Tappety engine after warming up

[Dirty Den]

Hi all -

 

After my MOT test today, my engine (EU3 1600 Supersport) has started to make a strange noise, which I can only describe as a "tappety" sound.

 

I started the engine from cold this evening and the engine didn't make the noise - after about 4 minutes of idling, the engine started to make the tappety sound. Darren (LazerBrain) came round this evening and tried to record the sound using his mobile phone, hopefully he will be able to post the sound online later.

 

Any ideas as to what this could be?

 

Cheers,

 

Den

 

http://www.dens7.co.uk

[shn7]

Were you with the car during the MOT or did you leave it with them for the day? Did it have a few extra miles on it when you got it back?

 

Hopefully I'm being unfair to the test station here and they haven't been out thrashing the nuts off it while you were away at work.

 

As to the reason for the noise I'm not sure.

 

Steve.

[Dirty Den]

Hi Steve -

 

That's definitely not the case. I was with the car the whole time and the garage were recommended by other Blatchatters, they did an excellent job - can't fault them. It's just a coincidence that the problem has developed straight after the MOT test.

 

Thanks for the reply though,

 

Den

 

http://www.dens7.co.uk

[LazerBrain]

ok, I've pulled the recordings off my phone. They're not great, but they might help someone work out what's going on.

 

here just under 4 meg

 

here just over 2 meg - this one is a bit clearer. I'll leave Den to find the best moment in the file to demonstrate the sound, but it's not the "dancing" sound that is in the foreground, my EU2 1.6K SS has that too (what ever it is!)

 

cheers,

 

Darren.

[Dirty Den]

Thanks Darren

 

The noise in the clips sound more "raspy" than the actual noise, which sounds more tappety. You can hear the noise at the beginning of the clip 1-2 seconds in and at the end 11-12 seconds in.

 

I'm not sure how much use, if any the clips will be - if any local Blatchatters would like to pop round and lend an ear, I'd really appreciate it

 

Cheers,

 

Den

 

http://www.dens7.co.uk

[shn7]

Den,

 

That's good news on the garage then 😬. Ass to the noise, hard to tell from the recording but a few possibilities to consider:

1. Leaking exhaust - a leak around the exhaust manifold or where primaries meet secondaries (depends on exhsut type) can give a ticking noise.

2. Gearbox layshaft/CRB - Does the noise go away when the clutch is depressed?

3. Slipping alternator or DS pump belt chirping - probably not this one I think.

 

Let us know how you get one investigating.

 

Steve.

[Tony Whitley]

I can't tell from the clips but I can think of two possibilities:

 

The tappets - assuming they're standard hydraulic, the oil drains from one or two of them in some circumstances. I don't know the full answer but maybe as a result of it standing for the last few months?

 

A noisy injector - but I can't think why it would do that suddenly.

 

I'm busy re-fitting my prop so I can't come and listen, sorry.

 

Fatalism means never having to wonder if it's safe to overtake

[Dirty Den]

Thanks for the replies guys.

 

It might be a leaking manifold I suppose, but it definitely isn't the collector leaking - I sometimes get a slight rattle from the collector until it warms up, but I had put some very light weight on the collector to stop it from rattling, so it wasn't that.

 

The noise doesn't go away with the clutch depressed, Darren and I checked that yesterday evening.

 

The car hasn't been on the road for a couple of months, but I do turn the engine over and also run it for a short while (until the fan kicks in and temps are up) to keep things OK. The RoadSport As also come with mechanical tappets to my knowledge....

 

Cheers,

 

Den

 

http://www.dens7.co.uk

[Kevsta]

I had a leaking exhaust manifold (gasket) and the tapetting noise was really noticeable when I accelerated especially with low (2000) revs. Look for black around the manifold.

 

How recently did you change the oil? What oil is it? Is it a new brand to what oyu have used before?

[Dirty Den]

Hi Kevsta -

 

I changed the oil about a week ago after the car was SORNed for Winter - the oil gets changed very frequently indeed.

 

I use Mobil 1 0w40, which is what I always use. I assume that if the gasket is leaking, I should be able to feel the air leak from the blown gasket?

 

Cheers,

 

Den

 

http://www.dens7.co.uk

[shn7]

Only if you can do it without burning your hand 😳

 

Steve.

