Tapping noise???
Discussion
Had a slight tappet noise since i got my car, nothing major just alittle noisy, noticed it getting louder the last few times i have used the car but until today thought it was likely just in my head.
Today it has got much louder, performance is still ok, some times its louder than others and appears slightly worse on overrun and is rev dependant.
Fearing the worse i have taken the valve cover off and was amazed at how clean it was. started checking the cams, exhaust all good, inlet was all good till i got to the number 6 cylinder, and the valve closest to the bulk head. The lobe has some light scuffing but i have seen alot worse. I thought i would check the clearance expecting it to be big and its 0.004" so alittle tight if anything. Going to check the remaining valve clearances tomorrow but nothing looks amiss under the valve cover.
Any ideas on what to check next? I Doubt its related but, its had a slight miss for a while, I have ordered new leads, plugs and have a coil pack ready to go on so tha should sort that. When i took the plugs out tonight 3 were black and wet with petrol and the other 3 were nicly brown and dry.
Today it has got much louder, performance is still ok, some times its louder than others and appears slightly worse on overrun and is rev dependant.
Fearing the worse i have taken the valve cover off and was amazed at how clean it was. started checking the cams, exhaust all good, inlet was all good till i got to the number 6 cylinder, and the valve closest to the bulk head. The lobe has some light scuffing but i have seen alot worse. I thought i would check the clearance expecting it to be big and its 0.004" so alittle tight if anything. Going to check the remaining valve clearances tomorrow but nothing looks amiss under the valve cover.
Any ideas on what to check next? I Doubt its related but, its had a slight miss for a while, I have ordered new leads, plugs and have a coil pack ready to go on so tha should sort that. When i took the plugs out tonight 3 were black and wet with petrol and the other 3 were nicly brown and dry.
HI,
I had this exact same problem, I had what I was certain was a tappet noise. And after checking all the clearances they were all in limits. Discussed with various garages and was given a range of answers from little ends to timing chain touching cover.
I did check and there was some evidence that it was the timing chain, so that was all adjusted but it continued. (But worth checking anyway)
I had the engine out to get to little ends done as it seemed to be the last choice, and in stripping the head it turns out it was the tappets \ finger followers. What happened was that the finger follower had worn very far back on the lobe that would normally be in contact with the cam. So when it was cam the cam was in the correct position to measure the clearance I got the correct values but in normal use as the engine rotated there was a big dip on the finger follower hence the tapping noise.
So you might want to check the entire length of the lobes on each finger follower, not sure if it can be done in the car as it was only noticed on mine once the engine was out. On mine it was really obvious once the follower was out but the noise was only a bit more than normal tappiety noise. I think if I had run my finger on the lobe face I would have been able to feel it.
Lesson learnt: trust your own judgement(if it sounds tappiety it probably is), it would have saved me a lot of money and hassle if I had.
I hope this helps.
I had this exact same problem, I had what I was certain was a tappet noise. And after checking all the clearances they were all in limits. Discussed with various garages and was given a range of answers from little ends to timing chain touching cover.
I did check and there was some evidence that it was the timing chain, so that was all adjusted but it continued. (But worth checking anyway)
I had the engine out to get to little ends done as it seemed to be the last choice, and in stripping the head it turns out it was the tappets \ finger followers. What happened was that the finger follower had worn very far back on the lobe that would normally be in contact with the cam. So when it was cam the cam was in the correct position to measure the clearance I got the correct values but in normal use as the engine rotated there was a big dip on the finger follower hence the tapping noise.
So you might want to check the entire length of the lobes on each finger follower, not sure if it can be done in the car as it was only noticed on mine once the engine was out. On mine it was really obvious once the follower was out but the noise was only a bit more than normal tappiety noise. I think if I had run my finger on the lobe face I would have been able to feel it.
Lesson learnt: trust your own judgement(if it sounds tappiety it probably is), it would have saved me a lot of money and hassle if I had.
I hope this helps.
I have checked the valve cover and it does have some marks caused by the chain but its really not that sort of noise im hearing. Looks like i will be taking this follower out to investigate it further as it maybe like yours.
I did notice that the manifold is very close to the chassis, could it be the mani tapping the chassis? i have also had abit of a clunk when getting on the power which i thought might be the diff bushes but could be the engine mount. How much of a gap between the mani and chassis should there be roughly?
I did notice that the manifold is very close to the chassis, could it be the mani tapping the chassis? i have also had abit of a clunk when getting on the power which i thought might be the diff bushes but could be the engine mount. How much of a gap between the mani and chassis should there be roughly?
If its the engine mounts it will sound like a loud clunk when you let off the throttal, you will also feel it through the peddels if it really has gone. Both mine needed replacing and you could feel it through the whole car. Although there wasnt any tapping noises.
Silly question, but have you checked the air vents on top of the dash? Mine had a loud tapping sound and both my self and the garage thought it was top end from the back of the engine. However after a bit of carful listening it turned out to be a slightly loose vent vibrating. Cost £150 to sort mind but hey it was better than a top end rebuild
Silly question, but have you checked the air vents on top of the dash? Mine had a loud tapping sound and both my self and the garage thought it was top end from the back of the engine. However after a bit of carful listening it turned out to be a slightly loose vent vibrating. Cost £150 to sort mind but hey it was better than a top end rebuild
Its louder and quicker with higher revs but does seem louder on over run. Spoke to peninsula who just said to get the tappets checked and see.
