M40 tappet noise drives me mad, is this cam done?

[StefanAnghel]

As the title sais ...
my small M40 is more tappety then ever...

164500 miles, Castrol 10-40 Magnatec changed at 161000 miles

always on cold sounds bad and on high revs

as soon as the engine is warm the noise starts to be acceptable
until hits 3000-3500 rpm

I did some pictures of the cam maybe some experts can give me some advise

Thanks

[robbo86]

Try running diesel oil through it for a few thousand miles! Should quieten it down some, there are loads of threads about this. The long and the short of it is, the hydraulic adjusters clog up and dont work so well. Dielsel oil has more detergents in it and therefore after being run through the engine for a few thousand can clean the engine out and quieten it down a fair bit!

[StefanAnghel]

I did that at 146700 for 1000 miles and then change it again to petrol oil and was an improvement...

I guess i'll do it again, but I wanna know how this camshaft looks for the miles?

Thanks anyway robbo

[e34]

It´s hard to tell from those pictures if the cam is worn. Camshaft has a surface hardened steel(hope i typed termin correctly, English ain´t my mother language) of 0.1-0.2mm. If any edge is felt on camshaft operational surface by finger, then it´s worn out. Very wide problem on m40 engines.

[chris_335]

any one know what to look out for with the m40
and whats the best things you can do for a BIT MORE POKE

[bimanut]

any one know what to look out for with the m40
and whats the best things you can do for a BIT MORE POKE

Swap it for a 24v

[e34]

If you wanna keep the engine, then it´s wise to fiddle a M43 valves, springs, camshaft etc and use rather a roller drag lever. Must lathe the shaft pulley side end to fit the pulley. Can´t use m40 camshaft! This cannot be done in shed, but if you use a specialist you get a much nicer valve timing gear.

[Brianmoooore]

I did some pictures of the cam maybe some experts can give me some advise

The narrow brown bits at the side of the cam lobes don't contact anything, and will be unworn. All the wear takes place on the shiny bit.
If there is any step between the brown and shiny bits on the tips of the cam lobes, then the cam is scrap.

[StefanAnghel]

I did some pictures of the cam maybe some experts can give me some advise

The narrow brown bits at the side of the cam lobes don't contact anything, and will be unworn. All the wear takes place on the shiny bit.
If there is any step between the brown and shiny bits on the tips of the cam lobes, then the cam is scrap.

that's the answer i was looking for...
thank you again mr Brianmoooore
i didn't touched it, but looking at it seems without any lip or however you call it
I just give it some hydraulic valve treatment from wynn's until the weather will let me do the diesel engine oil trick

Mr Brian can I do the diesel engine for 2000 miles?

In 2008 I only used diesel engine for 1000 miles and was a good improvement can 2000 miles do any harm

Thanks

[daimlerman]

When hot,will it pull to 5000rpm?
If the cam is worn,the valves will not fully open,restricting performance.
You can swap the hydrolic lifters,it's not a very difficult job,best to swap the rockers and cam as well,snag is the total cost of the parts is perhaps more than the engine is worth!

[Brianmoooore]

Using a diesel specific engine oil will only help if the hydraulic tappets are clogged. If they are worn, cleaning them will probably make things worse - a bit like cleaning all the carbon out of the bores of an engine with worn rings/bores.
The reason I limited the oil to 1000 miles or so was that it was a very cheap oil in the first place, and, if it was doing its job, it would be full of all sorts of rubbish and will have clogged the filter.
No reason that I know of why you couldn't use a good diesel specific oil all the time in a clean engine, but no point either.

[StefanAnghel]

When hot,will it pull to 5000rpm?
If the cam is worn,the valves will not fully open,restricting performance.

just had some abuse to check that...3rd gear 5500rpm 70 mph
looks ok

[StefanAnghel]

Using a diesel specific engine oil will only help if the hydraulic tappets are clogged. If they are worn, cleaning them will probably make things worse - a bit like cleaning all the carbon out of the bores of an engine with worn rings/bores.
The reason I limited the oil to 1000 miles or so was that it was a very cheap oil in the first place, and, if it was doing its job, it would be full of all sorts of rubbish and will have clogged the filter.
No reason that I know of why you couldn't use a good diesel specific oil all the time in a clean engine, but no point either.

Since I have it (Nov 2007) I've only used castrol engine oil
GTX or now Magnatec only once I tried GFS "textar"
In 2008 when I used the diesel oil was Castrol as well

So i'll stick with Castrol Magnatec Diesel 10-40 for around 1000-2000 miles and keep you update.


Thanks again

[daimlerman]

So ther cam is not badly worn,the thing just rattles?
Lifters/rocker arms are the prime suspects then.Unless you get lucky on fleabay for a set that someone has bought and not fitted it is expensive to make quieter.I would change the oil regularly and live with it!

[chris_335]

mine is bad and still revs to 6.2 ish quite nice and there is a good few mill missing as well

[StefanAnghel]

A bit of update..
I'm using diesel engine at the moment (already 1000 miles) and the damn thing is getting worst...

at idle (750is rpm) is nice and smooth but as soon as reach 1500-2000 is like screaming his head off

What should I check or do?

I'll change the spark plugs next week as they are a bit old (2 years and 19000 miles). can the spark plugs be a reason? Last winter I checked them and give them a clean but apart from some black powder was nothing wrong with them.

[StefanAnghel]

So ther cam is not badly worn,the thing just rattles?
Lifters/rocker arms are the prime suspects then.Unless you get lucky on fleabay for a set that someone has bought and not fitted it is expensive to make quieter.I would change the oil regularly and live with it!

To change the lifters/rocher arms do I need to take the cambelt and camshaft off?

[StefanAnghel]

Yes.

I have just done this job for someone. His cam was ok but had a few badly worn rocker arms. replaced them and all silent.

can you tell me how, please

[StefanAnghel]

I've changed the spark plugs after 23 months and 20k miles they look like this..





Is it good or bad?

I can hear a small improvement on the tapety sound but nothing how I wished..

[bernardsam]

Ive got a head I rebuilt not long ago been used for about 3000miles, had new cam, lifters, spray bar, rockers etc. let us know if your interested.




Picture when Built.

[BugsHunter]

do you still have this head? and how much it will cost, and an estimate of life if possible. Thanks!

[Brianmoooore]

do you still have this head? and how much it will cost, and an estimate of life if possible. Thanks!

bernardsam hasn't posted on here since July last year, so he may not see this. Try sending him a PM instead, and he should get an email notification of it.