# Irretating ticking noise



## chilo (Jun 7, 2012)

Good day fellow VW lovers. My name is Charles and I am an 24 year old male who recently completed my studies in Mechanical Engineering. I drive a 1998 VW mk1 golf which I am absolutely in love with. Upon reception of this car it took me a total of 3 months before I swapped the standard 1300 engine for an 1800 8v unit from a polo, still being carb fed. Since the fitting of the engine, it has been making an irritating ticking noise. Every mechanic I take it to, claims it is the lifters/ tappets making the noise but I have replaced them about 3 times already without any luck. I have been driving it for about 4years like this already, with nothing going wrong with the engine. I just can't take that sound anymore. Please can anyone tell me what it could be. Thanks in advance, Chilo.


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## unknowable (Apr 10, 2011)

i assume you mean 88 instead of 98, but still that would be a mk2 

Any ticking that increases in volume or speed in synch with the speed of the engine would most likely be valve noise. I'm not familiar with the mk2 engines whether they are solid or hydraulic lifters but the main culprit would most likely be somewhere in the valve train. tapping could represent a gap between your lifters and the valve springs, or your valves not seating properly. Tapping is also a common effect of your timing being off. If your timing is off by one tooth on the cam gear that could push it out about 8 degrees which would definitely cause tapping.

It could also just be that it is not getting enough oil to the top end. 

It will probably take some work to find out where the tap is coming from but I would probably start with your oil pump which isnt very hard to replace since you have already worked on the valve train.


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## ps2375 (Aug 13, 2003)

Try and replace the exhaust gaskets that go between the head and manifold. When you replace them, inspect them, you should be able to tell if one of those was leaking.

Does the ticking noise go away with higher rpm's? If so, that wouldn't be an exhaust leak, what weight oil are you running? And I assume this is a hydraulic lifter head?


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## ps2375 (Aug 13, 2003)

unknowable said:


> i assume you mean 88 instead of 98, but still that would be a mk2


SA still has mkI cars being made at that year.


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## unknowable (Apr 10, 2011)

ps2375 said:


> SA still has mkI cars being made at that year.


 how can I buy one???


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## ps2375 (Aug 13, 2003)

Have one imported.


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## unknowable (Apr 10, 2011)

ps2375 said:


> Have one imported.


Im really sorry, as I do not want to jack this thread, but if anyone has any experience or information concerning importing one of these from SA, please PM me.


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## Fat Rabbit (Nov 18, 2001)

I would make sure that you are running a heavier weight oil. Something like 20W50. I probably would also check the oil pressure and maybe even drop the oil sump and inspect the oil pick-up. FR


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## chilo (Jun 7, 2012)

*Chilo*

@ unknowable: The noise totally disapears above 3500rpm and yip they have been making mk1s brand new in SA till about 3 years ago. After 2001 they have just been updating the engines to fuel injection units and the interior to those of the polo's.


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## chilo (Jun 7, 2012)

@ PS2375: I will check out the exhaust gasket, as the sound goes away when the RPM goes above 3500, thanx for the tip. Can you perhaps explain to me why a leaking exhaust gasket might cause such a noise?


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## chilo (Jun 7, 2012)

@fat rabbit: Thanx rabbit I will look into that aswell


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## ps2375 (Aug 13, 2003)

chilo said:


> @ PS2375: I will check out the exhaust gasket, as the sound goes away when the RPM goes above 3500, thanx for the tip. Can you perhaps explain to me why a leaking exhaust gasket might cause such a noise?


A small exhaust leak will sound like a ticking. As I said earlier, if it goes away it might not be a leak. You did not mention what weight oil you are running. A too light weight oil will cause this lifter issue also. Have you tried a heavier oil as FR suggests?


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## unknowable (Apr 10, 2011)

Fat Rabbit said:


> I would make sure that you are running a heavier weight oil. Something like 20W50. I probably would also check the oil pressure and maybe even drop the oil sump and inspect the oil pick-up. FR


From what you have described I definitely would have to agree that it is oil related. The pump could be blocked or just going out.


