I noticed about a week ago my engine started ticking... Gets faster as the revs increase, I can only describe it as a timing chain needing changing. I took it for abit of a motorway drive aprox 10 miles and when I pulled up the noise has gone. Untill....

I started it after I finished work earlier and it's back! I've also noticed a change in tone from the exhaust.

• My worries are it could be oil pump chain, but not likely if it goes away after a drive.

• In my opinion I diagnosed it as a hydrolic tappet/caps which fits in with the rythem noise and change in the exhaust tone

• After reading up on it, I fear it may be an injector 'ticking' but can't say I've experienced this on any vags.

cam wear has started to eat a tappet

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ber08mvVII

Edited 29 July, 201411 yr by spud31

pop the rocker cover off m8 and check the lifters my cam ate through 2 of mine just replaced it with a newmans cam kit

I agree it's a common fault, changed two cams now (on different cars), but if it was that it wouldn't go away after a long drive? Would it?

I agree it's a common fault, changed two cams now (on different cars), but if it was that it wouldn't go away after a long drive? Would it?

its worth a look though also my m8 had a ticky injector on a golf gt tdi so thats another possibility

I'm taking the head off and rebuilding it shortly anyway so don't mind if it's camshaft or tappets as I'm replacing them anyway. Just Sod's law it will be injector which I didn't plan on touching!

new seals and stretch bolts it is by the looks m8

I have already purchased both of them, bosh seal kit was £38 for all four injectors. Is the ticking noise it leaking last the cylinder or somthing els?

In my experience when the copper seal on the injector has failed it sounds more like an old steam train kind of chuff!

As an update I started the car and the noise was still there, drove it for about five mile to mcdonalds for breakfast and was a little heavy on the go pedal coming home, once I parked up the noise has gone again, just started the car after being stud for about 9 hours and is still running fine.

I noticed I got quite a few seals in the kit anyway, are some internal then?

mine does this randomly everynow and then and goes on long drives. comsa back if its been stood a few days (which dosnt happen often lol)

I put active x in my oil and give it a ran. not clme back since touch wood

but I think new cam and injectors are soon on my list. unless I get a new car.

Could just be a sticky tappet? Had the same as you 3 times in 5 years. After a long drive the noise goes away for a year or so.

I'm going to take readings of Injectors while all is well and check them again if the fault comes back which I imagine it will tomorrow...

If it returns I'll start stripping the engine down ready for the work im doing on it so will notice a failed tapped and know it was that if not then injector. The cam will be replaced with the hydrolic tappets anyway as part of the project.