Hello,

Just a quick note.

I noticed my engine got a little rattle when cold now and then and today I replaced the problem!

I just a bought a new oil filler cap it was loose and rattled, I discovered the rattle some months ago and only today got around to buying the part. only a few euro but now its silent!

thanks

Simonize

From previous experience I guarantee it's the timing chain. If your a bit handy with the spanners then go for it. Do the tappets as well and it will go from rattly to silent which does give you a very good sense of achievement.

It's not very expensive and is well worth it. I don't think they are likely to snap as they look fairly hefty chains, but that rattle does get very annoying.

they never snap. will go for ever just rattling about a lot.

"160- 250 squid" for the tappets??!!! This is a frightening cost for what seems to be a quick job, im assuming all labour.

I have been studying the haynes manual and Im tempted to do mine. I have very little to no experience of playing with engines, but Im not a pleb and follow instructions well.

1) do I really have to remove the sparks?

2) how to I get it to the heel of the cam

3) do I then rotate something to get each one to the heel to check the clearance, if so what and how?

I often find the Haynes manual a bit brief and misses a few things out for the 1 and 2 spanner jobs that I would consider.

What would be great is a video, I was thinking of setting up a video collection of repairs so people could actually view them online. Someone should film it the next time they do it, send me the tape, I can edit it, encode it and put it online (thats what I do) so we can all see how its done.

Thoughts

Good old Pinky's done 142000 miles and the engines sounds as sweet as a nut...['96 plate 1.3 LXi...In Pink]

"160- 250 squid" for the tappets??!!! This is a frightening cost for what seems to be a quick job, im assuming all labour.

I have been studying the haynes manual and Im tempted to do mine. I have very little to no experience of playing with engines, but Im not a pleb and follow instructions well.

1) do I really have to remove the sparks?

2) how to I get it to the heel of the cam

3) do I then rotate something to get each one to the heel to check the clearance, if so what and how?

I often find the Haynes manual a bit brief and misses a few things out for the 1 and 2 spanner jobs that I would consider.

What would be great is a video, I was thinking of setting up a video collection of repairs so people could actually view them online. Someone should film it the next time they do it, send me the tape, I can edit it, encode it and put it online (thats what I do) so we can all see how its done.

Thoughts

1- Yes you do, turning an engine by hand when it still has compression is hard work at best, dangerous at worst when you bust every blood vessel and your back.

2- Best way i've found is jack up the front right wheel and remove.

there is a cover at the bottom of the inner arch, remove the screw and you'll see the crank bolt (22mm ring spanner goes here!)

then you can rotate the crank , driving the camshaft, allowing you to watch when the valves are correctly alligned for setting.

3 is covered by the motion of 2!

It takes me about 40 mins to do and check. but first time was a lot longer. its a bit fiddly, but once you do it a couple of times it becomes easier.

I would do a vid, but she's just been serviced:thumbup:

I would do a vid, but she's just been serviced:thumbup:

who? the car or swmbo

who? the car or swmbo

rolf!

swmbo was ditched a while ago, 3 cars is cheaper to run:thumbup:

My 96 1.3 felicia has the usual tappet noise and i think i ought to get it done, dont think it has been done, as the car has just reached 61,000.

Although you can only just hear the rattle inside the car at higher revs, there is another noise which is produced when the engine is revving higher and you're just tickling the accelerator to maintain the revs/speed. A pretty loud vibrating kinda noise, from reading this, im thinking that maybe its the timing chain clattering about when there is no load on it, i.e. no forward thrust and no engine braking.

But ive always thought that the 1.3's had a belt but it has been stated here that its the 1.6 with the belt.

anyone want to film it next time they do it and I will take care of the video and make it available to all here?

Or any of the other usual jobs, timing chain, thermostat, temp sensor, headlight leveler etc all the niggles that get mentioned on here alot

Tappets take about 10 mins to do. I cant get the cover off under the front wheel but still get a 22mill spanner in there, nor do i bother taking the spark plugs out as it isnt too bat to turn.

Its dead easy.

As for the timing chain issue i bought the kit and will eventually get round to changing it. Mind it is a double chain so chances of one on car snapping are remote. The main problem with chain design is a lack of tensioner so noise will return after 40k or so. I am just going to leave it until the timing goes way out

adjust valve clearances your milege is very low you dont have to replace he timing chain also ifyou have erratic idling check the fuel presure regulator i had the same problem and when i mesured the fuel presure i found 0.6 bars instead of 0.8-1.1bars which is the corect pressure my engine runs much better now.

My 1.3l felicia 1999 with 51000 miles is also noisy as hell ask my mechanic when all other work was done . He told me what everyone else has said that its a common as muck problem but that the chain shouldn't need replaced until at least 100.000 miles hope thet helps

i dont know where that mad quote for £160-250 came from. After some deliberation and general tinkering I reckon I am not confident to do adjust the clearances, so I chanced a call to the local dealer near work and they quoted me £36, I took it in and they ended up doing it for £30!

I am slowly building up the confidence and know how of the engine with the 1 spanner jobs in Haynes, I am a complete novice when it comes to tinkering so this weekend Im starting with an oil change.

i dont know where that mad quote for

plenty of fresh loob!!!!

thats what i say.