I Need Some Urgent Re-assurance Again! Stressing Out!

[GLPoomobile 958]

On my phone, so for once I'll be brief.

 

Come back from run out, Mi is running fine, nothing amiss except front brakes still locking on one side. No dodgy noises except the usual ticking from injectors or whatever.

 

As I'm parking with window down, hear a bit of a rattle. So I get out to investigate.

 

At idle I have a rythmic knocking from somewhere in the engine that comes and goes, and increases with revs. It seems to stop at about 1500 rpm though, or maybe I can't hear it above the engine.

 

Checked the dip stick. As oil is new and I'm under a street lamp it's nigh on impossible to see, but looks like it maybe beyond low! But I've found it impossible to tell the level since I did the oil change anyway.

 

I'm leaking from the pressure sender again though. It's dripping off the sump but no where near as bad as before. It can't possibly have lost all it's oil!

 

Pressure seemed fine, but again difficult to tell as I have the standard gauge linked to an aftermarket sender, which goes to the first bar with ignition on and the engine off. Went up to last bar when started from cold, and fell about as much as expected when warm. So seems OK.

 

Obviously I need to fix the leak and check the level in the light.

 

But the knocking? I'm not sure if I'm streesing about nothing again or if this is genuinely a bad sign. Edinburgh will be off this weekend if the engine is on it's way out.

[taylorspug 7]

Get someone to press the clutch and check again, ive had suspicious knocking noises coming from the gearbox before.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Dan, it did cross my mind that it may be the old clutch release bearing thingamy. Would it increase perfectly with revs though?

 

If I can't get my wife out of bed in the morning, I'll jam the clutch down using my breaker bar bewteen the pedal and seat.

 

Thinking about it, when I had this big drama a year and a half ago coming back from Edinburgh, I was convinced then that I could hear it knocking just like this in the services, in the dark. But days later I couldn't hear it and thought it must be mind playing tricks as I was stressed. Maybe it is something that comes and goes, but if it was my engine then surely it would be scrap by now!

[GLPoomobile 958]

Sorry for being a drama queen again! Looks like it is the clutch/gearbox.

 

Oil was low but not below min. Started it up and all quiet. Took nearly a minute for the rattle to start, quietly at first then quickly got to full volume.

 

Jammed the clutch in but couldn't get it all the way with the breaker bar. Went and had a listen, still rattling. Took the bar off and could hear it get louder. So leaned in and pressed the clutch all the way, and going on and off could defo hear the noise coming and going.

 

I swear I'm never going to stop being paranoid about this Mi now!

 

Still have to fix this f***ing oil leak too!

[Super Josh 4]

Steve, about the oil leak. Did you wrap PTFE tape around the before putting the senders into the adapter? That should give you a decent seal.

 

 

 

Josh

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Drama QUEEN!!!

 

GLPoo's To-Do List

 

Fix the damn oil leak!

 

Stop whingeing!

 

Stop being a c*nt!

 

[GLPoomobile 958]

Steve, about the oil leak. Did you wrap PTFE tape around the before putting the senders into the adapter? That should give you a decent seal.

 

 

 

Josh

 

No I didn't, but I'm glad you've suggested it as I was about to update my other topic about it, asking for advice. I hope I can get some tomorrow! (I'll update that topic anyway, so might be worth just replying on that one, if you do have a reply to the below......)

 

What do I do? Just wrap it where the thread ends, where it butts up against the block once done up? And to clarify, it's leaking from the block where the adapter goes in. I don't see why it shouldn't work perfectly with a new copper washer, but it doesn't. So to save further grief, I'll be removing it for now and putting the sender back as per original. I'll try refitting it in future when I have less immediate dependancy on the car.

[Peetypug 5]

just wrap the ptfa tape around the whole of the thread, give it a couple of layers as well

[DrSarty 90 1 Cars]

Yes, just wrap the PTFE (self-amalgamating) tape around the threads of the insert and screw it in. A nice new shiny compression washer will also help again too, providing you clean up the block/mating faces as well.

[maturin23 10]

Mi16-induced paranoia is something we share.

 

I was convinced for a couple of weeks that I'd lunched the bottom end a while ago - turned out it was the washer bottle vibrating

[Super Josh 4]

Steve, about the oil leak. Did you wrap PTFE tape around the THREAD before putting the senders into the adapter? That should give you a decent seal.

 

 

 

Josh

 

What a twat I am. Missed out the most important word from my post

Yep, wrap the PTFE tape around the threads, in the OPPOSITE direction to the way that the thread screws in, so that when you screw the adapter in place the tape doesn't unwind, but gets forced into the threads, if you can visualize that? Wind round a few turns to bulk out and seal the threads. Don't worry if you put on a little too much, it will get forced out as you wind in the adapter

Edited October 15, 2008 by Super Josh

[GLPoomobile 958]

What a twat I am. Missed out the most important word from my post

Yep, wrap the PTFE tape around the threads, in the OPPOSITE direction to the way that the thread screws in, so that when you screw the adapter in place the tape doesn't unwind, but gets forced into the threads, if you can visualize that? Wind round a few turns to bulk out and seal the threads. Don't worry if you put on a little too much, it will get forced out as you wind in the adapter

 

I totally understand what you mean, but still uncertain as it seems odd to me to wrap something around the thread before screwing it in! Surely it's not going to go in? Well I'll give it a try anyway.

