Tappet Noise

Hi

Just bought a 1990 Clipper Cab with 1.8 carb engine with the engine code 'EX'

Not sure if it's got mech. or hydraulic tappets.

Evidently the EX engine ran from '86 to '92 but hyd. tpts. didn't come in till '88

Got it sorned at the moment while I sort out a few things - will tax it 1st Feb.

So it's been standing since I bought it last October - drove it home 150 miles without any probs and I don't remember a constant tappet noise then although the previous owner said it was a bit tappety till it warmed up.

Had it running in the garage today for about 15 mins till nice and warm and there was a very clear 'tappety' sound - came on straight away and stayed constant even when warm - it was there as well when reving the engine and when overrunning.

I imagine that I I take off the rocker cover it will be clear if it's mech. or hyd. tappets.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

Understand a lot of Golf engines can be a bit noisy.

Regs

John

Welcome to the site  

Ive always been told Hydraulic tappits for latter engines.

Myn produces a tappy sound when its cold, but goes once you get running sometimes  lasts slightly longer ie cover a mile or so and its gone. Ive always put this down to age and its been fine for me for over 2years, not getting any worse.

You could start with the basics change oil and filter, I use Semi synth 10w40.

If you wanted could also use an engine flush, but I havent gone down that route as I dont want to run the risk of dislodging any gunk and it blocking one of the oilways. Not too sure if thats a valid concern, but as myn is working fine dont want to risk it.

hydo tapets came in around 86/7, yours will be hydro.

drop 1l of ATF into the oil, bog std auto box stuff. drain some of the old oil out if requires, dont want to overfill. drive it gently for a week or so, then drain out and refill with fresh oil and a new filter.

the atf has detergents in which can help unclog sticky tappets

Thanks for the advice chaps - and thanks for the welcome to the group - this is my first encounter with 'classic' cars since my first car at 17 which was a 1939 series E Morris 8 - which wasn't a classic car in those days it was just a cheap car which I bought for £10 in the days before MOTs, learned to drive in it and then sold for £7-10s.

Will be sloshing in a load of ATF tomorrow and will let you know how it goes.

Regs

John

Sorted - thanks.

I put in 3/4 Litre of ATF and the tappeting whent off after about ten minutes of mixed reving and tickover.

I'll give it a couple of runs then a good flush and a fill of decent semi-synth.

Many thanks again for your help.

Regs

John

good news, any chance you can let us know if its all well and still quiet after a couple of weeks.
might give this a go with myn, due an oil change soon.

Will do - so far so good.
I'll do a post in 2 weeks.
Cheers.

speedfin

is yours auto or manual?

if it works and you'd recommend it could you give me the name of it and how much it was and how you did it, unless its as easy as stated above, and in that case ignore that bit lol, thanks matey, its the only noise that the car makes that i dont like!

take care!

 :mrgreen:

any updates on this?? want to shed some light on your verdict of the stuff you used??

Think i'll gve this a try myself, thou i have read about on net and some suggest 1/2 litre.
Rubjohnny i take it you have also tried this personally thus recommending not just on word of mouth?
I think some peeps will be concerned as wether it could cause the engine any issues fella if you can reassure us.
But i will give it a go with 1/2 litre and let you know how it goes as i have a slight tappy noise, not got any worse but if i can get rid, more the better.
Will do it this week and update once oil changed in approx a week
Pete  :wink:

I did indeed, put it in my 8v after the engine swap to 2.0, ran it for a bit then did a full oil change.  main worry is if your oil cooler is faulty, if its a later one with a water -> oil cooler. on my old 1.8 engine I used the bog std halfords engine flush, and it cleaned out the crud that was holding the thing together so I got oil in my coolant.  But if it does this, it needed replacing anyway!

I got this tip originally came from the legend that is TSC on clubgti, I consider anything he says to be undisputed fact

John can't say any fairer than that bud
I bought 1litre of comma ltf today.
i will be putting it in my block and will post outcome
Cheers fella
Pete  :wink:

Update after one day, tapping still there, will update daily
Is the noise suppose to go during the period the atf is in, or is the atf the cleaner, and the putting in of fresh oil stops the noise?
My block has solid lifter not hydro
Pete :wink:

dooooh
this is for hydro tappets, it cleans out any crud inside them so they can pump up properly. it will do absolutely bugger all on solid lifters, if they're tapping you need to reshim

thought so lmao, cheers fella

what has a 1.5 gx got tappets wise then am i guessing its solid lifter.

Yes it will.
Basically any block before 86 will be solid lifter.
My mk2 is an 86 and that has Hydro

It worked!
Tappets nice and quite now.

Kept the ATF in for about a week - just drove gently.

Drained and filled with flushing oil then ran in garage for about 20 mins reving from time to time then drained and filled with semi-synth and a new filter.

Tappets now go quite within a minute or so.

cheers for the update, will try the same on myn.