Chimaera Tappet Rattling

[starmist77]

Hi there,

Can anyone help? I'm new to the TVR world...

Bought a 1997 4.5 Chimaera a month ago and loving it...

In the last week the tappets have started rattling, any ideas?

Seems to be getting gradually louder, but I'm not sure that is because I am now aware of it???

What's the cause and cure?

Thanks in advance for any help

Kev

[Black Chim]

Are you sure its the tappets. I had something similar a while back & it turned out to be leak in the manifold creating a tappet sounding noise. Tell tale signs of carbon around joints are a dead give. Tightened clamps up and noise went away.

[starmist77]

Thanks for this, I will check this out...

Only reason i thought it was tappets was that it gets faster on revs...

Oil level just about maximum, so not sure

What do you think?

Kev

[John.T.]

Change the oil !!!!

Doesn't matter about the level being correct if the viscocity of the oil is wrong or oil has seen its best.
I changed mine a few weeks ago and my rattles went. 15/50 Mobil 1 fully synthetic.

[pwd95]

John.T. said:

Change the oil !!!!

Doesn't matter about the level being correct if the viscocity of the oil is wrong or oil has seen its best.
I changed mine a few weeks ago and my rattles went. 15/50 Mobil 1 fully synthetic.

Ditto. I had a slight tap as the engine returned to idle, only for a few seconds. Changed the oil with a good engine flush first (pour in engine flush & hold at 2k rpm for 20 mins). I used 5/40 synth, hey presto, quiet engine.

[WokingWedger]

'hold at 2k rpm for 20 mins'

I dont think my neighbours would like that !

There are all sorts of debates about 'flushing oils' and their effectiveness versus their lack of protection whilst running the engine with it in.

Have you always flushed your engine ?

If you have, presumably you've had no problems (or you wouldnt keep doing it)

I have alway been worried about how you get the last dregs of flushing oil out, before putting proper oil in.

[pwd95]

First time I've used engine flush, due to the issue. Can't say much about their virtues except it worked for me this time. Using the different oil without the flush might have worked, who knows. I do my oil changes at my mate's Garage & MOT centre. He uses it quite extensively with his servicing & says that it has sorted a lot of ticky engines out, BMW's in particular. I won't bother with it again unless I get the same issue again.

[AAAndy]

May be the exhaust manifold gasket. Especially if if it getting worse. When they go it makes a very metallic rattly noise.

[pwd95]

AAAndy said:

May be the exhaust manifold gasket. Especially if if it getting worse. When they go it makes a very metallic rattly noise.

Got that too very lightly, just working on my extra set of elbows to get in to the bolts.