RE: Loud mettalic tapping from top of engine.

["Daniel Hussey" <dan_hussey@email.msn.com>]

> Hi all
>
> Nasty problem occurs this afternoon, I come of the dual carriageway having
> had a bit of a blast and I hear this loud mettalic tapping noise from the
> top of the engine. It happens most when you rev the car and the rev's drop
> back again. It sounds like a much louder version of hydraulic lifter
rattle
> (this almost like someone is tapping the cam cover with a small hammer),
> engine runs fine other than this.
>

Hi Ian,  I had the exact same noise you describe on my 200TQ one time.   It
was very loud and would speed up as engine revs sped up.  I was not very
comfortable driving it, figuring it was a bad valve somethingorother, but I
was late for a study session and drove to my friends house (stupidly?) just
a few minutes away.  Could hear all this inside the car and over modified
exhaust!

Well, ... and this is the wierd part... I was complaning the whole time
saying that this was it.  The engine was surely going to have to come apart
now as something was seriously wrong, etc, etc, etc.  Car drove ok, but was
easy on the revs and drove it home that night....  the noise was still
there, but was much quieter and less noticable.  Next time I drove the car,
the noise was gone completely and has never returned again (been months and
about 15K miles).

So, my advice is be carefull with it, but maybee drive it a little bit more
and see if it goes away.  Mine did.  BTW, Anyone out there know what it
was???  Was surely not lifters.  I've never heard them get that loud and I
think they were improved in the 200's as I have not had a problem with them
at all.  It sounded more like a valve wrap!  I don't think it was a crank
bearing as Huw suggested though as it most definately was coming from the
top of the engine, but then again, I really don't know.  Just glad it's gone
now and I didn't have to rebuild the motor at a $$$$ cost to me!  :)

Later,
Dan