at DG had a listen to mine and said that a head rebuild would ideally be wanted - he suspect the noise is down to worn valve seats I think (though I may be misquoting him here).

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

So I'm thinking that maybe I should change all the tappets, how difficult is it to get the cams out and what sort of money am I looking at for a set of tappets.

 

Cheers

 

Rog.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Yes Jim mine is running the Schimmel cams, I don't mind doing the tappets if they are not too expensive but don't really want the expense of a full head rebuild.

 

Rog.

[Dox 22]

Have the sumps been off your cars in recent years? Oil pump pick up gauze filters beginning to block and restrict flow?

[Jim Bowen 1]

 

Planning to give 10w50 oil a try in the near future but it costs a fortune (~£50 for 5 litres) so not got around to it yet!

 

Used that stuff for quite a while (silkolene maybe?)and engine was using oil at the time so spent a small fortune on it. Wasn't much difference so switched back to the normal oil.

 

Am learning to live with small noises now.

[Jim Bowen 1]

I think the tappet change might be a waste of time, and I'm starting to get curious as to whether this is some side effect of running schimmel SP263 cams - does yours have them fitted, Roger?

 

I forget the name of the forum member who I was talking about this problem with but he'd posted up similar sounding problems to both you and me and was fairly sure it was valvetrain noise. He decided to swap the tappets and this did fix the problem for a few weeks but it didn't take long for the problem to come back. He too, I think, had the Schimmel cams. I'm not rubbishing them as I think they're excellent and the power gains can't be disputed, but I just wonder if they're doing something to one of the valves or tappets that wears them in a very specific way, to make them noisy?

 

Graham at DG had a listen to mine and said that a head rebuild would ideally be wanted - he suspect the noise is down to worn valve seats I think (though I may be misquoting him here).

 

 

That was me with the 263's and changed the lifters. Definitely made the noise go away but not for very long and now its just as loud as it was before. I've been all over with a metal bar held to my ear and resting it on different bits of the engine but still none the wiser.

 

 

Was looking at the lifters i removed the other day and they do have lots of marks and wear on them, but i don't really know whats "normal"

 

I was thinking of not bothering with the 263's when i have my old engine rebuilt, thinking i will just use the standard cams, not sure what makes the noise, sounds like its coming from back of head/exhaust manifold area. I also started to question the mk4 chain tensioner and bolt mod and thought i might just use the standard stuff there as well (not too hard to change it every 100k). I seem to recall my 1st engine getting louder from the chain area not long after doing the mk4 bits.

 

I don't really know tbh so just take my ramblings as an opinion.

[Jim 1]

Have the sumps been off your cars in recent years? Oil pump pick up gauze filters beginning to block and restrict flow?

 

My oil pump is certainly getting noisy.. had it on the ramps a few weeks back and it sounded quite um.. well, you could certainly hear it chuntering away. Graham said that it definitely sounds like it wants changing.

 

And like you Jim Bowen, thinking of ditching the 263's if / when I go in for an engine rebuild.

[Dox 22]

Ooooh, lots of cams coming up for sale, lovely :)

 

 

Has anyone noticed similar with Schrick cams?

[iceviolet 0]

Little update, I've done an oil change and it's made no difference.

In fact it's getting worse, you can now hear it even when warm, strangely it's practically loud at about 3000 rpm.

The noise sounds like it's coming from the air box end of the engine and fairly certain it's from the valve train.

 

'VW rule' has mentioned that it's probably the inner spring/plunger on one of the valve that has failed, what do the collective think?? Also how hard is it to change these?

 

Many thanks

 

Rog.

 

hello,

I had the same problem with the original engine that was in my car. Seemed noisiest at round the 3000 rpm mark.

Also you could here the knocking noise when the engine was under load too.

Turned out to be piston slap, ovalised bores.

[robrado974 1]

Any news on this Rog ? . Might not be of any help but are you using the car a lot ? . With mine being sorn , sometimes when you fire it up it sounds awful , but does calm down and runs quiet . I didn't run the car for six months when the respray was done . When I started it it sounded like a tractor ! I drove for about a mile when it was warm and it sounded that bad I turned it off . Waited for the oil to drop and have a look at the level which was fine , started it again and it was quiet as usual . Like other people have said , sticky tappet ?

Rob

[davidwort 0]

have you ever heard a fully collapsed tappet :) they sound like agricultural diesels.

[lilfuzzer 1]

Tappets will prob be 150 to buy new. Why not when you have the existing ones out clean all old oil out of them. I have just cleaned some that the lifters were stuck solid. Cleaned them and they now move nice and freely

[seanl82 23]

Febi ones from VW Spares (AVS) - £5.94 incl VAT ea. Just over 70 quid for a full set is a good price if you ask me. Decent brand and AVS are a good company to deal with.