lifter tick when cold

[chrissev]

hello, my TD jetta (1.6, hydraulic head) has developped a rather loud tick, I am assuming from the lifters though not 100% sure, definately comes from the engine, when it is cold.  This disappears when it warms up.  Wondering if this is a sign of worse things to come.  The head has about 425,000km on it, and is a piece of crap that I am wanting to replace but don't have the cash right now.  So my question:  I don't care about this head and will drive it until it breaks completely to save some money before I replace it with a new one (as soon as I save up the cash to buy a new head), but I am wondering, if I let this head go until it breaks completely, is there a chance that a valve will drop and damage my newly rebuilt block?  Last thing I need is a cracked piston.  I would just cry (all four are new pistons, and they cost a fortune).  Or a bent rod.  Would be terrible.  So what do you guys think?  How long do heads generally last once the lifters start acting up?

Thanks,

Chris

[commuter boy]

Lifters are cheap, and not that hard to replace if you know how to set the time, or are getting a belt replaced under maintenance.

[Patrick]

Wouldn't worry too much about a noisy lifter, I assume they are the same ones in a 1.8 gasser that I owned. Displayed the same symptons for at least 5 years/200,000 km. that I owned it.

Would be more concerened about internal head parts. Had a prechamber insert come loose in an engine that had been bored over, new pistons etc.
Engine is now junk.

[albsure]

check this guy out, i have been there and he has a lot of stuff and he ships anywhere. nothing to lose by trying.

http://buggydoctor.com/

[albsure]

check this guy out, i have been there and he has a lot of stuff and he ships anywhere. nothing to lose by trying.

http://buggydoctor.com/