Engine noise caused by hydraulic tappets

Engine hydraulic lifter noise

It is common that when starting the car you hear a strange noise coming from the engine. This sound may stop after a few seconds, but sometimes it lasts longer. Even in the worst situations it never goes away. If any of these apply to you, one of the most common causes is hydraulic tappets. Also called dumpers.

When starting the car, the noise produced by the tappets is usually a knocking caused by lack of lubrication. Something very frequent when the engine is cold, and that gets worse if it has been left standing for several weeks (days in some models). The lubricant has mostly drained to the sump and the oil pump still hasn't sent it all the way to the top of the engine.

Regardless of the model you have, the noise generated by the hydraulic tappets it is not normal if it lasts more than a few seconds. Once the engine warms up a bit and the tappets fill with oil, the noise should go away, and if it doesn't, there are a number of issues that could be causing the problem.

Why do hydraulic tappets sound?

tappet

There is a large number of reasons why the hydraulic tappets of an engine can make noise. we are going to describe you the most common ordered by the ease with which they are checked. Because it will not be the same to review the engine oil, than send it to a workshop to repair, or even get down to work yourself, if you are a mechanics enthusiast.

Lack of oil or excess oil

The first thing to do is check the oil level to leave it at the optimal level. Only then can we rule out that it is an excess or lack of oil in the engine, which can alter the operation of the lubrication system in such a way that it generates noise. The steps to follow are:

  • Put the car in a horizontal position to prevent false oil measurement. A slope, even a slight one, will cause the oil to accumulate on one side, causing it not to mark the correct height on the dipstick.
  • Wait until the engine is cold. This will have passed the necessary time for the lubricant to slide down to the crankcase. Otherwise it will appear that the engine has less oil than it actually does.
  • Pull out the dipstick from the engine, clean it with a piece of paper or cloth and put it back. Be careful not to leave lint, pieces of paper or fabric that can get into the motor. Any impurities you introduce can be detrimental to the engine.

Clean the engine dipstick with a lint-free cloth.

  • Pull the dipstick back out and see how far the oil has stained.. It should be between the two minimum and maximum marks that the manufacturer has engraved on it. If the oil is very new, and you cannot see well how far it goes, stain the cloth or paper with it. It will be much easier to see on a white background.
    • If the oil level is by debajo del minimo, top up a little by pouring it through the oil plug.
    • Nap above the maximum You will have to remove some oil until it is between the appropriate levels. What you can do through the crankcase screw, with a suction pump or taking it to the workshop.
  • If you want to know more about measuring oil and how to add or remove it from the engine, see the article on how to check the oil level. In it we tell you how to do it correctly, in addition to explaining other methods that exist when the engine does not have an oil dipstick.

Fill or remove oil to eliminate tappet noise

very used oil

Another reason why hydraulic tappets can generate this noise is that the oil is already in bad condition. Lubricants have a number of maximum kilometers or with a time frame in which they maintain their properties. If these limits are exceeded, their degradation will be such that they will not be able to fulfill their task and the tappets will sound.

To this we must add that the rest of the pieces the motor they will also not have adequate lubrication. This will cause the consequent premature wear of many moving parts and the drastic reduction of the useful life of the engine. Take a look at the article 130.000 kilometers without changing the oil, to find out what happens to a maintenance-free engine.

wrong oil

In this case, the factor that can most affect the tappets is the density of the oil is not correct. In other words, if, for example, your engine is a 1.9 TDI and according to the manufacturer your model should have 15W40 oil, you should not put any other. The lubrication will not be adequate and the engine will be seriously damaged. For example, if the oil is too fluid, the oil will drain into the crankcase too soon and too much, leaving the top unprotected, which is where the hydraulic tappets are.

Check that your engine has the right oil

To this should be added many other problems that should not go unnoticed. The most common and visible is that the engine burns too much oil. Something that happens because more of it is filtered to the combustion chambers through the piston rings. Which is noticeable because the color of the smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe has a slightly bluish color.

