My Zed started tapping a bit last week and has done it ever since.

It sounds louder from the front of the engine, rather than the top which I thought was a bit odd.

Was told by Pete who used to run se Nissan that it sounded like the tappets and not to worry too much about it.

Problem is, although I'm not too worried....

Its REALLY pi55in me off.

Has anyone else had this issue ( I know its quite common) and how did you solve it ( without taking the engine apart).

Was going to use an engine flush then change the oil and use an additive (ametech restore or something similar), question is what have other people used ( additive wise)? And what grade oil to use (Pete suggested 10/50w )?

Oil change ... is a place to start ... Dont use additives

Mine taps cold from the top, fairly loud quite embarrassing, I put an additive in did nothing but regular oil changed quiet it down. It only taps for 5 minutes on start.

Why not use additives mate?

Hi mate dont think them additives do much if anything they claim they do miracles .I use castrol edge sport 10w60 all the time .If its from the front ive heard of vtc sprockets can make noise think you can change the springs not sure someone else might know .

mine has a tappy noise too, its getting me down too, it sounds a bit like a big end but too soft and too hard for a tappet at times but am sure its the tappets in mine. i guess the only choice is to replace the hydraulic valves. Mine runs so damn sweet annoying that it has this noise...

I've just reserved some 10/60 oil, filter and flush from eurocar parts.

I'll pick it up tomorrow and change it first chance I get, just hope it shuts up the tapping abit.

I noticed eurocarparts advertsie edge sport 10w60 on the web for £41 but on ebay the seller is eurocarparts its £36 with free post wilcos normally stock it as well. Just under £40

i have tried oil, I have done additives, in my sons car it worked a treat, in my car done nothing...very very annoying...wonder if there is a valve spring replacement, dumb that these things are suposed to adjust for wear then start to caus their own longer term problems over time...cant beat a good old fashoned spring..

480 quid for a complete set is a real cost that you I find hard to justify in these old cars...

Eurocar parts has 20% off at the moment so it works out at about £32 for 4 litres ( not forgetting the Zed needs 5.1 liters).

So for 5l of Castro edge 10/60w, valvoline engine flush and oil filter it came to just over £50 quid... Bargain.

i have tried oil, I have done additives, in my sons car it worked a treat, in my car done nothing...very very annoying...wonder if there is a valve spring replacement, dumb that these things are suposed to adjust for wear then start to caus their own longer term problems over time...cant beat a good old fashoned spring..

 

there be nothing wrong with the valves or springs its the hydrolic lifters that take up the slop/gap between the valve and cam its self .. when they fail its due to the small one way valve inside the lifter that fails .. Oil enters the lifter when its compressed by the cam the oil just push's back out Hence the Tick/tap sound ...

 

some times putting a thicker oil in does help but not all ways for the cost of oil change its worth a try

Also for the sake of a few quid and a couple of hours work, change the vvt springs, mine made a racket at tickover because of them and sounded a little like lifters/tappets

Also for the sake of a few quid and a couple of hours work, change the vvt springs, mine made a racket at tickover because of them and sounded a little like lifters/tappets

Is there a thread somewhere on how to do this?

Tom . the vtc springs sit inside the front intake cams .. ... there really easy to do if u got the timing belt covers off

To be honest mark, even the simplest jobs seem difficult to me. Maybe I should have a try on my old silver Zed before I have a go at my new one.

Any chance of a photo so I know where the spring is :)

yeah will take a photo later one for u ..

Oil change ... is a place to start ... Dont use additives

 

That's what I'd do first too.... if it works, you've saved yourself a lot of work and expense!!

 

Why not use additives mate?

 

Because there's seldom any need for them - modern, high quality, oils contain almost all of the good additives you can purchase anyway. Additives are big in America mainly down to slick (no pun intended) marketing campaigns. And in reality, most do not work - and others actually harm your engine by leaving deposits which block the oilways and filter etc.

 

A bottle of Slimey's old snake oil might appear to work (for a month or two) in a big ole lazy Yank V8 producing 100bhp; but will do nothing in a proper high performance engine....:wink:

 

Richard:thumbup1:

Here ya go .. i'm sure i dont need to take pics of how to get timing belt covers off

but once u have u will see two of these pulleys ..

 

undo the 4 small bolts and there you will see the spring .. Dont lose the o ring ( not shown in pic

 

Thanks for the pics mark. Where can I get new springs? Or would the ones from my silver Zed be OK to use?

They're relatively inexpensive new so that's your best bet. Mr.F is your man...

Get new ones from MJP, not expensive and peace of mind over used or secondhand

Thinking of doing this myself.

Is it a big job to get the covers off? What's involved?

Dont get the standard ones ... thats why its making sounds ..

 

Get the JWT Uprated ones .. they dont cost much

 

http://www.conceptzperformance.com/Cart/description.php?II=641&Car_Type=300&UID=2013051200341586.5.207.114

how easy is it to change the lifters...I have a spare engine and am wondering if I should not rebuild it into a nice uprated engine and fit it in...aiming for about 400bhp...is more than enough...will the standard engine take that sort of power...and can i tell if the followers are useless or good to reuse by checking them somehow

its not hard to change the lifters just time on stripping everything to get to them ..

 

Main engine loom off engine

water pipes

timing belt covers

timing belt

boost pipes

spark plugs and coil packs

balance bar

Plenum and water lines under it

cam shaft rocker covers

Cam Pulleys

Cam Bearing Bridges

Cams

 

then you can take the Lifters out ...

 

think thats about it

 

and regarding testing the lifters .. there isnt a quick way ... u can swap for used ones long as you know there ok

otherwise get new ones