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Rattley Tappets?

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jo_tas Custom Title Time!

1,547 posts · joined Aug 2004 ·

#435337
Hi all

I did my tappets a week or so ago (at .006 intake .007 on exhuast)

This seems to have made the tappets quite loud, i can hear them tapping away quite loudly from inside the car at idle..

Is this ok? Is it going to do any damage?
It seems to be running OK..

jo_tas Custom Title Time!

1,547 posts · joined Aug 2004 ·

#435339
Oh, and yes i double checked them a few days later...

PurpleT3 Fahrvergnugen

880 posts · joined Apr 2003 ·

#435340
Lets get the obvious out of the way first. Did you set the tappets with the engine stone cold?

Noisy tappets are unlikely to do damage as it generally means they are loose. Tight tappets will do damage. Are they noisy when hot or only when cold?
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Menangler Custom Title Time!

1,991 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#435347
I always set mine to 004, inlet and exhaust, and check them every 3000 miles. nice and quiet.
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jo_tas Custom Title Time!

1,547 posts · joined Aug 2004 ·

#435464
yes i did them when the engine was cold, hadn't started the engine since the day before.

They seem to rattle all the time.

Isn't .004 a bit tight?

Anthiron The Baja Rejuvenation Begins

4,936 posts · joined Oct 2003 ·

#435484
.004 was recomended by VW in the early years and would give u minute advantage but was wearing valves away earlier. so then they switched to .006 i was under the impression that it was .006 for both e4xhaust and inlet
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shiftyvw Wolfsburg Wizard

523 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#435490
check yout tappet screws are still ok, and not worn out where they touch the valve, they are hard to feel a proper gap and adjust when they are badly worn.
testing 1 2 3...

jo_tas Custom Title Time!

1,547 posts · joined Aug 2004 ·

#435565
Thanks..

It seems everyone has their own opinion of what the tappets should be set at... *Sigh*

MickH Hairy Gutted Sloth

3,389 posts · joined Sep 2003 ·

#435566
Anthiron wrote:.004 was recomended by VW in the early years and would give u minute advantage but was wearing valves away earlier. so then they switched to .006 i was under the impression that it was .006 for both e4xhaust and inlet
Both inlet and exhaust should be set to .006:thumb.
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ancientbugger Custom Title Time!

1,986 posts · joined Mar 2004 ·

#435763
Remember though "A tappy tappet is a happy tappet!".............Told to me years ago, mind you I would replace "happy" with "bloody annoying" LOL

shiftyvw Wolfsburg Wizard

523 posts · joined Sep 2002 ·

#435783
Just a thought, your motor is standard or hotted up? if you have steel pushrods in there they need to be set very tight when cold, or they will rattle a lot when the motor warms up.
testing 1 2 3...

jo_tas Custom Title Time!

1,547 posts · joined Aug 2004 ·

#435808
Yes, its a stock motor..

And noisy tappets are annoying.. even if it is good for the engine... it sounds terrible :cussing

I might re-do them at .006 for all

Grey 57 Old Grey Cruiser

2,937 posts · joined Aug 2002 ·

#435877
.006 all round is the best compromise. Pretty sure that VW went to .004 for a few years then back to .006 because of clearance issues when hot caused burned valves at .004. The valve stems and the push rods all grow when the motor is hot. Personally I have always set mine to .006. Some will aways rattle a little bit when hot probably due to ever so slight variations in the gap depending on how tired you are when doing the last ones, how easy it is to get to etc. How are doing the adjustment. The remember where the right place is when tightening down the adjuster lock nut method or the trap the feeler guage under the adjuster and back off a tiny bit before you lock it down method??

tonyktm Learner Dubber

15 posts · joined Dec 2005 ·

#435924
the difference in the setting is dictated by the boss that supports the rocker shaft assemby. late model ones have a square boss and early have round. late should be set to 4 thou

VWCOOL 23 Windows of Awesome

5,158 posts · joined Jun 2003 ·

#435965
Inches or millimeters
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jo_tas Custom Title Time!

1,547 posts · joined Aug 2004 ·

#436049
tonyktm wrote:the difference in the setting is dictated by the boss that supports the rocker shaft assemby. late model ones have a square boss and early have round. late should be set to 4 thou
Well thats interesting... still not sure if i'd want to set them at .004 though... can't afford new valves if it stuffs them.

I tighten the lock nut while holding the screwdriver in the screw to make sure it doesn't move... which it doesn't.

67_on_its_guts Casual Dubber

24 posts · joined Oct 2005 ·

#436483
Jo

Check out this article about tappet adjustment

http://vwtrendsweb.com/tech/0106vwt_valve/

Page 101 of my "Idiot Book, about keeping Volkswagens Alive" reckons .006" for both intake and exhaust valves.........something about preventing burned valves.

Just my two bobs worth

Cheers

Rob:thumb

jo_tas Custom Title Time!

1,547 posts · joined Aug 2004 ·

#436569
67_on_its_guts wrote:Jo

Check out this article about tappet adjustment

http://vwtrendsweb.com/tech/0106vwt_valve/

Page 101 of my "Idiot Book, about keeping Volkswagens Alive" reckons .006" for both intake and exhaust valves.........something about preventing burned valves.

Just my two bobs worth

Cheers

Rob:thumb
Thanks, i have the john muir book...great read! :kiss