Hydraulic tappet noise when oil hot.....

[number1]

one of my followers keeps tapping once warmed up, its only occasional, sometimes its fine but then ill get a tap tap tap for 30 seconds and it'll go again, then 30 seconds or so later its back, its really bugging me now
Just changed the oil for some mobil super s 10w-40, was thinking maybe some engine flush, which i doubt it would need, engine was rebuilt 20k ago and has had regular oil changes at every 4-5k, was going to try some shell helix 5w-40 might be a bit thinner and get in the followers a bit better

Dave

[jay s]

mine does the same but its on 125k so im half expecting some taping lol, but does annoy the hell out of me sometimes (fact that it stops and starts even when hot ). funny you should mention 5w-40 as thats what im using at the minute and was thinking about going back to 10w-40 failing that time for some headwork :D

[drsmith1979]

maybe the oil is too thin when warm, thus a thicker viscosity may cure the problem?

i have always used Renault genuine semi synth 10-40 oil and changed more often with genuine filters etc....

I think some people have had mixed results using mobil and castrol etc... maybe try a thicker semi synth?

[white16valver]

I think you may just have to do the tappets!

The 5 or 10 is the thickness when cold and the 40 is the thickness when hot. If the oils too thick when hot already and not getting to the tappets, you'd have to switch to a 30 - which is too thin for the rest of the engine...

[Oszy]

thae same noise when warm, with Motul 20W60 as well....so need to change the lifters I think

[number1]

its really beginning to annoy me now, dont really want to fit new lifters yet as i have plans for catcams in a few months would do them then anyway,
Have been told to try some 5w-30 as used in ford zetec engines, kinda annoying considering ive just changed the oil!

[Oszy]

nothing to do with the oil, the lifters went wrong.
You can try 10type of oil, still the same problem

[number1]

Well thinner oil would help, zetecs rattle like hell when ran on anything but 5w-30, my uncle had an mx5 in the garage a few weeks ago with the exact same problem as mine, tried zetec oil and its perfect now, pulled some old followers out of my old 1.8 head, in the process of Refurbishing them, will change them at the weekend.