Service And A Possible Problem ‘hydraulic Tappets’

[Andy Power]

booked my T6 in for its first major service next week - they told me it will cost £375 inc parts and labour.
I get a tapping sound when i start the vehicle from cold- someone on this foru said they had a unilateral thing and it was the tappers in which his garage fixed. I mentioned to my garage that i had this tapping sound which could be my tappets and i would like them to check it out as it’s still under warranty they said
I will add the issue with the tappets to the booking under warranty although I cannot guarantee this will be covered by the warranty without our technicians seeing the vehicle. If this issue is not covered by warranty and you would like it investigating there will be a diagnostic fee of £120. on top of £375

 

[Olly T6]

That’s kind of them

 

[Northern Monkey]

So how many ladies can you expect for £375 I don’t think the misses will be too pleased if I come home with a van full, I’ve encountered that diagnostic charge before it’s absolute BS.

 

[Andy Power]

Ladies = Labour

 

[Andy Power]

So to check if the tappets are noisy do they need to do a diagnostic check?

 

[Dellmassive]

what engine . . . . ?

the tappets are hydraulic on these and use engine oil pressure to "pump up" and close the gap after the first few seconds after starting. (old engines used manual adjustments)

slight noise is normal on a first start after the oil has mostly drained back down to the sump.

tappets can become worn eventually and may require replacing . . . .

if the tapping sound goes away after starting and a touch on the throttle to raise the oil pressure then i doubt you need new tappets.

most important thing is to check you have good oil to the required marking on the dipstick, and do regular oil & filter changes as required. yearly/ by miles or longlife.

note the OEM statement below: Irregular valve noise during starting is normal.

 

[Andy Power]

The tapping sound does not go away that quickly, it’s there in the lower gears and tends to disappear when I change from forth gear up. When I come back down into third and second the tapping noice is back.... this eventually disappears (or do I just not hear it anymore).

 

[Dellmassive]

So it's more with the gearbox than revs of the engine?

 

[Dellmassive]

can you post a video clip of the noise?

 

[Andy Power]

Will try, it’s quiet but it’s there when I dip the clutch I can hear it slowing ‘winding’ down and when I engage a gear and let the clutch it it speeds up again...I had it in the garage twice and they said they could net hear anything....last time they said they all make that noise (funny how they couldn’t hear it though) I know they don’t all make that noise because when I bought the van it was not there.

 

[mmi]

Will try, it’s quiet but it’s there when I dip the clutch I can hear it slowing ‘winding’ down and when I engage a gear and let the clutch it it speeds up again...I had it in the garage twice and they said they could net hear anything....last time they said they all make that noise (funny how they couldn’t hear it though) I know they don’t all make that noise because when I bought the van it was not there.

Could you try the following: Drive steady on the gear (3th?, 4th?) on which you hear the noise. At what revs that noise happens? Just take foot off the throttle - does the sound go away? Taking foot off (engine braking) will cut fuel injection, so this just to eliminate anything related to injection/combustion/power stroke related noises.

 

[Dellmassive]

Wonder if it's high pressure diesel pump noise?

The 204's have twin piston pumps. The others had single piston.

They were known to be noisy when new, but would quite down after bedding in.

Have you got access to another T6 to compare running sounds?

 

[Andy Power]

Could you try the following: Drive steady on the gear (3th?, 4th?) on which you hear the noise. At what revs that noise happens? Just take foot off the throttle - does the sound go away? Taking foot off (engine braking) will cut fuel injection, so this just to eliminate anything related to injection/combustion/power stroke related noises.

Tried that and the noise is still there, it stops (kind of winds down) when I depress the clutch....ithink it’s there all the time but more noticeable in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears.

 

[Andy Power]

Wonder if it's high pressure diesel pump noise?

The 204's have twin piston pumps. The others had single piston.

They were known to be noisy when new, but would quite down after bedding in.

Have you got access to another T6 to compare running sounds?

It stops when I depress the clutch? I have had it back to the garage but they said they couldn’t find anything wrong and that they couldn’t hear it.

 

[Dellmassive]

well looks like you need to get another T6 to compare it too.

and get a definite result that yours has a different running sound to another. . . . .

maybe its just normal running sounds that your picking up on?

maybe book a test drive at your local VW center on a like for like engine/gearbox setup and have a listen on the test drive.

or hook up with a forum member thats local to you for test drive?

 

[Mooncat]

If it's the 6 speed gearbox, unless they've changed the design in the last decade, 1, 2, 3 & 4 all use the same output shaft. Is the noise still there in 4th and then goes when you change to 5th (different output shaft)?

I am right in assuming the noise is only there when you are driving too?

 

[Andy Power]

Hi
no the noise is there when I start the van, it’s always most noticeable when starting from cold, when the van is stand still it’s there until I press the clutch.

 

[C4rter]

Hi Andy,

Did you get this sorted? Think mine has the same problem. Sounds like a bag of spammers when ticking over them runs smooth after a bit of a drive.

 

[Teesix]

Sounds like the normal 'pinking' sound you get with cold diesel engines. This is normal. Once the engine reaches Optimum Running Temperature things will quieten down but you'll hear it more loudly in the lower gears during the early stage of engine warming.

 

[Stay Frosty]

Worn dual mass flywheel can be noisy like a load of cutlery being rattled until you dip the clutch?