As the one i have checked is 0.004" when the limit is 0.005-0.007 should i adjust or leave alone as its a back one. I am concerned that all of the cam lobes are perfect and this one does have some scoring albeit minor.
As the one i have checked is 0.004" when the limit is 0.005-0.007 should i adjust or leave alone as its a back one. I am concerned that all of the cam lobes are perfect and this one does have some scoring albeit minor.
Hello BGB...........
My Speed 6 sounded much like what you are describing.
BUT OF COURSE IT MAY WELL NOT BE!!!
Anyway I pulled the engine out and took it to Jason in Henley, well he was there then.
He pulled the motor down and after going through all of the top end, diagnosed it as a problem at the front of the engine.
He then replaced all of the components there and rebuilt the unit.
I put it back into the Tuscan....started it up and .....there it still was!
And still sounding like a tappet problem.
This time I pulled the engine down and took it to bits myself.
I could find nothing wrong with it at all.
The ONLY thing that I had not done was take the pistons off the rods.
By now I was well into the Tuscan Speed Eight program, so I sold the unit to Paul at Austec telling him all about it and asking for him to tell me if he could work it out.
Paul found a crack in one of the piston wrist pins. THIS was the cause of the noise.
Regards,
Speedeight.
My Speed 6 sounded much like what you are describing.
BUT OF COURSE IT MAY WELL NOT BE!!!
Anyway I pulled the engine out and took it to Jason in Henley, well he was there then.
He pulled the motor down and after going through all of the top end, diagnosed it as a problem at the front of the engine.
He then replaced all of the components there and rebuilt the unit.
I put it back into the Tuscan....started it up and .....there it still was!
And still sounding like a tappet problem.
This time I pulled the engine down and took it to bits myself.
I could find nothing wrong with it at all.
The ONLY thing that I had not done was take the pistons off the rods.
By now I was well into the Tuscan Speed Eight program, so I sold the unit to Paul at Austec telling him all about it and asking for him to tell me if he could work it out.
Paul found a crack in one of the piston wrist pins. THIS was the cause of the noise.
Regards,
Speedeight.
Hi Rtoy, It has around 35k on it, those marks on the cover are the same as mine. I dont thing it is the chain/cover as its not the right noise, it sounds just like a tappet that really loose.
Speed eight, that was not an answer i was after! Im going to check the clearances, adjust as required and put it back together and see what happens. I doubt your problem is common, as its the first time i have ever heard of it. I hope the last time too!
Speed eight, that was not an answer i was after! Im going to check the clearances, adjust as required and put it back together and see what happens. I doubt your problem is common, as its the first time i have ever heard of it. I hope the last time too!
Didnt have time to check the clearances last night but i did have a quick look over it, all shims are in place, no obvious wear to any cam lobes apart from the one closest to the bulkhead on the inlet side which is minimal. Hopefully there will be enought sideways movement that i can (with a mirror) check the surface of the follower.
However! The manifold is about 3mm from the chassis and the nearside mount looks at an odd angle so i think its safe to says its shot. How much space is there normally between the mani and chassis? Rtoy your pic looks like there is a good bit of room. I did take some pics but like an idiot, have some how just hit delete not send.
However! The manifold is about 3mm from the chassis and the nearside mount looks at an odd angle so i think its safe to says its shot. How much space is there normally between the mani and chassis? Rtoy your pic looks like there is a good bit of room. I did take some pics but like an idiot, have some how just hit delete not send.
Well, after some messing about last night i found the issue and it was the very first suggestion. bholleran i am suffering the same issue as your self.
The follower and cams were replaced in december 2003, i have spoken to the company that did it (TVR specialist) and got a pretty crap reply to be honest. Its that long ago they dont really care and cant tell me if it was fitted with the redesigned followers or not.
Im puzzled as to why has it worn in the first place, i thought it was the exhaust side that suffered, not inlet. Started the strip down last night, just got to get the balancer off the crank.
Edited to add pic.
The follower and cams were replaced in december 2003, i have spoken to the company that did it (TVR specialist) and got a pretty crap reply to be honest. Its that long ago they dont really care and cant tell me if it was fitted with the redesigned followers or not.
Im puzzled as to why has it worn in the first place, i thought it was the exhaust side that suffered, not inlet. Started the strip down last night, just got to get the balancer off the crank.
Edited to add pic.
Edited by BGB autosport on Wednesday 25th February 08:59
. Be interested to see how you get on with fitting the new follower/s.Just had mine done...
Was told its a well known fault down to lubrication..
Mine has got 47k on the clock and never been touched..still on original clutch too..well its not now..i had a new clutch too.
Mine had worn the cam lobe and finger....
Was told i should save up for the TVR Power rebuild which i am and when it goes again i will have the big rebuild.
Sam
Was told its a well known fault down to lubrication..
Mine has got 47k on the clock and never been touched..still on original clutch too..well its not now..i had a new clutch too.
Mine had worn the cam lobe and finger....
Was told i should save up for the TVR Power rebuild which i am and when it goes again i will have the big rebuild.
Sam
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