Noisy Tappets

[TOM65]

Wondered if anyone could give me some advice.

I have a 1996 2.0 Galaxy GLX Auto.

 

When the engine is idle or running a noise is coming from the engine like noisy tappets.

I've put in the usual engine cleaner to unstick hydraulic tappets but this makes no difference.

 

Could someone tell me where and what i should be looking for?

also not sure if this is related but the car just failed it's MOT because of the emissions, something like

low on emissions and high on the lambda (Whatever that means).

 

I've asked a mechanic friend of mine who in turn asked another mechanic and was told to try and get rid of the car as he recconds it could be something worse. But these guys haven't actually physically checked the car themselves.

 

I'd like to know as the car is running fine regardless of these issues.

 

So can anyone shed some kind of light?

[zorgman]

mines (2.0L) got 175k on clock with noisey tappets but i just live with it. it may be down to the oil type used, what has happened is that in th tappet there are small holes which have got blocked. dont believe ive found anyone that has had success with these treatments. dont no what that means high on lambda surly if the car is low on emmisions thats right, did you not get the printout for the test.

[mal thory]

I have the same problem, with the same car at 97.000 miles. I took it to a so called engine specialist and they changed the tappets. No difference. They then did an oil pressure test and found the pressure was low as the engine warmed up. Their only suggestion was that the big ends or the main bearings were worn.

Research on the net may suggest that it is the pressure relief valve in the oil pump. Without spending a fortune I think the only answer is to live with it.Hope this helps a bit.

[Willie Krashitt]

If noise isn't tappets, it could be the timing chain tensioner or guide blade going. Neglect at your peril, as when the chain goes it wrecks the engine and usually breaks the block at the same time. Been known to happen from only 70k miles. Not too difficult a job to do. One way to find out where the noise is from is to use a stethoscope, or if you havent one, you can use long screwdriver. With the engine running, place the tip on the cam cover, and the handle to your ear. Listen in several places and see whether the sound is worse on one side or one end compared to the other. Repeat at the chain end.

If the problem is 'bottom end' only, you MIGHT get away with it for a little longer using 20W50 instead of 5W30 oil, but this is really a last gasp measure.

Note: Beware moving belts and pulleys. Tuck hair out of the way and remove any neck chains!

[zorgman]

just had a good poke about my engine and found that the tensioner blade was snapped, having spoke to a mate that worked on the 2.0l lump said that must change the tensioner unit as well. total cost to me from dealer

[seatkid]

Certainly more likely to be rattly chain with a failing tensioner.

 

High Lambda without the warning light on the dash indicates a faulty Lambda Probe. Its located in the exhaust system. Make sure you get a genuine one (~

[zorgman]

update on chain.

so got it all pulled to bits and found the the chain tensionor guide had cracked the plastic guide on there also so to hell with it ive replaced all the bits apart from the chains, wacked it back together and chain noise now gone but still sounds as tho ive go noisey tappets even tho on inspection they seem to be ok, lad that helped me with job suggests that its a worn out injectors as it still has the flat spot that ive had since day one and lack of real grunt pulling power, i know its a 2l but it should have more grunt than its got.

[seatkid]

Lack of grunt will be associated with Lambda problem - High Lambda means its running weak so it will fluff and your valves will run very hot possibly pinking or preignition too. If you've had the problem a while you may have cooked the oil around the tappets.

 

Fix the Lambda problem first.

[zorgman]

can you tell me what the lambda sensor reading should be on the diagnostics im sure last time i checked it, it was going up and down as it should be from memory approx .8 down to .1 or thereabouts the maf reading 4 gals sec

[seatkid]

IIRC......it should be 1

 

More than 1 = too lean

less than 1 = too rich

 

it failed the MOT because a high lambda implies high NOx emissions, NOx is not measured directly by the probe, it can only measure CO and HC

Edited July 26, 2007 by seatkid

[zorgman]

hi

my lamda reads 0.2 -0.8v fluctuating between the 2 having put my scope on it theres a nice rise and fall pattern to it.

with regards now to engine noise its not there as the revs go up its from tickover to 2000rpm approx. the noise doesnt sound like a tappet as that should give off a ring sorta noise this is a deeper noise muffeld infact only thing i can think of is the oil pressure is low at tickover.

now then ive had 5-30w oil in it ran it for a day and the noise was noiser, dropped that oil and put 15-40w oil in the noise is still there put not as bad.

can you do the washer behind the pressure relief valve on these engines and if so where is it located to get at it

[seatkid]

Irregardless of your sensor readings, remember the MOT failed because of high Lambda? They measure it independently with their probe. That indicates your sensor is faulty and giving the wrong output for the given Oxygen level.

 

(It looks OK when you measure the voltage because the ECU control loop adjusts the mixture to give a set voltage from the sensor.....)

 

If the oil pressure light is not flickering on a slow idle (hot engine) then I doubt its oil pressure. You could measure oil pressure by removing the switch and plugging in an oil pressure gauge. AFAIK its likely the relief valve is built into the oil pump housing (sump off job).

 

Deep muffled regular bang/tick at tickover only? Sounds like a big end or other crankshaft bearing. (Not as big a job as it sounds...)