Noisy Tappets on Sprinter 312D

[Bill312D]

My Sprinter 312D has started to make a tapping noise that I have noticed recently,I presume it is something to dow itht he tappets as it appears to be coming fromthe top of the engine. It is most noitcable under engine braking/over run, is this just a normal thing for a vehicle of this age (R reg) and something i shouldn;t be too worried about or could it be aserious problem. The sound doesn;t seemto occour when the engine is cold or not as much. oil is due a change done about 5k since last change. any ideas?

 

[Bill312D]

The van has done 153k. Sorry about the patchyness of the info but my internet connection is very dodgy at the moment, and if i write an essay by the end of it i usually can;t post it due to lack of conectivity.

 

[Bill312D]

bump, someone must know something

 

[hmang]

My Sprinter 312D has started to make a tapping noise that I have noticed recently,I presume it is something to dow itht he tappets as it appears to be coming fromthe top of the engine. It is most noitcable under engine braking/over run, is this just a normal thing for a vehicle of this age (R reg) and something i shouldn;t be too worried about or could it be aserious problem. The sound doesn;t seemto occour when the engine is cold or not as much. oil is due a change done about 5k since last change. any ideas?

a rattle on over run could point to a baggy timing chain or tired tensioner...sorry i don't know your engine.
but your symptoms would be typical for this.
also might be worth running some engine flush and fresh oil through the motor if hydraulic tappets...it certainly can't hurt

 

[dava]

Common fault, however, they run for ever with this noise, when it gets to noisey to bare, do some thing about it. Chains are a common fault as well new chains not bad to do, but you may as well put a tensioner in as well, which makes it a bit harder.

 

[Bill312D]

Common fault, however, they run for ever with this noise, when it gets to noisey to bare, do some thing about it. Chains are a common fault as well new chains not bad to do, but you may as well put a tensioner in as well, which makes it a bit harder.

i don't quite understand are you saying it is the chain/tensioners or the tappets?

 

[hmang]

could be a bit of both
i'd look at the chain / tensioner first because of the noise getting worse at overrun.

do you have hydraulic tappetts?

if so engine flush and new oil may help quieten. it has worked for me in the past on engines with not so religeous oil change history.

 

[dava]

i don't quite understand are you saying it is the chain/tensioners or the tappets?

Ok I'll try and explain. If the noise is top end, rocker cover and it's TAP TAP TAP, and more noisey on start up, then it's a tappet. If it's front end on overun then it's more likely timing chain. Both faults were a common one in that engine, but like I said if it's not REALLY noisey, then live with it, they run for ever with this noise. If you cant then change the tappet, chances are it will only be one, if it's the chain try doing the tensioner.

 

[Bill312D]

Thanks alot Dava, took it to a few mechanics today and all have agreed the timing chain is the caue of the noise...some seemed more conercened than others about how quickly it could break and one guy even said i would probably need all guides and tesnioners and sprockets replacing too and should probably look into buying a 2nd engine!! But thankfully others said just the chain would be required and could be done quite easily by joining the new chain to the old one and pulling it around the sprockets and such avoiding having to strip the engine and stuff and vastly reducing the price.

 

[dava]

No probs mate. I would try changing the chain first, as like he said it's a case of joining the old to the new and turning the engine over, bit more than that really, but you get the idea. As for the s/h engine I would not bother, it will be the same, they all were noisey after a few miles.

 

[Bill312D]

No, as soon as he said that about another engine i was thinking "i wont be calling you back", ha.And i don't think i could ever call a Sprinter noisy after owning a Transit. Hopefully that'llsort the noise. I presume if it sstill jangling about inthere then it'll need tensioners done too?
Do you know roughly how mucha split link for th chain will cost? or anywhere top get the chains cheaper than merc?

Thanks, Bill

 

[dava]

You could try Andrew Page if you got one in your area, but I always price the two as somew times you are supprised. Just done a rear disc on a Laguna, dealer £271 AP £71 so some times it's worth a call.