[Mk2] [Turbo] Help needed, loud tapping from engine! + vid :)

[paxo_pete]

my tubby has been laid up for about a year and i have just started it up. it started up fine but now there is a loud tapping noise from the engine which wasnt there before. sounds like its from the top somewhere near or under the plenum chamber. its speeds up with rpm when idling. i havent actually driven it yet. could all the oil have drained from the top and this has damaged something when i started it. the engine idles fine tho.

any help much appreciated

[djpkins]

alternator??? tick tick tick tick? have you checked the plugs?

[paxo_pete]

i dont think its alternator, the noise wasnt coming from there and it was charging fine. plugs seemed fine the car idled fine not hiccuping or anything. could one of the lifters or tappets have knackered thru lack of oil?

[raptor95GTS]

i dont think the 3S head has lifters, it's shims IIRC but I just drive the thing

[Slarty]

i dont think the 3S head has lifters, it's shims IIRC but I just drive the thing

Yup, solid lifters not hydraulic so I doubt it's that.

It might be a leak from the exhaust manifold. Does it go/quieten down once the car has warmed up?

[paxo_pete]

no its constant gets faster with rpm. it didnt make the sound when i put in garage. could the oil have drained away from the head over the year and then when i started it it damaged something.

[Slarty]

It could still be an exhaust leak, they sound quite bad when it's from the manifold - head seal. I'd say it's unlikely to be a lifter that's damaged as the oil flow is almost immediate once the engine is started.

For my money I'd say put a spanner on all the manifold nuts and make sure they're tight as well as the turbo elbow - down pipe nuts.

[paxo_pete]

it didnt sound like it was coming from the exhaust it sounded like it was coming from the plenum or just underneath the plenum. ill try and get some video up.

[djpkins]

if it's going up.down with revs it's gotta be a spinning thing surely...is the belt/s snagging on something ...

[ashley]

Worth getting someone experienced to have a listen for you, or get hold of an engine stethoscope to have a better listen- makes it easier to locate these types of noise, and they are cheap.

It might be worth lifting the cam cover and checking the state of the cam buckets, and measuring the clearances...should be pretty obvious is one is far enough out to be tapping.

Try running it with the a/c belt disconnected to illiminate the a/c compressor.

Might be the water pump on it's way out, so have a listen on one of the water pipes, maybe pull the timing cover off and check for play on the pump (major hassle!).

Worst case scenario would be a big or little end, in which case you don't want to keep running the engine if you can help it, the bearing will break up and risk damaging the rest of your engine.

Good luck

[paxo_pete]

ok guys the long awaited video. see what u think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0AASM6p ... e=youtu.be

[ashley]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0AASM6prEg&feature=youtu.be

[djpkins]

sounds louder over by the dizzy...I would whip the rocker cover off and explore.

[paxo_pete]

yep i think thats the next step. the majority vote is on shims at the minute which doesnt sound too painful.

[djpkins]

this is a propper chancer, but...give the starter motor a tap with a block/hammer...just to make sure it isn't the dog catching on the flywheel...although this would prob make a ringing noise aswell.

[paxo_pete]

haha ive often thought about taking a hammer to it but ill give it a go. lol youve had that daft avatar for ages now.

[djpkins]

[MR2-4-Life]

any update with how you got on?

[dazzz]

haha ive often thought about taking a hammer to it but ill give it a go. lol youve had that daft avatar for ages now.

That is a funny Avatar.

[dawesy]

sounds valve related. it is possible as its a rev 2 engine which has shim over bucket as opposed to the rev 3 shim under bucket that one has been flicked out.
defo get the cam cover of to investigate