Duratec tappet noise?

[D7PNY]

Having finally got my car out for a run since getting it home I've noticed it seems a little tappety for my liking.

Factory supposedly serviced it before I got it but I'm not convinced the oil was changed having looked at it (will check with the salesman) as I need some paperwork from him still anyway.

Car has done 10k and tappets seem really noisy.

Drawn a blank with Google but wondering if it could just be valve clearances needing checked/set? Is that common?

Other than that, the exhaust knocking all the time and crap steering lock when parking the car is great! Miss the throttle body noise and the 6 speed box of my caterham but think this car is going to be fantastic once o sort out the niggles.

Cheers,

Dave

Edit to add... my other though my was injectors are noisy as more apparent from that side of engine but def seemed like tappet noise to me.

Edited by D7PNY on Sunday 28th January 14:44

[D7PNY]

Thanks guys.

I wonder if it's a noisy injector then.

Certainly more audible from that side of the engine. Will maybe pop in past my garage and see what they think. Dare say they'll be wanting a nosey at the car anyway!

Dave

[D7PNY]

Thanks for the comments guys.

I had read about the exhaust prior to buying so I was expecting it to be fair.

'Tappet' noise is the only thing of immediate concern really. My K series caterham had noisy injectors but this just doesn't sound right to me. Maybe its just me.

I do miss the noise of my Roller barrel throttle bodies though!

My full beam doesn't appear to be working but looking at the lights they look pretty corroded so I will try cleaning them up but may need new units. Guess they get all the crap off the road into the back of them.

Mine is running the michelin pilot sport 3 tyres. What pressures does everyone run? Will give these tyres a good chance before I go for anything stickier as they certainly feel ok on the road.

Cheers,

Dave

[D7PNY]

Yeah, I bought it from the factory - Almost 7 hours away though so not easy to pop back in with it.

[D7PNY]

When stationery I can give the exhaust a shake and it will not recreate the knock so not even sure where it's coming from.

I presumed more engine noise from enclosed cabin which is just glassfibre over a spaceframe but it definetly seems tappety to me as it's not a nice sound if you hold higher revs for example.

Makes me cringe for example as all I can hear is the tappets but maybe that is just me homing in on the noise as you do once you have heard something.

Going to pop past the garage I use when I get chance to get their opinion on it.

[D7PNY]

Thought I would update this...

I finally managed to get in past my garage with the car for them to have a look/listen.

They have concluded that yes its noisy but that it's within the levels (albeit near the top) they would expect. Slightly annoying given I don't like the noise but at least I know it's not about to go pop and I can stop homing in on the noise!

Finally gave it some stick on the way home from the garage (now that I had the confidence I was worried about nothing with the noise) and it goes pretty well. Fairly got to work the revs to get it moving but goes well up the rev range. Gearing is LOOOONG compared to my caterham though so will take a bit of getting used to. As will the brakes! Really stiff compared to my caterham. Seem to bite ok with a heavy foot but quite wooden feel to them.

Waiting to hear back on some replacement headlights as on closer inspection I think that is why my full beam doesn't work and one side light disintegrated in its holder. The units for the main beam/sidelights are in a sorry state.

New units and tidy up the wiring then a trip to scrappy to find some suitably sized rubbers to try and protect them will hopefully sort the issue.

Dave

[D7PNY]

jamesG20V6 said:

Dave,
Have just received a full set of lights to replace mine. I now know the hella part numbers if you want them....

I need to come up with some idea for the rear of the main beams - they get covered in crap and water. Am wondering about some giant heat shrink shaped to fit, but if there is something off a production car that would fit I would live to hear.

I am then embarking on trying to install door check straps.

Cheers,

I'm hoping to get some sent from ginetta as the car came from there like this with fresh mot with 3 lights not working because of it.

Just need to chase them up again for them and for my service history docs etc.

Cheers,

Dave

[D7PNY]

jamesG20V6 said:

They sent me some this week next day delivery.

Hopefully I'll get some soon to! Have a charity run in it in a few weeks so want it sorted in plenty time for that as likely to be dark when we get home.