1800 Zetec minor random clatter on startup

Hydraulic tappets? Mike.

It has, and that's what I thought, but rather than a repeating "tap" it's more random. Like shaking an aerosol paint can kind of noise. It's got 99500 on the clock, so perhaps it's storing something up for when it clicks over... ;)

Lee

Lee wrote in news:T3Iui.5747$mZ5.3862 @newsfe6-win.ntli.net:

Broken piston ring? Worn bore? Does it smoke at start up? Could just be a follower not getting up to pressure due to a partial blockage? Dunno really. Get new oil and proper filter?

Ignoring your other points, from your description it does sound very much like a tappet. Could it be that the oil filter, if a non Ford one, lacks the one valve to retain the oil in the oil galleries?

AIH it is a non-ford filter but it was doing it with the Motorcraft one anyway :(

Unless it gets worse, I'll just put up with it :)

Lee

Strangely (sadly?) I was browsing Mad Moles Mondeo site earlier and this rang a bell - have a look on here, near the bottom:

Under 'Pulse Air Injection' it describes a bit of enginery that operates for the first 20 seconds or so and when knackered produces a 'loud clacking noise, like valve rattle'...

PC Paul wrote in news:eWKui.3984$cw7.993 @text.news.blueyonder.co.uk:

Good Call Paul.

Thanks. But soooo sad that it was in my head at all...