Tappet ticking when cold

[RichardF]

M104 3.2 engine. 120k, 5-40 Triple QX

Fine after a few mins when warm, worse in the cold weather. Anything to worry about?

 

[190]

Nothing at all against TQX 5W40 as I've used it for years but it is at the thicker end of the 5W spec and not actually much thinner than a 10W40. If you wanted to try a slightly thinner oil, Shell Helix ultra 5W40 is thinner when cold and has a high detergent content which might help. Alternatively MB's own OW40 would be thinner still.

 

[Auto-mobile]

Not your "mot" valve that vents fuel vapour back into the engine is it? They tick when cold.

 

[RichardF]

Not your "mot" valve that vents fuel vapour back into the engine is it? They tick when cold.

I don't think so, the noise is in time with the engine.

I'll check the MOT valve though, I replaced it earlier in the yr to sort an intermittent poor idle.

The car's always sounded a bit tappety on cold start up, but the other day (after leaving it for a couple of weeks) it made a real rattle for a couple of seconds, then settled into tappety for a couple of mins, before smoothing out. Oil pressure good and the gauge comes up straight away.

 

[anfieldassasin]

Does the sound follow the revs (before it disappears once warm?)

My 230ce used to do this, a hydraulic tappet wasn't holding oil and hence collapsed. Not sure of the setup on the 320 but on the m102 it's not very hard to replace the tappets.

I thought triple qx was made for ecp by shell? I use the 10w40 for 300ce and its been fine but I change every 5k miles

 

[190]

I thought Triple QX was made for ECP by shell?

There have been rumours about shell but the only thing that ECP have admitted to is that it's bottled in main land Europe. The viscosity details in the technical data sheet I posted show it's definitely not Shell Helix Ultra. Who knows, it could still be made by Shell without being a copy of one of their retail oils. If it meets Acea A3/B4 then it's decent oil.

The biggest disservice ECP do themselves is not making the Technical data sheets readily available. To my knowledge that has only ever been posted on the internet by one other person before I found it and I have never seen a data sheet for any of their other oils.

 

[cws196]

I recall a former ECP manager telling me most of the Triple QX oils were made by Shell and produced at one of their Turkish plants.

 

[190]

I remember the thread below where Turkey got mentioned and the ECP rep on the forum denied it and made the comment about mainland Europe.

See #25

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/engine/159369-229-4-triple-qx-5w40-fully-synthetic-engine-oil-2.html

 

[RichardF]

Thanks chaps.

I was thinking maybe a flush @ the next oil change. Has anyone tried this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0096Y6XPC/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

Any good or snake extract?

 

[markjay]

Thanks chaps.

I was thinking maybe a flush @ the next oil change. Has anyone tried this?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0096Y6XPC/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

Any good or snake extract?

If you are looking to use additives, I would consider this one:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0064M6ENK/?tag=amazon0e9db-21

 

[anfieldassasin]

For me none of the additives worked in using the wynns one. Only thing that worked was replacing the tappets but for 6 quid might be worth a shot. I was also advised by some on the forum to flush with some atf but I was never brave enough for that!

 

[RichardF]

For me none of the additives worked in using the wynns one. Only thing that worked was replacing the tappets but for 6 quid might be worth a shot. I was also advised by some on the forum to flush with some atf but I was never brave enough for that!

I haven't investigated the job of replacing the hydraulic tappets yet, I suspect the M104 engine to be quite involved (+24 of the buggers)

 

[The Dude]

Morning all and my tuppence...

I owned a Golf Gti once which suffered from noisy hydraulic lifters...I tried flushing,slick 50, different oil grades etc...guess what? No improvement; solution was replacing the lifters,all of them as it is almost impossible to single out the one that is not holding pressure...furthermore I think flushing especially on a leggy older motor is asking for trouble and I simply don't see the point...strikes me as a non engineer it must be said that stirring up years of crud can't be a sensible thing to do...and a thinner grade of oil will make it worse not better...a good 10w40 is fine...

 

[The Dude]

...should have added that if the noise goes once pressure is obtained and the lifters fill then you have nothing to worry about...Just don't rev the engine when cold !

 

[anfieldassasin]

I haven't investigated the job of replacing the hydraulic tappets yet, I suspect the M104 engine to be quite involved (+24 of the buggers)

On the. M102 no need to remove cam shaft so yeah pretty simple. For you Might then be worth trying the wynn's For a short period?

 

[RichardF]

I think I'll try an oil change, not sure about a flush.

Either Fuchs Titan (10w 40) from Opie Oils or MB 229.5 oil (I notice MB Newcastle are doing a good price on this)

 

[cornershop]

Im using the following in my m117 - SL rated so should have decent levels of zddp/anti wear agents :

https://www.nielsencdg.co.uk/acatal...e-Oil-156334---5-Litre-TOT_194872.html#SID=28

 

[RichardF]

Seems to be behaving now, so I'll leave the oil change until it's due in the summer.