Tappet Noise When Cold Startings.

[saranga cb3]

when my car is started at morning, I here a tappet noise, after few minutes the noise is gone. Pls enyone tell me what it is and how to fixe it.

[Kavvz]

This thread begins with tappet noise of a 4G9 series engine with hydraulic lash adjusters connected to the oil path but now it has gone into a discussion of the same problem with a 4G15 engine which does not have hydraulic lash adjusters. For 4G15 if the noise appear only in the cold start it is not an issue other than a slight inconvenience, but if the noise is persistent then you can have the tappets adjusted but is not related to a problem with engine oil in this case.

I thought 'Hungry_Minder' said he had hydraulic tappets? Google says the 4G15 does have hydraulic lifters / hydraulic lash adjusters / tappet valves as well...

[Rumesh88]

I thought 'Hungry_Minder' said he had hydraulic tappets? Google says the 4G15 does have hydraulic lifters / hydraulic lash adjusters / tappet valves as well...

Not the 4G15s I knew.

[Hungry_Minder]

I thought 'Hungry_Minder' said he had hydraulic tappets? Google says the 4G15 does have hydraulic lifters / hydraulic lash adjusters / tappet valves as well...

Yes as far as I know my one has hydrolic tappets.Then Rumesh which kind of tappets it has.Better to know before the adjustment

I will do a lifter adjustment and let you know.

Edited September 21, 2013 by Hungry_Minder

[Rumesh88]

Yes as far as I know my one has hydrolic tappets.Then Rumesh which kind of tappets it has.Better to know before the adjustment

I will do a lifter adjustment and let you know.

Just a pivoted rocker arm running on a single cam (It must be 12 valve SOHC) with an adjustment for the tappet clearance. Take a pic when they open the cover.

[The Don]

Yes as far as I know my one has hydrolic tappets.Then Rumesh which kind of tappets it has.Better to know before the adjustment

I will do a lifter adjustment and let you know.

Hi Hungry Minder, If you had searched the forum you would have found a few answers, and I might have some bad news for you, though you will need to confirm with a mechanic.

The 4G15 probably has hydraulic tappets powered by oil pressure, and Mitsubishi engines are notorious for tappet issues as they get older. These tappets are self adjusting and should not require any mechanical adjustment. Basically your issues could be caused by a number of factors but the most likely ones are

1. Worn tappets and tappet guides on the head (replace worn tappets and possibly also recondition/ re sleeve tappet guides)

2. Worn oil pump (replace oil pump)

3. Blocked oil lines (could be caused by sludge, requires a clean up of the engine)

4. Wrong grade of oil used or oil which is too old

Most of the time these issues are caused by the oil changes not being done on time.

[Hungry_Minder]

Hi Hungry Minder, If you had searched the forum you would have found a few answers, and I might have some bad news for you, though you will need to confirm with a mechanic.

The 4G15 probably has hydraulic tappets powered by oil pressure, and Mitsubishi engines are notorious for tappet issues as they get older. These tappets are self adjusting and should not require any mechanical adjustment. Basically your issues could be caused by a number of factors but the most likely ones are

1. Worn tappets and tappet guides on the head (replace worn tappets and possibly also recondition/ re sleeve tappet guides)

2. Worn oil pump (replace oil pump)

3. Blocked oil lines (could be caused by sludge, requires a clean up of the engine)

4. Wrong grade of oil used or oil which is too old

Most of the time these issues are caused by the oil changes not being done on time.

Hi Don,

You are correct about above facts

1.This can be but I have not checked this

2.my mechinic checked and told me its fine

3.there were some blocked oil lines and as I mentioned once they cleaned I couldnt hear the tappet noise (for about 1 month).How to clean up the engine? Flush?

4.I really dont know which kind of oils they used (previous owner) but I am using Havoline 15W-40

My biggest problem is I dont really have a good mechanic to get done these things.I need a mechanic who knows these things well.You guys know anyone pls PM me

Thanks

Edited September 24, 2013 by Hungry_Minder

[The Don]

Hi Don,

You are correct about above facts

1.This can be but I have not checked this

2.my mechinic checked and told me its fine

3.there were some blocked oil lines and as I mentioned once they cleaned I couldnt hear the tappet noise (for about 1 month).How to clean up the engine? Flush?

4.I really dont know which kind of oils they used (previous owner) but I am using Havoline 15W-40

My biggest problem is I dont really have a good mechanic to get done these things.I need a mechanic who knows these things well.You guys know anyone pls PM me

Thanks

If the tappet noise comes in the morning and goes away after a few minutes, I would not worry about it. It's normal for these engines.

Try using XW50 oil instead of 40. Stick to mineral and semi synthetic as well because if there are a lot of gunk in the engine, the detergents in the synthetic oils might wash them out and create deposits here and there causing blockages.

We tried a little trick on another Mitsubishi of a friend. There is engine top end treatment by Forte which sorted it out 6 months at a time. You add it in when you change the oil.

I think you have the 4G91 engine not the 4G15?

To clean up the engine properly you sadly need to take it apart. You could also try just replacing the tappets. You can get them from watte.

But I suggest if you are doing a full clean up, you might as well do a partial rebuild of the engine (piston rings, valve seats, new head gasket and in your case reconditioning of the tappet guides etc) because it will give the engine a new lease of life..

I can't really recommend my mechanics for the job because one has a habit of ripping me off while the other while an honest chap does not understand modern engines very well. I think Komisiripala's mechanic Indika is a good guy from feedback.

[Hungry_Minder]

If the tappet noise comes in the morning and goes away after a few minutes, I would not worry about it. It's normal for these engines. - Noise is coming when engine is cold (yes in the morning) and sometime when it get heated i cannot hear the noise.Sometime i can hear small tick tick noise

I might need to try W50 semi synthetic oil and I saw lot about this Forte engine treatment product.Can I buy it in Sri Lanka? what happened to your friends car after use this? I would like to know

I have a 4G15 engine.I checked the sticker under the bonnet

May be better to try engine treatment and semi synthetic oil before replace the tappets?

I sent a message to Komisiripala.Thanks

[The Don]

If the tappet noise comes in the morning and goes away after a few minutes, I would not worry about it. It's normal for these engines. - Noise is coming when engine is cold (yes in the morning) and sometime when it get heated i cannot hear the noise.Sometime i can hear small tick tick noise

I might need to try W50 semi synthetic oil and I saw lot about this Forte engine treatment product.Can I buy it in Sri Lanka? what happened to your friends car after use this? I would like to know

I have a 4G15 engine.I checked the sticker under the bonnet

May be better to try engine treatment and semi synthetic oil before replace the tappets?

I sent a message to Komisiripala.Thanks

So yours must be the DOHC 4G15 with the hydraulic tappets then? (Do the plugs go in the middle between the 2 camshafts?).

Well my friends car is an FTO and had a V6 engine, and with the Forte treatment we managed to eliminate the noise for about 6 months at a time, at which point it came back. Then we would change the oil and add treatment again. Seemed to keep it going.

Personally if it disappears after the engine warms up, I'll try changing the oil more frequently for a while, use a thicker good quality oil and wait and see. A lot of the time the issue appears prematurely because oil has not been changed frequently and as the car ages it becomes more sensitive to the quality of oil to maintain the required oil pressure for tappets.

[Hungry_Minder]

So yours must be the DOHC 4G15 with the hydraulic tappets then? (Do the plugs go in the middle between the 2 camshafts?). - Yes

Sure I will change the oil.I have changed the oil 2 months ago.I will soon change the oil and see before do anything else

Thanks