300tdi engine problem?

Hi Chaps,
I have a 95 D1 300tdi, which sounded like an old transit diesel, but pulled up big motorway hills with ease at 70+, But i could not stand the noise any longer so out the engine came, The engine looks like its had a parshall or full rebiuld with new head, I tried the usual suspects first ie lift pump vac pump tappets timing but no joy, Anyway ive started to strip the engine down and apart from the head gasket leaking from two oilways into the bores seemed ok until i removed the tappet sliders and found 4 of them with the front mark facing to the back of the engine So my question is would this cause it to sound like a transit or should i strip it right down and keep on looking, Thanks for any help Clive.

I am not an engine expert by any means, but if something is facing the wrong way, change it so that it points the right way, and check anything that was connected to it to make sure nothing has been damaged by the mistake

i have same transit like noise with my 300tdi. I was hoping a good service would sort it, but i'm guessing thats not the case. I dont have a clue about engines. a service is about the extent of my skills.

did they show unusal wear patterns in socket for push rop or on roller contact area ,if not i would just put them back right way round and look a bit further ,was timing advanced too far any signs of vavle impact on pistons ,was oil pressure low

Hi Chaps and thanks for the replies, No piston impact and no strange wear paterns, But as the sliders were in the wrong way round has everything else just been put back in and not kept in there relative positions, Any way my plan is to fit new shell bearings, new oil pump, new tappet rollers and sliders, But what about the camshaft bearings Dare i leave them as they are and hope its ok. Are they knowne to wear or are they bullit proof, Also not sure about the small end bearings, Do i leave them as well Again thanks for the replies but keep them coming.
Clive.

little ends arent prone to wear check sliding fit with gudgeon pin ,cam brgs can be checked by feeling each one as you remove cam you can feeel good fit front one suffers most wear and can be seen if grooved,only jigsaw type split brgs can be fitted as finished size ,straight split will need reaming to fit ,cam brgs are quite tricky to get rigth and slightly worn fitted is better than not perfect new

Hi all, Well ive sripped it down further and found STD but very worn pistons, and worn and scored big end bearings, So knocking crankshaft and slapping pistons = transit van, Just got to decide now weather to rebuild it myself or get a recon lump, But as they prob dont use OEM parts what would be the life span of a recon lump, Got to watch the pennies but dont want to buy rubbish, .Clive.

rebore £100 ish new pistons +20 £120 ish then rebuild your self with new shell brgs etc,you buy pistons first to get engine bored to piston size,make sure at least 1/2 thou honing for crosshatch 1 thou better some just put cross hatch on finished bore which wont last long,gap each piston ring in bore you will have as good as new bottom end

Cheers James,
Also may need crankshaft re grinding because has slight scoring on jurnals, but dont know how much you can get away with.
Clive.

if there slight they can be polished out with 400 grit,but crank needs to be in lathe or such