Related article:
The smoke from our car

Si the oil is too thick, you will also have lubrication problems because will not arrive Correctly to all parts the motor. Probably including hydraulic tappets. Again, other problems would also have to be perceived in the engine, which would greatly shorten its useful life. If you are not sure which oil to use, visit our article on Motor oil.

The oil pump can be the cause of poor lubrication and therefore noise

Too little or too much oil pressure

Again we are facing a cause related to engine lubrication. Oil pressure is an unknown factor for many neophytes in car mechanics. Above all, because few cars include an indicator that shows what level you are at at all times. Only some models with a sporty approach, designed so that a lot is demanded of them, have it in their instrumentation.

If the oil pressure is inadequate, there can be two cases with different causes:

  • little pressure: occurs when the oil is very worn, has a very low density or the oil pump It's damaged. If, as we have indicated before, you have already verified that the oil is in good condition and is the correct type, it is most likely the pump.
  • a lot of pressure: this is usually due to the fact that the spring of the pump that regulates the pressure is obstructed or in poor condition. It would have to be cleaned or replaced. An operation for which it is advisable to take the car to the workshop, unless you have advanced mechanical knowledge and the appropriate tools.

The engine oil pressure must be at the correct values

Stuck rocker arm or hydraulic tappet

Lastly, tappets can stick if left varnish residue between the piston and the body of the tappet. In this case, we can solve this problem by adding an oil additive to the engine. They can also be clogged ducts of the tappet itself because many impurities have reached them.

Damaged hydraulic tappet

Lastly, the engine lifters may have worn. damaged causing noise to be heard. If so, the less you use the engine, the better, because it can lead to major breakdowns if you continue to drive with it. The most common is that the camshaft gradually wear off. If you can, call a tow truck and have the car taken to the shop. This will minimize damage to your engine.

Add additives to the engine to eliminate the noise of the hydraulic tappets

Additives to reduce friction and eliminate tappet noise

There are several additives added to engine oil that their developers claim to eliminate or minimize noise from hydraulic tappets or tappets. For example, those of liquid moli, although there are more brands that make similar products. Their function is to further reduce the friction that may be caused in the engine, so they can be effective for the noise of the tappets if the problem is not the deterioration of the part.

Anyway, we recommend that before any additive, you make sure that the lubrication system of your engine is property. That is, oil in good condition and of the correct type, oil pump 100% operational and the rest of the indications in this article. Otherwise you would be wasting money.

If we see that the noise persists, The most advisable thing would be to take the car to the workshop to carry out the relevant checks. Apart from the lack of lubrication, there are other reasons why the tappets of our car can fail and produce noise.

For example, if there is dirt in the check valve, can be produced internal leaks in the hydraulic tappet. It can also happen that there is abnormal wear between the plunger and the tappet itself, producing excessive leakage that causes noise in the tappet. A mechanic can fix these problems.

Images 3, 5 and 7 – Nenad Stojkovic, Adrian Sampson, Mark Morgan


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  1.   Eduardo Martinez Velasco said

    It is very important that you know that oil plays a very essential role in hydraulic tanks. Since if they are designed to use a specific grade of oil, for example (5w-20, 5w-30, 10w-30,10, 40w-XNUMX etc, etc), you must apply what corresponds to avoid further damage to the issue of hydraulic tanks, I hope it helps

    1.    Jose Angel Hernandez Madrigal said

      Thank you, yes, I put the motor in it, and I sent it to be rectified, they are new and it was supposed to be good when I started it up, but when the vulvo broke down, the diver began to sound.

