Re: Loud metallic tapping from top of engine.

[Timothy C Salazar II <tsal2@juno.com>]

I had a similar problem not too long ago with my 4kq.  It turned out to
be the vacuum pump-thing that's bolted onto the right-center part of the
block.  It sounded horrible!  So I got it replaced.  Pretty expensive
part.  But then again, which part on an Audi isn't?!

Love, Like, or Just Plain Tolerate,

Timothy


On Sun, 14 Nov 1999 12:57:28 -0500 "Doyt W. Echelberger"
<Doyt@nwonline.net> writes:
> >To: "Daniel Hussey" <dan_hussey@email.msn.com>
> >From: "Doyt W. Echelberger" <Doyt@nwonline.net>
> >Subject: RE: Loud metallic tapping from top of engine.
> >In-Reply-To: <000601bf2ec3$51954260$c843153f@AF13XRX.rayovac.com>
> >
> >Same thing happened to me in my 86 4kcsq. Towed the car to garage 
> because
> I thought some engine part was going to come flying through the 
> block or head.
> >
> >Turned out to be a loose bolt on the alternator that was allowing 
> the
> alternator to bang against a support on each spin of the pulley. New 
> bolt
> and nut fixed it.
> >
> >So,suspect a loose unit that is normally bolted to the engine, and 
> which
> is belt-driven.
> >
> >Doyt
> >
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> >At 11:11 AM 11/14/1999 -0600, you wrote:
> >>> 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
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>