WTF Have I done?

[Faraz]

plot thickens...

got the bits today (pretty damn quick) and fitted the new pump.  Filled it up with oil and switched on, but yet still sounds like sh1t.  Not only that, but now the oil light on the dash is flashing continuously which it wasnt doing with the old pump, so what could the problem be?

To add to all this, now the idle is hunting around and stalling when it was solid as a rock before.  Im really starting to get annoyed with it, what should I be looking at doing next?  It seems like the pump isnt working at all as the light is flashing all the time!

Please help!
Faraz

[cняis]

Last oil change my daily had the same problem with the oil light, it just would not come up to pressure.

the mechanic unscrewed the oil filter slightly to release some pressure, which helped get the oil up to the head quicker. the other way to do it is to rev the t!ts off it, but thats likely to do more harm than good.

just make sure you kep the oil topped up if you go unscrewing the filter!

[83coupe]

IF you changed the oil pump did u make sure to prime it first by putting it in fresh oil and manually turning it so it draws oil up, through, and out the top. As when i put mine in i forgot to do this, which made it worse than when i started. so i had to pull it out again. run perfectly after priming it though.

[DarnPB]

I usually use vaseline to fill up a new oil pump. Fill up the gears with the stuff. As the gears rotate, more of a 'suck' is produced as it is obviously thicker than oil. If the pump is not primed, then you are using air to try and suck up oil rather than grease.
Vaseline is a petroleum jelly and will not harm the engine in any way. As it is petroleum based, it will desolve into the oil.
Also, before you fit the oil filter, prime that too by filling it with engine oil.

[Faraz]

Thanks for the info guys, I used chris's tip and unscrewed the oil filter to relieve pressure and then switched the engine on. Despite the oily mess, it seemed to do the trick and I now have oil pressure back again!  Aside from that though, I still have the tappets issue to address.

I got a quote from both VW and a local VW specialist, but couldnt believe the difference in price.  VW want £450 to do the job, and the specialist only wants £180!  However, cash is a bit tight at the moment so im considering just getting the tappets from GSF for about £70 and doing it myself over the weekend.

Apart from tappets and a new rocker cover gasket, do i need anything else to do the job such as special tools etc??  Also, how long should I expect the job to take?

Thanks Again
Faraz 

[DarnPB]

Tappets from start to finish should not take more than a couple of hours, but this depends on how au fait you are with the car and also if you have any cam timing issues.
But first, whilst you have the engine running, take it up to temp, then rev the engine hard four or five times. If no joy, take it to engine cut out revs for a couple of seconds. If still no joy, replace tappets.

[Faraz]

Thanks mate, i'll give that a try before I fork out for tappets.  Will I need a timing light to set the timing up, or will it just be a case of marking the cam pulley before I do the job, and putting it all back together in the same position?

[DarnPB]

If it goes back together as it came apart, then theorically, the ignition would not need to be retimed, although that is never the case. It should start though at least.
What I was talking about was the cam timing, (or set up). If the cam position is miles out, then worse case scenario is a damaged engine with valves hitting pistons. But if only a tooth or so out on the cam belt and pulley, then power degradation is all you will have. Go by the book and you won't go too far wrong.

[Faraz]

Hi Guys,

Just an update...

I had a go at fitting the tappets this morning, marked the cam belt in relation to the sprocket and also the sprocket in relation to the head, took the cam out changed the tappets and put it all back together again (seemingly in the correct place).  Fired her up and it was absolutely perfect, purring like a kitten, so job done I thought!

HOWEVER, took it for a spin and now when I put my foot down its making a horrible rattle, like someone shaking a tin can with a bolt in it.  It doesnt do this revving at idle, it only happens under load and the noise goes away completely at wide open throttle.  Could this just be the timing needs setting up??

My first thought was that it is pinking, but then I thought the digi had a knock sensor so wasnt sure it could be that.  Could it be more serious like bottom end on the way out or something!?  Or is it just that I need to get the Cam timing and Ignition timing set properly??

Please help guys, and thanks.

Faraz

[cняis]

have you got any loss of power?