loud tapping

bought 2001 basketcase tdi Jetta, installed motor with 62,000 miles, to me it has a loud tapping noise which gets louder as the rpm's go up, I think it is coming from the valve cover area, pulled valve cover and it is very clean and has good oil flow, 60 psi oil pressure at start, 20 psi at idle when warm. I did a new timing belt install at when I replaced motor. Injector timing is right on the money. With all the right tools. Do these motors have a problem with cam and lifters? If there is a problem with the cam and lifters, is there anywhere that sells them at a reasonable price and is a trustable company.

It sounds like a bad lifter noise from a small-block Chevy! It is very noticeable and annoying driving down the road. We have a Deisel Sprinter and it is very quiet. Also I installed rebuilt trans and all new front suspension. I am afraid to drive it.

Can you tell if it's coming from the injection pump?

Before even reading the second part of your post. I suspected a lifter knock as well. See if you can find an oil additive something similar to this... http://www.schaefferoil.com/specialty/132.html

My dad sells Schaeffer products and I have seen this stuff eliminate lifter noise after just a minute of being introduced into the cars oil. (What a coincidence it was a chevy too. Like you stated above ^^^ ). So look for something similar to this and see if this helps at all.

Just an additive may not help you completely, there may be something mechanicly wrong or that needs to be replaced. But this may help atleast for now.

i dont think its the pump

If it is the valvetrain, I'd pull off the cam and check for a bad follower. Are you anywhere near me?

Sometimes you can find a failed hydraulic cam follower with a quick test:

Pull cam cover. On each valve where the cam lobe is pointing somewhat up (not opening valve), try to shove a maybe 0.020" feeler between puck and cam. Should not go. Mark the good ones. Put cam cover on and crank engine, then turn off. lift cover off and check other closed valves. Repeat until you get all of them.

The reason for starting is so lifters pump up. Rolling by hand gives followers a chance to bleed down.

you need to put cam cover on with a couple screws or it will blow oil all over.

last night i put new cam and lifter in the loise is still there cam did have small pitting
but hard to see lifter had some wear head look good

Last night I put a new cam and lifters in, new oil, Lucas assembly lube, and Lucas synthetic additive. The noise is still there. The cam I pulled out showed signs of pitting, but they were very hard to see. There was also discoloring of the lobes. There was some wear in the lifters, but very slight. There was no sludge on head. The head looked like brand new. The oil pressure at start up is 70 psi and when warm it is 30 psi, at 190 degrees at coolant. 5-40 weight oil. synthetic. This is my first diesel volkswagon. I'm used to chevy's, pontiacs, and other GMs. It is hard to pinpoint where the sound is coming from. It sounds like bad cam and lifters, but I changed them already. The farther you stand from the car the more you can hear the distinct noise. Thank you everyone who replied to my other inquiry! Could this be an injector or bad connecting rod, or rod bearing? Grant Park, IL

Drive car in maybe second gear with windows down where you can hear the noise. Then let off the go pedal and let car coast with engine spinning. At this point no fuel is being injected. Do you hear the noise then?

If noise goes away, it is likely combustion noise. That can be worse on one hole if injector has a bad spray pattern. Good time for zippier nozzles!!

If noise persists, it is something mechanical. Could be rod, piston pin, or piston slap. Sounds like you got the valve train eliminated with new cam and followers.

On my alh, there is a noise coasting that I think is piston slap. Been there since day one and I worry not over it.

5-40 weight oil. synthetic

Click to expand...

Is that oil rated for diesel engines?

The noise is not as loud but it is still there.

Yes the oil is for diesel engines and it is from a volkswagon dealer.

injector question

Ski in NC said:

Drive car in maybe second gear with windows down where you can hear the noise. Then let off the go pedal and let car coast with engine spinning. At this point no fuel is being injected. Do you hear the noise then?

If noise goes away, it is likely combustion noise. That can be worse on one hole if injector has a bad spray pattern. Good time for zippier nozzles!!

If noise persists, it is something mechanical. Could be rod, piston pin, or piston slap. Sounds like you got the valve train eliminated with new cam and followers.

On my alh, there is a noise coasting that I think is piston slap. Been there since day one and I worry not over it.

Click to expand...

What injector tip do you recommend? Where do you recommend getting it from? Do I need to replace just the tip, or do I need to get the whole injector?

I can still hear the tapping noise with the windows down or up. It is a lot louder when accelerating. The noise doesn't show up when it is first started. It comes a few minutes later.

Start the engine, wrap a rag around the injector nut, loosen the nut a tiny bit (just enough to let fuel spray out of it)... does the noise go away ? Tighten then repeat for the other three cylinders. Remember, this is a skin/fuel injection hazard so do it carefully.

Solution?

Jetta911, did you ever find a solution to this? My 2003 ALH has all the same symptoms, it's like you're taking about my car.

FYI - Jetta911 hasn't been logged in in 6 years.

Since the beginning of the year I had this on BOTH of my Jetta wagons. Turned out to be a loose injector and the tapping was combustion in that cylinder. Telltale sign is black soot around the offending injector and you can actually feel small puffs of combustion gasses if you put your hand above the loose injector while the engine idles.

mine too. wish i could figure it out. cam looked great, just did new belt. just a harsh tapping noise.. ran injector cleaner thru. no change. ugh.