Golf GTi 2.0 MK4 tapping noise

[j_caie]

Over the last couple of months my MK4 golf gti 2.0 has started making a tapping noise which is coming from the engine. It is more noticeable at low speeds and when ideling. Does anyone if this is likely to be coming from the camshaft? Or could the cambelt be to blame? It has done 90k miles and I don't know if or when the cambelt has been changed. It used to sound perfect, no tapping at all, any ideas ?

[batteryman]

If you intend to keep the car most people would advise you to change the cambelt , tensioner and water pump immediately. Cost at an independant garage should be 200-250 quid tops ( I was quoted 180 for a diesel) compared to thousand plus for repairs if the belt breaks. I think the recommended interval these days is 4 years or 60,000 miles, whichever is sooner so if it hasn't been done it's overdue.

[GtTdi 365lb/ft]

Over the last couple of months my MK4 golf gti 2.0 has started making a tapping noise which is coming from the engine. It is more noticeable at low speeds and when ideling. Does anyone if this is likely to be coming from the camshaft? Or could the cambelt be to blame? It has done 90k miles and I don't know if or when the cambelt has been changed. It used to sound perfect, no tapping at all, any ideas ?

At 90k the cam shouldnt be that worn out, If it had 190k on the clock the cam profile would have altered would cause the lifters to be slightly out of sync. Lifters arent the most difficult thing to replace, but its rare that you would need to.
Id get the cambelt done (ASAP!), service with some high performance or VAG oil, then put some Slick 50 into the engine. I normally avoid engine additive they rarely do any good at all. Slick 50 is a bit different as it bonds to the metal, rather than treating the oil. This should reduce the tapping, but I doubt it would cure totaly.

After that, if its still bugging you, you can look at cam and lifter options.

[j_caie]

hi, thanks for the reply. Does slick 50 actually do anything? I've heard lots of rumours that these oil additives are a waste of money. I'm willing to try it to see if helps reduce the tapping/ticking noise my car makes but don't want to waste my money if it's a no hoper!

[GtTdi 365lb/ft]

Your right in thinking that oil additives are a waste of money and bad for your car. If you have the right oil in the car in the first place then you woudnt need to add anything to it!! Using somthing to thicken the oil or change the consistancy would only mask a problem if it doenst make it worse. If you were to put an additive into you fuel, it would only affect the combustion within the engine which isnt a very bad thing. Putting somthing in the oil is somthing you need to be more careful about.
Slick 50 is different as it only enters the engine through the oil. after a little while the contents of the fluid bond with the metal engine and perform a 'protective' coat by decreasing the friction of the surface. faily clever stuff and the only reason im going on about it because i know it works! older engines have a slightly different tollerances than when it was a brand new engine so may not always sound as smooth as it was. Slick 50 lasts a lot longer than an single oil change, so once its run in, you dont need to keep topping it up.
Years ago I tried it in a mk2 8v gti and a mk3 16v to name a couple and it worked really well with all of them. More recently I once used a different oil 'additive' in a car i had which was almost new but had a high mileage and it almost ruined the engine!! I only bought it as the place i went to didnt have slick 50 so i bought somthing that cost almost as much, which was a mistake! Its not worth the risk!