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## chilo (Jun 7, 2012)

I am using 20W50 oil. If it is a lack of oil pressure or a failing oil pump, shouldn't the car have broken down already. Like I mentioned earlier I haven't had any problems for 3 years now! The only thing I actually found suspicious is that I never have to add oil to it, only when I service the car do I do an oil change. It never loses any oil.


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## ps2375 (Aug 13, 2003)

Maybe try a slightly thinner oil and with some sort of cleaner, like adding a pint of Marvel Mystery Oil (if avail in SA) to maybe clean the oil system. I know you mention already replacing the lifters.


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## Glegor (Mar 31, 2008)

how many miles? 

higher mileage VWs always have some lifter clatter.. its a guarantee of life, just like death, and paying taxes.

you might try a quart of ATF added to the oil a week before an oil change..

if nothing fixes the ticking, its lifters.


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## ziddey (Apr 16, 2006)

So we are talking about hydraulic lifters, yes?


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## chilo (Jun 7, 2012)

@Glegor: it can't be high mileage as the current motor has less than 60 thou kilometers on it and as I said I have replaced my lifters on numerous occasions. 
@ Ziddey: yes its using hydraulic lifters!


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## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

Regardless of just how old or how many miles it has if you have replaced the followers more then once and the noise is still there, I would have to assume it is not them making the sound. You don't say anything about it running poor so I'll go with all the valves seating OK. Does it make the noise out of gear sitting with the hood open? If so then try to locate exactly where it is comming from, screwdriver to the ear or other rod to the ear should get it down to a small area. What engine code is it? Not all 1.8L 8v engines are the same and you living where you do might have something not sold in the US. So an engine code might help if it is a little different in design.


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## chilo (Jun 7, 2012)

@ Waterwheels: The car is running excellently. I will try the screwdriver method 2 try and locate the source of the sound, thanks for the tip! My engine code is GS103373B. It makes the noise whether its in gear or outa gear. It only disappears above 3500rpm!


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## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

That engine code does not make sense that I can tell. There was a GS code engine which was used from 82 through 84 but it was a 1.3L engine. Where did you get that code from? Not a lot of things in the head that can cause a ticking sound. Followers, they seem to be rulled out, valve springs, but you say it runs great, the oil deflector, but you should have noticed it being rubbed or broken when you changed the followers. Does it seem to come from one side more then the other (trans side vs. timing belt side)?


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## chilo (Jun 7, 2012)

@ Waterwheels: I didn't think the code would make sense to you. Keep in mind they only stopped making th mk1 golf in SA. In 2010. I can insure you it is an stock standard VW 1800 8valve U-flow carburetor engine . As I said before, it is running well, maybe even a little too well as I have been hitting a little above my weight class. According to me its not supposed to out sprint the golf 3 VR6's, yet I have beaten quite a few of them. I tried the screw driver trick and it seems as if the sound is coming from the head, but more towards the side of the transmission and I could hear it much more clearly on holding the screwdriver on the intake side of the head. By the way, thanks for all the effort and guidance so far!


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## WaterWheels (Aug 14, 2005)

chilo said:


> @ Waterwheels: I didn't think the code would make sense to you. Keep in mind they only stopped making th mk1 golf in SA. In 2010. . . According to me its not supposed to out sprint the golf 3 VR6's, yet I have beaten quite a few of them. . . the sound is coming from the head, but more towards the side of the transmission and I could hear it much more clearly on holding the screwdriver on the intake side of the head.


 I was searching South Africa engine numbers for the Citi Golf so I figure the number should be one of them, but hey, it's not a perfect world. Remember that a V6 weighs a lot more then a four banger so the vehicle weight and balance, having the extra weight up front, could cause you to do better in some cases. seems that it has to be one of the valvetrain components though and you really should take the time to figure it out. It will require you removing the camshaft and maybe even the spring retainers to track it down but it could cause damage over time or one day. I thought a valve spring would be ruled out as the engine runs good, but even that really could be the problem. Can't say really but something in that cylinder head just is not right.


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