Rattling Top End

[Simon Burke]

Hi guys

ok, I am having more problems with this car... there seems to be a rattling from the top end of the engine.. like under the cam cover.. Sounds like there's a load of stones rattling about the place... Now, I have kinda bodged it... When the engine is running, and warm, I spray a load of WD40 into the oil filler hole.. that silences it somewhat, and the engine is smoother...

I am thinking that there's a problem with the oil delivery from the sump to the top.. Could it be blocked, preventing the cams being oiled up??

If this is the case, would I have to strip the engine to get at the oil feed pipe, or could I just blast it with some WD40 or something???

Will I have to remove the sump and do it from below???

All help is appreciated

Thanks

[seatkid]

Not a good idea to use WD40 it will dilute the oil with its mix of various solvents none of which is a lubricant of any note.

 

Has the oil/filter been changed on time?

 

I would be inclined to whip the rocker cover and see if the camlobes are being lubed, an examination of the inside of the cover will reveal if the oil services have been skipped or poor cheap oil used (loads of hard carbon build up)

 

Alternatively try some flushing (thin) oil or use cleaning additives such as forte

 

Its known for the pickup gauze in the sump to sometimes get blocked up with crud leding to low oil pressure.

[zorgman]

on cold start up does it rattle then silence down then tick if so its the hydraulics as above, deffo dont use wd40 non wonder oil. best thing to do is buy a liter of cheap atf fluid and pour it in oil run car a day so it can attack the gunk build up then drop oil and use a good quality 10/40 semi vw 505.00 spec oil and new filter. if it doesnt work put a new set oflifters in cost approx

[Simon Burke]

Hi Zorgman

On startup, there's a big cloud of smoke out the back... When the engine is first started from cold, it sounds like someone has thrown a bag of pebbles into a washing machine at high spin.... but it settles down to a less dramatic rattle after about 5 minutes, but it still doesn't sound right... I am usually a petrol head, but I am learning about diseasels more and more... I will use a bottle of ATF as you said to clear the gunk.... Can you send me the link so I can get a set of lifters??? IF I took the old ones out, cleaned the hole where the lifters go, and lubed everything up, do you think I would get away with that, or are new lifters needed?? The cheapest I could find on fleabay is