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[Abiton]

Help please  .

Last Sunday evening we noticed a subtle ticking noise coming from the engine bay, only present when putting one's foot down from low revs, silent at cruise. (Engine at full operating temp)

Took it out midweek to assess, and it was still there, but seemed quieter, you had to listen quite hard to hear it, under the same circumstances.

G/f said yesterday that it's getting worse again, so I just popped out and started it (was still quite warm), bonnet up. Nasty metallic clicking, quite loud, coming from front end of rocker cover, goes away with a little rev, but comes back at idle.

Oil/filter changed not more than a month ago, genuine materials.  No EML.

What's that all about then folks??    TIA.

[dbug]

Noisy tappet?

[Tony H]

Sounds like a noisy cam follower it. Not to much to worry about as long as it doesn't get too noisy.

[dbug]

Is a cam follower a posh tappet?

[Abiton]

Sounds like a noisy cam follower it. Not to much to worry about as long as it doesn't get too noisy.

Thanks guys, had a feeling it might be sth like that, but I think it's too noisy right now.  Fixable by a mechanical numptie? Or not too pricey at Vx/other garage?

Doesn't sound like it's going to sort itself out unfortunately.

Edit: Just thought, a relevant detail may be that the odometer says 141000 approx.

[Grumpy]

Fixable by a mechanical numptie? Or not too pricey at Vx/other garage?

This job requires removal of the Camshafts, which requires removal of the Camshaft
Sprockets, which requires removal of the Camshaft Belt.
So unless you are confident of tackling these jobs, you're looking to paying
to have it done or living with it. (And it won't be cheap)

If you do get it done, get it done by someone you know and trust. The Camshaft Bearing
Caps are matched to the Cylinder Head and to their position on the Cylinder Head.
They must be removed and refitted in a set sequence and manner. If whoever does
it screws it up and damages/ breaks a cap, or puts them back in the wrong position,
then you're talking a new Cylinder Head.

Seeing as you say the tapping stops when you rev away from idle, this would indicate
that the increasing oil pressure is filling the cam follower, expanding it, and closing the
gap. So it may be worth looking to increase your oil pressure at idle.
Another oil and filter change may do this. If not, then maybe an oil pressure relief valve
replacement.
I've never replaced this, but I believe it can be done without dismantling the engine.
The experts on here should be able to give you pointers on this.

Hope this gives some help in deciding which course of action you may wish to take.
Even if it's only turning up the radio volume at idle.  

[mahony]

Before you go down that route try the stuff from halfords that frees sticky followers. then change engine oil and filter.

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_203145_langId_-1_CarSelectorCatalogId__CarSelectorGroupId__varient__categoryId_58757_crumb_33958-31345-58755_parentcategoryrn_58757

[Kevin Wood]

Does the oil light ever come on at idle? Just wondering if low oil pressure is the problem?

Then again, all of them would be complaining in that instance.

Might also be worth checking the cam belt and tensioners just in case a tensioner is breaking up or the belt has jumped and is causing light valve to piston contact. When was the belt last changed?

Likelihood is it's just a noisy tappet but you can't be too careful.

Kevin

[Abiton]

Never seen an oil light, cam belt/water pump were done by Vx in August approx.

The noise was sufficiently alarming earlier to wonder if there was something drastic going on, but I don't know that it would come and go if it was valve timing related, would it?  :-/

Might give mahony's recommendation a go, unless anyone's got anything bad to say about that stuff?

May drive it round to Vx in the morning and slip a chimp a fiver to have a listen.  Unless there's anyone on OOF near me with 'practiced ears'.  The tappets on my 150K mk2 Golf make a similar noise on the occasional cold-start, but only for 2 seconds, so I guess that's just oil lack, rather than 'stickage'.  Don't know what a sticking one sounds like, or perhaps now I do?  

[Kevin Wood]

The other possibility is an exhaust manifold blow but if it goes away above idle I'd say it's a tappet that quietens as oil pressure picks up.

Kevin

[damon80]

This sounds like the same noise that's started coming from the top of my engine in the last couple of weeks or so (sounds like it's coming from the driver's side bank), but the rate of ticking increases with the RPM?  If I didn't know better (and if it was a F*0rd), I'd say it was camshaft bearings??  Anyone any suggestions??  :-/

[Abiton]

Gold star for Kevin Wood and the exhaust theory.  Just took it round to Vx and the nice Parts Man came out to have a listen.  Without any hesitation (barring a quick 'squirt' on the throttle cable) he pronounced "Exhaust manifold gasket, or cracked manifold".

Realising now that my observation about it going away with a little rev was severely flawed, as I moved into the driver's seat for this, which meant I couldn't hear what was happening locally.

Anyway, had a little look at whether I had the tools and skills to get the heatshield off (probably not!) when I observed...



Errrm, there should be a stud/nut in that hole, right?  It's looking like my top-hose replacement may have been "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted", as it looks like it may have been spraying coolant at that stud...  .  In my defence, we haven't had the car all that long.

Could be almost accesible enough to drill/tap/replace in situ, I suppose, but presumably the gasket will be be U/S now.  Oh dear.

[Kevin Wood]

Ah, you're not the first to go down this route on a 4 pot Omega. A common problem, along with cracking of the manifold itself.  

I believe they have been repaired in-situ. I'm not very familiar with them myself but I know there are a few guys on here who are so I'm sure someone'll be along with some advice.

Kevin

[Abiton]

Ah, you're not the first to go down this route on a 4 pot Omega. A common problem, along with cracking of the manifold itself.  

I believe they have been repaired in-situ. I'm not very familiar with them myself but I know there are a few guys on here who are so I'm sure someone'll be along with some advice.

Kevin

I'd really appreciate any suggestions on dealing with this please.  Sorry to bump, but I'm scared about what this is going to cost  .

[taylorc]

Saw your picture of the broken stud......from the angle, I'm assuming its on a 4 cylinder unit ?

I've got exactly the same problem but on a V6 and I can only just get my hand in to feel the stud had sheared.....it was still in place.   I get the fut fut noise but it reduces a lot as the engine warms up.   Do you know if anyone has a solution other than taking the engine out and drilling the stud to replace it ?