Engine TICK

[jonkennedy]

I have a Scala "H" reg 1.8 GTI...
Engine starts perfectly everytime ( applying accelorator ) but for the first few minutes it seems to have a relatively heavy TICK.
Is this normal ?
Should I worry ?
Any help would be great

thanks
jon

[ianaudia4]

How long you had the "tick"?
Sounds like the normal tappet noise until they get a good coating of oil to me.

[jonkennedy]

only noticed very recently ( last 3 weeks )
i have only had the car a month or so and it has been very lovingly looked after by other forum members before me..

the oil level WAS low, i have now topped it up

car runs fine otherwise....

[go-for-it1]

Does the tick go away after it warms up? If it does then don't worry about it, it is normal!
Rob

[bluestreak56]

I used to notice the same thing (16v injected) but after a good service etc it seems to have disappeared. As the guys indicated mine was only up to when the car was warm.

[jonkennedy]

Does the tick go away after it warms up? If it does then don't worry about it, it is normal!
Rob

it seems to stop after it warms.

i just feared that it was damaging something...

[jonkennedy]

I used to notice the same thing (16v injected) but after a good service etc it seems to have disappeared. As the guys indicated mine was only up to when the car was warm.

can u recomm' a good place / person to service ?
alternatively what are the key things one might do to service it, should be capable of doing it myself.. ?

[Brunty]

It's just the hydraulic tappets re-pressurising. Sometimes a good oil flush will rejuvenate them and they'll stay quiet. Nothing to worry about if the noise goes away once warm.

[go-for-it1]

Some Wynns oil flush in the sump before doing an oil and filter change always helps with tappet noise
Rob

[ianaudia4]

Invest in a Haynes manual, they have a service shedule in. The main things to do on an annual service are oil and filter change, air filter, grease up doors, check coolant level and strength, check alternator belt, check brake fluid level and check tyres and brakes.

If you don't know if you know the history of the car then it may be worth doing a major service:

Oil and filter change - Use proper VW filter which costs £2.70 and VW Synta oil £17 for 5 litres.

Spark plugs - Bosch 4 for £10 ish GSF.

Air filter - £7 from GSF.

Dizzy cap and rotor arm - £17 from VW.

New plug leads - £15 for Bosch on Ebay.

Alternator belt - £4 GSF.

Coolant change - Use a flush and refill with a good quality anti freeze such as VW.

Most of the other jobs are checking and lubricating, you could get it done in a couple of hours.

Where are you based as there are members on here that are only to willing to give you a hand?

[jonkennedy]

Invest in a Haynes manual, they have a service shedule in. The main things to do on an annual service are oil and filter change, air filter, grease up doors, check coolant level and strength, check alternator belt, check brake fluid level and check tyres and brakes.

If you don't know if you know the history of the car then it may be worth doing a major service:

Oil and filter change - Use proper VW filter which costs £2.70 and VW Synta oil £17 for 5 litres.

Spark plugs - Bosch 4 for £10 ish GSF.

Air filter - £7 from GSF.

Dizzy cap and rotor arm - £17 from VW.

New plug leads - £15 for Bosch on Ebay.

Alternator belt - £4 GSF.

Coolant change - Use a flush and refill with a good quality anti freeze such as VW.

Most of the other jobs are checking and lubricating, you could get it done in a couple of hours.

Where are you based as there are members on here that are only to willing to give you a hand?

that is literally EVERYTHING i need to know !
AMAZING !
thank you so much....

the car in question is this one : http://www.sciroccoregisterforum.co.uk/ ... f=3&t=2379
and has since had all sparks and leads replaced
new clutch
shocks
and a few dinks pulled out..

i just want to keep it in in tip top condition..

[jonkennedy]

It's just the hydraulic tappets re-pressurising. Sometimes a good oil flush will rejuvenate them and they'll stay quiet. Nothing to worry about if the noise goes away once warm.

PHEW !

thanks Brunty !

[MikeH]

I use ATF (automatic transmission fluid) to flush my engine, by adding a litre to the oil, and running it for a week (make sure you don't have too much oil in the engine - drain a little bit out if you need to).


ATF contains detergents that disperse old oil and muck, and hold it in the oil, so it gets flushed right out when you drain the old oil. If you do a couple of hundred gentle miles with it, then do an oil and filter change, this normally stops ticking tappets. My tappets have done over 180k and stopped ticking when I did a flush with ATF. I generally use it at every second oil change.

[Nate]

change the oil and filter, run it for a few hundred miles and change the oil and filter again. i wouldn't recommend using any form of oil flushing additive in an old or high mileage engine. more often than not they will cause you problems. the deposits in an older engine can be packing out worn bearings or helping oil seals stay oil tight. cleaning them out ain't gonna help the engine life

[markh]

Always go for a genuine VW oil filter, they have a valve which can help prevent the oil from draining back into the sump when the cars been standing, plus theyre about the same price as a cheap non genuine filter.