Replacing hydraulic lifters help...

Hey guys,

I have a 1997 audi A4 1.9 Tdi AFN engine, car has been making a knocking sound so im gonna replace the hydraulic lifters, i am not a mechanic y any means im just handy if i have the correct tools and a good guide Had a look around the forum but didnt find what i was looking for... Anyone know of a guide or tutorial to replace hydraulic lifters on my TDI ? I bought an 8 lifter set of Meyle lifters so i guess they are OK... Let me know thanks !

First off, the Meyle brand is not your best choice. I use ONLY INA.

Second, replacing lifters without replacing the cam is a mistake. The lifters, if they are bad, are made bad by the cam not working right.

Third, the usual problem for cam followers is a clicking coming from the head. If you have a knock, it's usually from the pistons or rods.

Removal of the cam is required to check your cam followers:

First, you have to get the timing tools. You will need a 6mm pin for the I.P., a tensioner tool, and a cam lock tool, counterhold tool for the cam sprocket, minimum.

Bring the engine to TDC. Loosen the tensioner, Loosen the cam sprocket bolt a few turns, but do not remove it yet. Remove the valve cover.

Remove the cam sprocket: If you have a metal backing plate, there is a hole in it. If it is plastic, you can melt a 1/4" hole with a pencil soldering gun, near the hub of the sprocket. Then, with a long drift punch and 5lb hammer, strike firmly near the base of the hub on one of the spokes and the sprocket will pop off. Now, you can take the sprocket bolt the rest of the way off.

Remove the vacuum pump.

Remove the cam caps. First, remove #1, 3 and 5 caps, then incrementally remove #2 and #4 until cam is loose. Strike the cam with a plastic hammer if it sticks. Cam can now be lifted out.

Before you go any further, inspect the cam followers. If they are smooth and flat, that is not your problem. If they are not spinning and have lines worn across the lifter, replace your cam and lifter set, as they wear in as a set.

To reinstall, reverse procedure. Use assembly lube on the cam followers and cam journals. Use a new cam seal and vacuum pump gasket. Push the cam seal into position after bringing the cam down incrementally with the #2 and #4 caps. Protect the cam seal by placing a piece of electrical tape over the cam woodruff key slot so it does not cut the cam seal on installation.

Use the A4 timing belt procedure to reestablish timing: http://pics2.tdiclub.com/pdf/a4timingbelt.pdf

I hope for you're sake, it's not pistons or rods.

That's a fantastic summary of the cam/lifter replacement.

Thanks Frank!

I tweaked it just a little bit... you are welcome.

Frank one word "WOW" thanks i was not expecting such an excellent response Thank you very much, i must add the following, i guess i did not use the correct term, i said "Knocking sound" i guess its more of a "chatter" sound typical of worn tappets. In my last oil change i did an engine flush and put in some "WYNNS Super charge oil treatment" the chatter sound when the engine is cold went away, but when the car warms up to normal temp i hear that the light chatter is still there... My car has 230.000Km im guessing its normal ??? i will be doing the tappet replacemt soon i will let you know how it goes, as for have buying the MEYLE tappets i hope they dont let me down soon but i have already bought them so i guess i will have to use them... Anyhow I also have the "non violent rought idle" problem as discussed in the forum below so soon will be replacing the clutch and flywheel as well, i have had the idle problem for over 18 months so i guess it time i get it fixed... Once again thanks for the reply Please let me know of any other tips or help.


Rought idle discussion:
http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=264853&highlight=rought&page=9

Thanks Frank

Re. how to replace 1997 TDI lifters

Thanks Frank!

You are all welcome.

One of our 'thanks' to the TDIClub is to provide pertinent and accurate from our expertise for the benefit of it's members.

There are only two rules for our business:

'Do It Once and Do It Right'
'Build It Like You're Gonna Buy It'

Everything else is based on these two mantras.

@Franko6 I was wondering if there is anything one needs to do to the lifters before its installed? or just lube them up and drop them down?

We don't do anything to the cam follower to prep it. Drop them in the hole... The cam followers should not be pumped up or primed. If you do that, you can actually cause a valve/ piston contact, which can crack a cam follower top.

Frank I thought you had to wait about 30 minutes for the lifters to bleed down once you installed the cam , or is that incorrect?

I've never had to worry about 1/2 hr. By the time I get lifters into the engine and the timing belt back on, if it's only 1/2 hr, that would be pretty darn quick! Besides, if the engine will roll over, then the lifters aren't going to cause any undo contact.

Probably the single thing that can cause a problem is if someone thinks they have to bleed the air out of the cam followers; fill them with oil prior to installing. NEVER DO THAT! The cam followers will prime up very quickly and to the correct amount. Having cam followers work correctly without issue is a matter of the ones we use; INA exclusively. But we think they also should be marked with the correct numbers to correspond with the engine we are working on.