  2.   Marco L said

    Hello, I have a Hyundai Santa Fé year 2011, 2.4 engine with 110.000 km, I took it to the mechanic because I had a problem with the clutch pump ruliman and after several days from one moment to the next it started with an otherwise imperceptible sound which was gone. increasing and it appears at 2500 revolutions and when I accelerate harder it tends to disappear and according to what the mechanic told me it is from the propellers (throttle). For this reason I took it to the workshop and changed the propellers (tappets) and it does not disappear and continues as before, when I left the mechanics the mechanic told me that the sound has to disappear until the propellers are calibrated, which costs me believe so. Could someone tell me what it could be if it's not the thrusters

  3.   Waldo said

    Hello, I have a noise in the engine, apparently it is the tanks. The noise is constant and persists when hot, even when accelerating it increases. The funny thing is that the oil change was very recently. The other thing that catches my attention if it will have to do with the change of spark plugs that I did yesterday, I put iridium spark plugs. Do I have to see something or is it something else? I will appreciate your answer

  4.   July said

    Good morning.
    I have a toyota hilux 3.0 2015, 60.000 km. On a long trip they didn't install the radiator cap and it melted the engine.
    We changed blok liners, pistons and rings, metals, connecting rods and pins, assembled the engine and a continuous noise like valves began, we also changed 3 injectors. We repair diesel lift pump and oil pump and the knocking continues.
    Please any advice; Thank you

    regards
    JULY

  5.   Byron said

    Good morning.
    I have the following problem with a mazda b2200 truck, it was fully repaired and the tanks were sounding, I did the review and they were not loaded for that reason I chose to replace them with new ones, but here comes the same problem the tanks were still sounding but with the difference that there are occasions in which they work normally (without a hit) and in others they don't, I went back to do another review again and I find myself with certain taps without charging (when there was sound). I would appreciate your guidance

  6.   Yuri Arredondo said

    I have a 2008 Gasoline Sang Yong and the head gasket blew, they brushed the piece and the valve seats, in addition to seating said valves..., they changed the valve seals and put 20-50 oil and new spark plugs .
    When they started the car, it looked like a tank from the First World War, the mechanic told me that the tanks would charge with the days, but they did not, then they recommended me to put a finer oil 10-30 and it improved a little, but in cold it's a rattle and it's already hot sometimes it sounds and sometimes it doesn't... what should I do? can someone help me?, because changing them costs more than going to Orlando-Florida
    Thank you

  7.   jesus carucci said

    I have Dogge Ran 2500 year 2008 with noises in the tanks sometimes that ago

  8.   Alexis said

    I have a 2013 dodge durango that has a noise similar to that of a tank that is heard more when the engine warms up. I would like to help me with advice. Thank you

  9.   Alfonso Salzalejo said

    Hi, I have a peugeot 307 2.0 16v year 2008. I did a job on the engine. I put everything right up to the original points of time. Now I am trying to turn it on but it does not turn on. My question is that since I have not added oil to the engine, the tanks are discharged. be an option I say .. who could help me

    1.    younes said

      when you put the tanks they have to be empty of lubricating oil if you have put them full it will never start. try to check the camshaft pulley if it is well adjusted and then you have to ensure that the belt is in good condition if not you have to buy one new since these mat a lot and nothing you remove has to change it directly. I hope that has served you.

  10.   aurimar said

    excellent explanation, thank you very much

  11.   Jose Angel Hernandez Madrigal said

    I changed the 12 pieces to my ford mazda 94 B4000 4×4 but when I started it for the first time it was heard well then the oil vulvo broke and when I changed it I put oil back in and a diver began to sound I would like to hear your opinions thank you

  12.   Jose Angel Hernandez Madrigal said

    I had the engine of my pik UP rectified, I changed everything, including the 12 divers. When I went to test it, it sounded even and stable, only the engine pulling at 100, but before I handed it over to me, the oil vulvo sparked and when they delivered it to me, it already sounded a diver I think that the mechanic put the same contaminated oil on him because that's what the diver sounds like and they recommend me to change it or just put the additive on it thanks for your comments and thanks for clarifying my doubt bemdicones

  13.   Antonio Jimenez said

    When the temperature needle leaves the blue zone, the noise is camouflaged. On demand it does not develop power.
    starts very well