[Kevsta]

I doubt it. You will see some black soot on the head maybe. Try your nuts for the manifold to see if it is holding them ok. The main thing I would say is that you do hear it more when you drive the car (low speadd, 2000rpm and accelerate...sounds like a really loud tickety sound then).

 

How many miles has it been since the oil change? Maybe that the tappets just aren't charged with oil fully yet as over the wind=ter the oil will/may have drained out of them.

 

To check if the noise is coming from the engine you could try the large crew driver against different parts of the engine with your ear to it to hear where it is coming from (if it is not the exhaust...you won't hear it if it is a leaky manifold as this method relies on the sound travelling through solid objects to your ear)

[Dirty Den]

Hi Kevsta -

 

Cheers, I can check the exhaust manifold nuts tonight. I'm guessing that an exhaust gasket isn't expensive, so I'm wondering if it might be worth replacing it anyway? I guess that it's just a case of undoing the manifold bolts, taking new gasket out, putting new gasket through bolts and then torquing it up?

 

I did the oil change and then later on, took the car for the MOT - probably about 10 miles each way. The sound wasn't there on the way to the test station or at the test station - only on the way back, so I assume that if the tappets had drained dry, I would have heard them on the way to the test station and at the test?

 

Thanks,

 

Den

 

http://www.dens7.co.uk

[shn7]

Exhaust gasket is about a fiver from you local Rover (caterpillar) parts dealer.

 

You may need to remove or at least loosen the exhaust can mountings in order to be able to move the manifold enough to get the gasket out/in. Worst case it's remove the entire exhaust but that's still not hard.

 

Steve.

[Dirty Den]

Hi Steve -

 

Unfortunately I don't have a local Rover dealer that is easy to get to. If I went to Halfords or a local motor factors, I'm assuming that an exhaust gasket for a 1.6/1.8 K-series will do the job - perhaps if I go for one from a MGF/Elise/216/218?

 

Failing that, I'll order one from Caterham...

 

Den

 

 

 

http://www.dens7.co.uk

[shn7]

Motor factor should have them. Halfords would probably say they can order one in. CC will certainly have them but add p+p.

I'd go for the local motor factor as second choice after a genuine Rover item.

 

Steve.

[Kevsta]

Not 100% sure about the tappets, I would have thought they would be noisy from the off. Try the screwdriver...but yes, worth changing the exhaust gasket if you suspect it. Be sure to retighten nuts with copperslip. Gasket can be had from halfrauds, motor parts direct (new cafco), all parts etc. Yep, standard k-series gasket, tell them 1400 K. They all have the same head as elise etc that are non VHPD and VVC.

[Dirty Den]

Fantastic, thanks guys

 

I assume that aside from torquing the manifold -> head bolts to the correct torque, I don't need to do anything else aside from the Copper Grease - I won't need any kind of sealant aside from the actual gasket itself?

 

I've got to go to Halfords at lunchtime anyway, so I might try my luck and see if they have any in, failing that it's auto factors or CC...

 

Cheers,

 

Den

 

http://www.dens7.co.uk

[Kevsta]

Nope, the gasket should do the job. Do ensure you have clean/flat surfaces for it to butt against though, otherwise it may still leak! Give it a clean on head and manifold...

[Tony Whitley]

The gasket on the Roadsport A is not a standard K part because of the race manifold. Ring Caterham parts and ask them if they'll give you the part number if you're in a hurry.

[GuyT]

I found a leak on exhaust manifold by holding the end of a drinking straw near my ear and moving the other end around the manifold. Comes through clear as a bell when you get to the leak.

[old captain slow]

Try Redline in Caterham. 01883346515.

 

C7 CDW

[David Lynch]

Lower bolt between Primary 1 and 2 is my guess (the one that cooks alternators !!!)

 

1.4K SS 😬 Saving for the next trackday

[I.Mupferit]

Would that be the standard striped drinking straw or the clever articulated jobbie from Mickey D's?

 

Brent

 

2.3 DURATEC SV Reassuringly Expensive

R 417.39 😬

[Strangely]

I couldn't hear anything strange in those recordings (other than horrible GSM compression). Last time I feared for my engine because of strange tappety noises, it turned out to be the injectors. They are normally very quiet, but they suddenly started making a right racket (but still worked fine). After a while they went back to being quiet. Weird. Phil spotted it straight away, because his injectors make that kind of noise all the time.