Bongo Fury

hi all,
i`m sure some of you will have been following my posts about my tappetty v6 with interest,or exasperation??i realise that the simplest thing would have been to whip the rocker covers off and inspect the camshaft/hydraulic lifters.i suppose i`ve been putting it off because:
a)it`s been running fine,if tappetty,for 1500 miles since i`ve had it
b)it`s been almost silent at one point between oil/filter changes
c)i don`t have the cash for a major repair
d)there`s been no metal particles in the oil at all
e)i don`t really know what i`m looking for
f)i don`t know the sequence for stripping down so i can remove the hydraulic lifters

but,i can put it off no longer.i have a wedding to attend this weekend,but i think next weekend i will tackle it.i think i`ll whip the covers off,inspect the camshafts,see if it looks like all of the oil feeds are clear,and if i can,remove all of the hydraulic lifters for a clean,take them apart as much as possible,then clean them and soak them in oil if possible.if any are stuck/sticking,i hope this may help.remember,it was standing for almost a year before i bought it.
is there anything i should know?will i have to disturb the timing belt to do any of the above mentioned tasks?how will i know torque settings on camshaft retaining bolts?just tighten them as tight as i dare?how do i actually remove the lifters once i can get at them?do they simply lift out,or do i need a special tool?there`s no point me starting the job if i don`t have everything i need.
thanks again.
jamie

Have you checked that the exhaust manifold isn't leaking hoggmaan? That can sound like a sticky lifter, or tappet on a v6.

hi bdc,
no-one`s ever suggested a leaking exhaust gasket before.i certainly hope it is.is it a big job if so?would i notice a`blow`when holding my hand over the exhaust?
thanks
jamie

sorry,bdc,i meant manifold,not gasket!!a big job,and how do i test for that?
thanks
jamie

Hi Jamie my V6 is going back to the dealers next week to have my tappets replaced so hopefully will get mine running quieter, although it is only really bad from cold until its warm.

I had a 2.0ltr ecotec vectra that I thought had a sticky valve,

but it had snapped stud 1.... when I looked into it, they all do it, the 2.0ltr was a bigger bore on a 1800 block and was renowned for it.....

anyway... back to the plot, that used to make a noise like a sticky tappet, until the engine warmed up, then as everything expanded quietened down....

the only real way to tell, I think would be to pull the manifolds off and the gasket will have a witness behind, on the vectra, a black sooty mark where it was escaping

you may be able to feel the exhaust escaping with the back of your hand, but I could only do this at 'the end'..... (I ended up swapping gasket about yearly, and then it snapped another stud, and then you could feel the exhaust gas escaping... and then the back box fell off, and it needed new brakes, and the engine management light came on all the time....and......and it ticked like a timebomb... so I traded it.... and laughed all the way home (it was at a vauxhall dealers.... so served them right, except I replaced it with an astra ))


I don't think you would tell if the manifold was loose, if you cranked the studs you'd snap them....... but you'd definitely see a snapped stud, as there would be a nut missing from one of the manifold holes.... and I'd expect it to be at one of the ends



John

I can see a similarity here john...but with different marques...

I had the tappeting in exactly the same scenario as mentioned above, mine was on a 24valve V6 mondeo, it turned out to be the exhaust manifold,which had warped.

I traded that in against a focus.

PM's sent (as you know) Hogmaan.

Prob not much help Hogman but i have the most annoying clicking noise on my v6 which i know atleast one other v6 forum owner has on his, i almost mistook it for a tappet or possibly a noisy fuel injector, but with more inspection turned out to be a solanoid on the fuel return to the carbon canister most do on cars it just old worn and more noticable cause if you got passenger window open it rite under the the pass seat

Anyway long shot i know but just maybe your noisy tappets on start are quietning down and your hearing is what i hear, which for some strange reason the only other person that can hear it is my 4 year old son, mainly cause he sits in the pass seat (OH AND EVERY PADESTRIAN I PASS )


but having said that mine only does it in drive, the clicking that is

I hope you get it sorted cause the v6 really is a pleasure to drive,

ps i've noticed mine is noisy when when i got both seats up doin service, but sounds the dogs when revvvvvvvvvved up and seats down puuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurs like a cat

Goodluck

hi,
i`ll certainly check the solenoids,but i`m not sure on that one.with the seats down,you can`t hear it from inside the bongo,unless you have the windows open.i ckecked the exhaust manifold,as best i could,by placing my hand over the exhaust pipe with engine running,and i couldn`t hold it there,which suhhests to me that there is no leak from the exhaust system anywhere.is there much wrk involved to actually remove the hydraulic lifters when the rocker covers are removed,by which i mean do i have to completely remove the camshafts?
thanks
jamie

hogggman wrote:hi,
i`ll certainly check the solenoids,but i`m not sure on that one.with the seats down,you can`t hear it from inside the bongo,unless you have the windows open.i ckecked the exhaust manifold,as best i could,by placing my hand over the exhaust pipe with engine running,and i couldn`t hold it there,which suhhests to me that there is no leak from the exhaust system anywhere.is there much wrk involved to actually remove the hydraulic lifters when the rocker covers are removed,by which i mean do i have to completely remove the camshafts?
thanks
jamie

Can you hear it all the time hog or only when in drive and moving slow/ med speed or is it constant tapping also when stationary As to the camshaft im not that brave fella maybe would be if it wasn't my only way of getting to work

Here you go Hog, this is my offending puppy

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/ ... 131622.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g320/ ... 131623.jpg

you can just make out the solinoid to the right of the carbon can. You'll know it when you see it.

Hope this is the answe to your prob

hi,
in the absence of having the spare time to remove both the rocker covers on my v6,i removed the oil filler cap and inspected the two cam lobes that i can see,and there`s no obvious wear,that i can see anyway,is this probably the case for all the others,or will i have to fully inspect all of them?i`m hoping that the hydraulic tappets are indeed stuck.
thanks
jamie

Hi Jamie,
Camshafts do not wear evenly,wot your looking at is only a couple of cam lobes.
As there are LOTS more to look at I suggest you TAKE THE COVERS OFF.
Sorry did,nt mean to shout.