Ticking in engine, valves or cam bearings?

Kingcodez

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Orlando, FL
TDI
00-Beetle
Cracked my pan the other week, drove a bit to a safe place and shut it down. I recently filled it back up with oil and let it run, I can hear diesel ticking which is louder than usual, like valve chatter. It changes with RPM but since the car is loud I can't hear it over 3k.

Came here and searched, I found a leak on injectors 1 and 2 so I pulled them, cleaned, and re-sealed. Still ticking.

Pulled the valve cover and I'm not sure if I checked correctly, but I can push the lifters down with my bare fingers, but it is hard. I think I read that they shouldn't even move. The cam looks gorgeous and seems to have minimal wear, they were covered in oil, but the lifters look to have minimal wear and no cracks.

Also I read it could be the camshaft bearings. The ticking is coming from the top of the engine near the timing belt.

I need to order parts ASAP since my free time will be gone once school starts, I was thinking to just order new valves, springs, and lifters, plus cam bearings. Anything else? I will change the TB next week, the car has 220k on it.
 

Dimitri16V

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Location
DE
TDI
01 Golf, 04 Golf
no cam bearings
you probably have a dry lifter that is ticking
 

Kingcodez

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Orlando, FL
TDI
00-Beetle
I read that the push down test should have been done on a warm engine, since I never ran it for more than five minutes, could the dry lifter symptoms be explained by a dry engine and new cold oil?

I'm really apprehensive about even just turning it on because I always thought that a tick was very very bad. Is there any general know how for diagnosing a bent valve?
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
It's hard to really say for sure without being there but the cam and lifters are pretty cheap for a complete kit on your side of the pond. One thing you might be able to hear is the speed of the tick because the cam goes at half the speed of the crank.

A piece of wood makes a good stethoscope too

My car still has a tick that I've never got round to figuring out, my suspicion is that it's a small end bearing but it's been there for the last 4 years or so under various driving styles and hasn't got any worse.
 

Kingcodez

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Orlando, FL
TDI
00-Beetle
I tried the wood but it didn't help much.
I started the car and it ran really crappy, I think I left a sensor unplugged as my cluster wasn't working. It ran super rough but I will start it tomorrow and verify that nothing was unplugged before I post a video.

I let it warm up, and it still ticks. The valve chatter is louder than usual, by a fair amount.
If I buy new valves, springs, and lifters, will swapping out those parts eliminate my issue assuming that it isn't a noise in the crank? The cost isn't a problem as I really miss my car.
 

sy552

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 2, 2010
Location
Farmington, MN
TDI
15 Passat SEL , 15 Jetta SEL
I see no way you could have bent a valve.
How low did it get on oil and how long was it run like that?
I wouldn't bother with valve springs or the cam itself if it looks fine as you say. A set of lifters is cheap and really the only thing in the head that would be ticking.
You may want to check and see what your oil pressure is.
 

Kingcodez

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Orlando, FL
TDI
00-Beetle
I was getting an oil light yesterday, but like I said I think I may have had something not hooked up.
The AC compressor bolt sheared off and the compressor put a hole in the pan. I drove it for less than five minutes after that thinking the boost host blew again.

I'll order the lifters and go from there.
 

Kingcodez

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Orlando, FL
TDI
00-Beetle
I installed the lifters back in April, when I started the engine it still had a tick. With the lifters came a new TB and I think a timing advance, whichever makes it burn more fuel. Ran like a champ and sounded great.

Anyways, I know there is a coolant leak somewhere, and filling it back up was difficult as nothing wanted to flow into the engine by itself. In May someone started it and drove 100 feet before the engine started "smoking" which was probably god knows what burning off.

Also, there was and is an oil leak on the block somewhere if I can remember correctly, I thought it was with the valve cover seal but I can't be too sure. I would have to put a quart in every 6k or so.

Anyone have any input as to the ticking? Should I just say screw it and drive/sell/hold on to it?
Is there anything I buy from Autozone/Amazon to check the oil pressure that has less than a 5% chance of breaking the car further?
 

BobnOH

not-a-mechanic
Joined
May 29, 2004
Location
central Ohio
TDI
New Beetle 2003 manual
Do an oil change, check for any flecks of metal in that oil.
Refill the motor with oil, quickly start the motor (with oil laying up top from recent fill), see if the tick is affected.
If not, and if you see some metal flecks in the old oil, replace the rod and crank bearings (easier than it sounds, no need to remove motor)
Could also be something silly like TB tensioner or waterpump. Run it without the TB cover, use a stethoscope (hose in ear) to better isolate the noise.
 

Kingcodez

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Orlando, FL
TDI
00-Beetle
Yeah the noise is located around the left cylinder, it is hard to hear the tick but it is louder then the rest of the engine, and can be heard in the car. It is important to note that I have a really short straight pipe, and pulled a lot of extra plastic crap out so things are much louder.

Are you saying to now swap out the fresh oil again? Before and after the TB/lifter change the sound was exactly the same. I haven't had the cover on for a few months and noticed no change. With it replaced everything is the same.

I can't remember if I replaced the water pump though, I recall there was issue figuring out how to remove it as I spent a day staring at the engine. I'll take note of that too.

I'll be sure to look into the crank and bearings, that makes sense too.
 

Dimitri16V

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 30, 2005
Location
DE
TDI
01 Golf, 04 Golf
That's not a lifter
Check the turbo for play ,that horrible noise seems to be coming from the lowe bottom of the engine
 
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