C140 intermittent engine tapping

[GILBY]

Hi,

1998 CL500 M119 engine... Developed a loud tapping/ticking driver's side valve cover area, not sure if it's plastic oiler tubes that feed the cams?
Quietens down after a long run, but if left idling for say 5/10 mins loud ticking comes back.

Oil level is ok.

Would using an engine flush such as Forte be unwise before an oil change due to the age of the car? Thinking/Hoping it may be a gummed up hydraulic lifter?

Or just a new oil change and filter with maybe a fully synthetic 229.3 MB spec?

Thanks

 

[Will]

Hi,

1998 CL500 M119 engine... Developed a loud tapping/ticking driver's side valve cover area, not sure if it's plastic oiler tubes that feed the cams?
Quietens down after a long run, but if left idling for say 5/10 mins loud ticking comes back.

Oil level is ok.

Would using an engine flush such as Forte be unwise before an oil change due to the age of the car? Thinking/Hoping it may be a gummed up hydraulic lifter?

Or just a new oil change and filter with maybe a fully synthetic 229.3 MB spec?

Thanks

It will almost certainly be the oil tubes.

Where abouts are you based?

 

[GILBY]

Yeah I'm hoping thats the worst case scenario ... based in Oxford.

 

[GILBY]

Wouldn't the tapping be present all the time if it was the cam oilers though? ... after a long run the noise disappears, then returns after idling for a short while.

 

[alabbasi]

1/2 qt of ATF is a more gentle way to clean the engine.

 

[Will]

Wouldn't the tapping be present all the time if it was the cam oilers though? ... after a long run the noise disappears, then returns after idling for a short while.

Not always - sometimes at higher RPM or on a prolonged run some oil will make its way through the tube into the tappet although most will just run through the end of the tube that pops out.

It takes literally 1/2 hour to pop the cam covers off to take a look - you can see straight away if the tubes are blown

I wouldn’t say I’m an expert but I would say the plastic oiler tubes are a more common issue than the likelihood of a tappet fault.

 

[GILBY]

Thanks Will... that totally makes sense, I'll try a treatment/flush first and new oil change, if it's still there then that will be the next course of action.

Will be back with the outcome!

 

[Will]

Thanks Will... that totally makes sense, I'll try a treatment/flush first and new oil change, if it's still there then that will be the next course of action.

Will be back with the outcome!

How many miles since the last oil change out of interest?

 

[GILBY]

Not many maybe 300-400 since last august.

 

[Will]

Can’t see the point on changing the oil again. I’d put money on it being the tubes

 

[GILBY]

I think you're right... now it's just finding a shop that is willing to do it! A lot of these specialists say they don't work on vehicles that old, the cynic in me says they just can't be bothered and have so much work they can just cherry pick what jobs they want to take on for maximum profit?

Cheers

 

[carat 3.6]

It's not a hard job to do yourself if you have the tools.

 

[GILBY]

Yeah looks straight forward. I'll let you know of the outcome.

 

[GILBY]

ok... got a specialist coming to replace the cam oilers next week, just thought i'd give the car a run today, it's been sitting for over a month.

Started it up and there is no tapping, gave it a good run then parked it up for a bit then took it out again and still no tapping.

I would have thought with it sitting for so long it would have started tapping upon cold start with most of the oil having drained down in the sump.

Any thoughts or ideas? Should I still go ahead and replace the cam oiler tubes on the side that was tapping before?

 

[GILBY]

Just a quick update... turns out one of the middle tube end caps has popped off on drivers side. Replace all of them and the ticking noise has now gone.
Tapping did come back eventually after it had been sitting for over a month after a few drives which is kinda weird.

Thanks for everybody's input!

 

[alabbasi]

Be careful where you buy the oilers. The plastic aftermarket ones are No Bueno. People tend to look for the metal ones in the earlier engines.

 

[GILBY]

Thanks for the heads up... definitely using genuine parts is a no brainer!