Tappets noisy - oil light flashes after cam belt swap

[Anton Magus]

My cam belt stripped while driving my 95 Golf Mk3 1.6 8V GS model. I have replaced the cam belt with a new one and manually turned the crankshaft a few times to make sure that all was OK.

The motor starts just fine and idles OK, BUT the tappets are now VERY noisy and the oil light keeps flashing.

Have dropped the sump and checked the oil pump, which is fine. Bearings look OK too. The motor idles fine so I don't think there is a bent valve. Just no oil pressure and noisy tappets...

Any ideas?

[passat>sport]

If it's Tapping after the belt was stripped! There may have been a slight valve strike. Valves don't always bend but one or more lifters could be damaged. Slighlty squashed and not letting oil into the lifter (hydraulic tappet or so there known) Hence the oil pressure warning.

Pull the rocker and inspect all the lifters.

[Anton Magus]

Thanks for the reply.

I will try your advice.

[Anton Magus]

Tappets were OK, but after all the work they were not getting enough oil.

Solution: Remove the spark plugs, turn on the ignition and try to "start" - letting the starter motor swing the engine for about 15 seconds. Repeat this a few times and the oil light on th dash goes out!

Replace plugs, couple up ht leads and start. Tappets now quiet and oil warning light goes out.

Problem solved...

[Rikkgti]

Tappets were OK, but after all the work they were not getting enough oil.

Solution: Remove the spark plugs, turn on the ignition and try to "start" - letting the starter motor swing the engine for about 15 seconds. Repeat this a few times and the oil light on th dash goes out!

Replace plugs, couple up ht leads and start. Tappets now quiet and oil warning light goes out.

Problem solved...

***. How doesthat solve it?

[Anton Magus]

The Golf 3 has hydraulic tappets. If you remove them, all the oil drains out. After you replace them, the tappet clearances are huge and the camshaft doesn't depress the valves. If you try and start the car, it won't start and the tappets clatter with a huge (scary) racket and the oil pressure warning flashes.

Removing the plugs eliminates compression and allows the starter motor to swing the engine fast with less drain on the battery. This in turn allows the oil pump to build up enough pressure to fill the tappets and turn off the oil pressure light.

If you now replace the plugs, the engine will start, the oil pressure warning light will go out and the tappets will be quiet.

It worked for me

[Rikkgti]

arh right am with ya