9N3 Polo 2006 with noisy tappets,

[rogpol]

Our Polo has noisy tappets when cold , and less noisy when hot but still noticeable. Is this a common problem that's easily fixed or not worth worrying about ?
any advice would be appreciated
Thanks
Rog

[Crasher]

Which engine?

[rogpol]

Our Polo has noisy tappets when cold , and less noisy when hot but still noticeable. Is this a common problem that's easily fixed or not worth worrying about ?
any advice would be appreciated
Thanks
Rog

1.4 petrol engine 9N3 2006 automatic

[Crasher]

That would have to be a 16v BKY code engine so yes, noisy tappets could signify a lubrication problem but as they are roller tappets and the noise reduces when hot, it makes me wonder if what you can here is piston slap and not tappets. These engines are terrible for piston slap issues and VW state that this was caused by "unfavourable tolerances", in other words someone screwed up and bored the blocks too far. As the pistons warm, they expand quite a lot which reduces the "unfavourable tolerances" and so the noise gets less but as the engine wears the tolerances get even more unfavourable and the noise gets worse. In my experience they will keep running like this forever, there is one 9N1 we look after owned by a very long standing lady customer and the rattling hers makes is unbelievable but it burns no oil and keeps coming back each year for a service and MOT and we report the noise and it keeps going....

[Rob69]

I had a 'tappety' BKY, could have been piston slap, but it did 10's of thousands like that and I never bothered to spend time or money on investigating. Bear in mind the age / value of your car before committing to anything intrusive !
If it ain't broke !

[rogpol]

Thanks very much that's reassuring
regards
Rog

[rogpol]

Many thanks
Rog

[Crasher]

Bear in mind the age / value of your car before committing to anything intrusive

So true and now more than ever, it takes only a simple but expensive fault to write off a five year old car these days. When I first started I was rebuilding engines and restoring 20 year old Bugs and the same on 10 year old Golf's/Polo's (and you thought VW's going rusty was new!) and it was worth it, now if a six year old Golf throws its engine, that's the end of it unless you can find a good used unit which is a huge gamble and still costs thousands. This has all been brought on by attention to the environment, how can scrapping six year old cars be environmentally friendly?

[zollaf]

average car produces 20 % of its emissions actually being driven. 80% comes from building it and then scrapping it. i prefer cars at least 15 years old myself. my landrover will be 47 this year. now if thats not environmentally friendly i don't know what is..