Tapping BRM

240zdan

New member
Joined
Apr 21, 2017
Location
BC canada
TDI
06 Jetta
Greetings fellow TDI owners! I just recently picked up a 06 jetta with 280000kms. When I got the car it needed a motor mount repair, typical TDI engine mount shearing off the block. I repaired it using the VanGrogh bracket along with the updated engine mount. While I was in there I did the timing belt, waterpump, tensioners, and an oil change using Total Ineos 5w-40 synthetic oil.

All is well I couldn't be happier with the car in general. The previous owners just did the radiator, brakes, and clutch. It looks to be a very well kept car and drives/shows like new.

I decided to do the VC gasket as well since it was leaking. I took a peak at the cam and didn't notice any unusual wear. I didn't remove the cam to thoroughly inspect the lifters. The car shows no telltale signs of worn cam, no bupping, power is excellent and MPG are perfect.

My problem is a slight tapping noise coming from the valve cover area. The noise is very faint but if I turn off the radio I can just barely hear it. It seem to be most prominent at around 2000-2500rpms. Higher revs it tends to disappear. It wont do it on idle, and it only does it when the engine is fully warm. If I let the motor idle for 30 seconds and rev it, the tapping disappears. If I hold the revs long enough the tapping returns. I notice it more during engine deceleration. Sometimes it'll get more faint, other times it'll be noticeable. I flogged the engine multiple times and the noise doesn't appear to be getting worse after 1000kms of driving. With the windows up and radio on, you cannot hear it at all, which leads me to believe the previous owner didn't care for the issue at all.

Any ideas or clues? Could it be a rocker adjustment for the Injectors? Fuel pump? (the car is a bit hard to start, nothing terrible just doesn't start instantly). Could it be a lifter about to blow? Should I just drive it until it gets worse? Everyone tells me to leave it alone but I am picky when it comes to strange sounds, especially from a engine with known issues.

It almost seems to me like the idling of the engine "pumps" something up, whether it'd be an injector or a lifter. It definitely doesn't sound like a loose con rod bearing, very obvious it is coming from the top end of the engine. Any help would be greatly appreciated before I start digging further with a stethoscope.

Thanks!
 
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240zdan

New member
Joined
Apr 21, 2017
Location
BC canada
TDI
06 Jetta
Cam worn, 2 lifters on the verge of being holed. Just a FYI for anyone else with similar symptoms. All is well now, new BEW cam kit and purrs like a kitten.
 

Franko6

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
May 7, 2005
Location
Sw Missouri
TDI
Jetta, 99, Silver`
Now the question is, what cam did you buy? Did you check the oil pump? The oil pump will eat a lot of hard metal from the cam and lifters. If it's already an issue about poor oiling and insufficient oil, your pump going to add to the problem.

I'd recommend dropping the oil pan and inspect the oil pump. If there is damage on outside of the rotor ring or the peaks of the center rotor are damaged or there is more than .006" clearance between the lobes, the oil pump should be replaced.

Most aftermarket cams are chamfered much larger than the OEM's and pricing is all over the place. The larger chamfer further reduces the width of the cam lobe peak, which makes potential wear accelerate. What we have developed is something that gives very extended life. But we are not going to compete with the bottomfeeder pricing for some of the stuff
we see out there.
 

240zdan

New member
Joined
Apr 21, 2017
Location
BC canada
TDI
06 Jetta
Its a $1500 high mileage commuter/beater. I am so done with working on the car and researching forums on theories that I just tossed in the cam and am going to drive it until the car completely fails then call the scrapper to pick it up.

Then buy an ALH.
 

Ol'Rattler

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 3, 2007
Location
PNA
TDI
2006 BRM Jetta
I agree. Garbage parts should not determine the demise of your car. The two biggest issues for the BRM are the fragile cam and the lame DMF both of which are easy fixes.

My 2006 BRM with 289K KM's is far from a "high mileage beater". The A5 chassis is probably one of the best rolling chassis VW has ever built. It does have one of Franks re-engineered cams in it.

The ALH's are getting pretty long in the tooth. Good luck finding a good one.
 
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