Tacka tacka noise...

Hi Guys,

I have just done an oil change on my SIII 2.25 petrol, stage II cyclinder head. The old oil was quite thick and sludgy but the engine is generally in good order. Following the oil change I have a "tacka tacka" noise from what seems to be cylinder 4. I've had the rocker assembly appart and checked the rods, nothing obvious. Checked the tappit gaps, they seem ok. The noise only starts when the engine is warm, the oil is 15W-40 as recommended by the company that remachined the engine 30k ago. I rang them to double check and they repeated the recommendation.

I have put a vacume gauge on the engine and it was beautifully rock solid and the noise didn't go away even when I intentionally moved the timing from over retarded to over advanced. I did try running with the rocker cover off and noticed some oil splash up the No 4 cylinder most distant rod hole, not sure if this is abnormal though. No obvious back pressure in the rocker cover housing. Plugs all nice colour. Timing chain and tensioner replaced not long back and not rattling.

Any ideas anyone? It's not a banging noise very much the tacka tacka noise. My current dread is little-end, but I'm hoping someone has an alternative idea.

Cheers,

Rob

blowin exhaust????

Don't think so, it's a stainless exhaust and the noise seems to be from the block itself, middle -> high up at the back. I've used a listening rod, well a damn great lump of breaker bar actually, but same thing. I couldn't really pin the noise any closer. I'll check it's not a loose bolt, but it sounds more solid than a washer rattle.

I've put some upper cylinder head lubricant in the fuel, just in case, but so far no changes.

nah you mis understand.. if yer manifold is slack throu busted stud, etc then it can produce a tacka tacka noise. but if yer sure its from the middle of the block how about a ferked little end?

Ah.... right OK. I'll check that one out in the morning. Failing that, oh DEEP JOY!

If it's blowin oil up the hole where the pushrod comes through the head, Its probly the head gasket! You tried a compression test?

If all you have done is change the oil , it must be oil related...

I would be tempted to put the old oil in and see if it goes away...

Hi Guys,

I tend to think it may be oil related too, the old oil was well past it's sell by date. I'm not really sure it's in much of a state to put back in and would probably screw up the new oil filter if I did. It is a thought though.

Compression test I thought about, but didn't do. I did wonder about a head gasket to be honest, but thought the odds of it managing to blow into just one rod hole were a wee bit slim. I guess we are entering the slim odds explanations territory now aren't we... Hmmm... I shall away and try to beat it into submission again. This always happens, you do something nice for the machine and it throws six dozen more problems at you so it can stay in the shed!! Leave it be and it just carries on oblivious to the world!

Cheers,

Rob

Ah,

Just spoke to my Dad and he pointed out. We have a rock steady vacume gauge and no exhaust variation... Head gasket not likely to manage that, you'd get some effects from the loss of pressure in the cyclinder.

Bummer!! (kinda)

Hi

Did you check the tappets when the engine was cold..?

Who did the last oil change and did they put thicker oil in to stop the little ends rattling?

Yeah, I wundered that too Grunt. Heavier grade oil to hide a fault? If changing the oil was the only thing ya dun, s'possible.

did i not say this very thing earlier????

and do i really have to point out that just cos the last thing he did wur a oil change it dint make that the only thing to cause sed noise.

No you dint then you waffled on about blowing exhausts and things.

slob said:

nah you mis understand.. if yer manifold is slack throu busted stud, etc then it can produce a tacka tacka noise. but if yer sure its from the middle of the block how about a FERKED LITTLE END?

Click to expand...

can you see it now grunt?

Where d'yer find that then??????????????????????????

Oh aye its right up there on post four, your quite right...............Not that I doubted you for a second you understand.

coppergrease said:

My current dread is little-end, but I'm hoping someone has an alternative idea.

Click to expand...

Mind yu - i dont think yu needed to suggest it - I think Rob woz there before you all.

S'pose you think you're clever then?

Hi Guys,

It would seem we were all right the first time. I had to head off back to work in the SE of England, so I was forced to abandon my landie with the local landie expert in Scotland. He stripped down the top of the engine again and his first comment was that the rocker assembly was "ferked" to quote your so accurate term. The wear was so uniform accross the whole thing I had assumed it was just normally worn. He assures me if had ever seen a new one, I would recognise the degree of ferked it really was! lol The noise was almost certainly disguised by the sludgie oil I had in it before. Thanks for all the help guys, very much apprechiated.

Cheers,

Rob