 

So PTFE tape is Self-Amalgamating tape? That's good as I have a roll from VWP.Thought I was going to have to hunt around DIY shops tomorrow. Actually, mines PIB Self Amalgamating, as per this link. Will that be OK?

 

 

Mi16-induced paranoia is something we share.

 

I was convinced for a couple of weeks that I'd lunched the bottom end a while ago - turned out it was the washer bottle vibrating

 

Yes. I blame everyone on here who has ever slagged the Mi for this paranoia of mine (and now I'm contributing to it for other owners!). I was never like this with my 8vs. Even drove the last one around for 6 months with no pressure gauge or warning light connected, without a care inthe world! Butwith the Mi, because of the reputation, I'm getting all worked up everytime I hearsomething untoward or see the needle do something odd. When the needle was fluctuating on the way back from Edinburgh, I should have been calm and logically thought "electrical fault", but NOOOOOOOO! It's an Mi so I must have a dodgy bottom end!

[welshpug 1,627]

PTFE as in that white thin plumbing stuff from B&Q for a quid or so a roll, just 2 or 3 layers on the thread, make sure there's none on the mating face where the copper washer sits.

 

should do the trick, used the same stuff on truck air brake parts where they run 13bar.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Yeah, just Wiki'd PTFE tape and found out. There's a decent DIY store down the road from work so I'll pop in later. I'm sure they'll have it.

[kyepan 291]

my release bearing rattles like a bastard when the clutch is not depressed, still don't understand why as I've replaced it twice, it's the only thing that stops the idle being perfectly quiet.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Right then. Own up! Come on!

 

Which one of you undid my throttle body bolts while my back was turned?

[Peetypug 5]

sorry mate it was me!

I did it on monday while you were on the bog ;D

[GLPoomobile 958]

Firstly, big thanks to you guys for suggesting the PTFE tape

 

I picked up a roll from the DIY shop I walk past on the way home from work, for just 28p . On thursday, I removed the inlet manifold etc, which actually didn't take too long (and had the added bonus of me finding I'd forgotten to bolt the TB on properly previously ). I decided to do it that way so I could properly see the area and asses what was leaking, and clean it all up etc. I removed the brass T, oil pressure switch, and aftermarket gauge sender, and used the tape on all 3.

 

963 miles later and there is not a single speck of oil. Clean as a whistle

 

Now the sort of bad news - my Mi16 is definately 'knocking', albeit not a bottom end death rattle. I've got quiet a loud knocking coming, I think, from the head. I actually think I've noticed this before (remember I hadn't used for 13 months though) but it used to be a lot quieter so I didn't worry about it. Listening in the engine bay, it sounds as if it's coming from towards the back of the head, and seems to be loudest at each end. It could be that the sound originates on one side and carries through to the other end, as I think it may be slightly louder at the gearbox end. It's really obvious at idle, but seems to disappear if I rev it (but hard to tell above the general engine noise). But then I'm sure I can hear it as I'm driving too, but again it's hard to tell above the various other sounds - including a speedo that ticks like a bastard and a whining gearbox.

 

Any ideas as to what could be the fault?

[taylorspug 7]

Faulty lifter would be my first thought for a top end knock.

[saveloy 8]

One of the hydraulic tappets perhaps?

My brother's Golf GTI 16V was notorious for it. We would stand over the engine and hear it, then it was gone with a blip of the throttle. And a mate's was the same. Even at idle it would fade in and out.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Yeah, at the moment I have to assume it's a dodgy lifter. Had a look on youtube and some videos of other cars with this problem sounded similar.

 

I seem to recall it happened once very loudly on initial startup after an oil change, which I've heard can happen until the lifters refill with oil. Funnily enough, I just did a full oil change before I went up to Edinburgh, and the problem is only present when it's fully warmed. So I wonder if it's too thin It's ACDelco 10W40 Semi Synth.

 

I went out the other night to take a video to post up, but like I said, it's obviously only happening when totally warmed as I had the engine idling for 5 minutes and it didn't do it. Ran the stethoscope over the rocker cover, which I've never done before so I don't know what 'normal' should sound like, but nothing was obviously unusual at any particular point.

 

I'm going to try some Wynns hydrualic lifter oil additive first of all and see if that stops it.

[munster 0]

Surely a sticky lifter would only show itself on cold start up...?

 

Ive had occasional tapping on start up in my Mi. Usually stopping within a matter of seconds. Once or twice it continued for longer, and thats always been when cold .

I dont think your oil is too thin. If anything, in your case the thinner the better, as it will circulate quicker.

I stuck some 10/40 semi in mine today actually, hopefully it will reduce my occasional tap to a non existent tap.