99 Passat 1.8 lifter noise

There is an additive you can purchase specifically for this problem.

It is called CD-2 oil detergent, in a small yellow bottle.

Can be found at Autozone and Wal-Mart etc. About $4, just add to your oil. Perhaps a synthetic like 15W50 would suit that engine best.

Paul '89 Jetta

CD-2 is good. Synthetic is better. However a believe a 1999 VW piston oil seal ring is designed for thin oil like 5W30. The oil seals might eventually blow out if the oil is too think. Dunno.

I am not sure about the 1.8T using solid or hydraulic cam followers. If solid, you can have it adjusted. If hydraulic, you can get it replaced. I would also replace the spring while you are at it. A good tech can narrow it down to which valve is making the noise using a mechanic stethoscope.

May be a lifter, or could be a developing problem with the camshaft adjustor.

Is that the same as the "camshaft tensioner"??? The dealer told me there was both a lifter and a cam tensioner noise. However, I would never pay a dealer to fix things that aren't under warranty.

I guess it's time to buy a Bentley manual.

Thanks for the help.

Bob

snipped-for-privacy@zero.com (Peter Parker) wrote in news:409c470b snipped-for-privacy@nntp2.nac.net:

If you dont have a stethescope handy, you can improvise with a long handled screwdriver. Start at cyl 1 and just touch the driver end of the screwdriver on the valve cover, now being careful, making sure all loose clothing and hair is tied back(place a piece of cardboard over the fan/rad area if it'll make you feel better), gently lean into the engine bay bringing your ear to the butt/handle end of the screwdriver. I use an old beatup 18" black handled snap-on and it works real well. It takes a little practice, but the "tick" or noise will travel up the shaft and will be noticeably audible. Just start by "listening" to cyl 1-4, you'll find it and will easily hone in on it.

my 2 cents

btw, 1.8t > 2.0 hands down, no contest, I can't even believe it's even being debated. This is in no way marginalizing the 2.0, I have alot of respect for it, but's it's getting on 30yrs now, even with the crossflow head redesign in 93/94. Apples and oranges.

....Because information wants to be free.

Hey Bob

I recently replaced the lifters on my 89 Jetta, I paid $10 each canadian for them and the install was easy. I suffered the tick tick lifter problem myself for at least half a year. Mine are hydraulic, and there is apprently a way to prime them post install, rather than rev your engine up like crazy after install like i did, so the clatter symphony dies down. Its super quiet now, and I am really glad i changed. VWs are also known to develop what they call piston-slap, which can sound very similar to a sticky lifter. This would be loud when cool and increasingly quiet while getting warmer, as things expand. I used the screwdriver stethoscope trick as mentioned in this post. I have to say, that trick has proved to be a cost saver over and over, when narrowing down engine clatter.

As far as my experience with oil goes..... Ive tried them all. I used to use SuperSyn 2050 which is basically a race car oil. I had pretty good luck with that until an old school VW guy showed me the AMSOIL chart where my oil was pretty close to the bottom. Now I run 1040 and it seems to avoid turning on the oil light for high or low pressure(my car has sensors for both which are notoriously bad)

anyway..... Im sure I answered nothing but whatever......

You covered things well, but with the 1.8t engine which has 20 lifters and 2 camshafts it takes a bit longer to do.

20!! Yikes. Yeah so I suppose my 'easy job' advice is relative. Ive had some old air cooled vws and three Mark IIs so my experience is limited to those. I get that there would be 16 where do the other 4 come in woodchuck?

1.8t has 3 intake valves and 2 exhaust valves per cylinder. The VW 2.8l V6 has 30 valves and the 4.2l has 40 valves, and the big bad boy W12 has 48 valves. VW technology isn't like the 80's anymore.