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General Information => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: Pre95 on July 01, 2009, 10:02:21 pm

Title: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: Pre95 on July 01, 2009, 10:02:21 pm

I swear when I fire my diesel off in the morning or when it's cold in general the cackle almost sounds like a rod knocking or something (enough that I have brought out the mechanic stethoscope, only to find it's coming from the valve cover area in general) but as it warms up it smooths out and becomes less of a distinctive knock, and more of the normal cackle. Am I going crazy or something?

Title: Re: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: rabbitman on July 01, 2009, 10:32:26 pm

It's normal for mine so I hope it's supposed to be normal :)

Title: Re: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: Zulfiqar on July 02, 2009, 04:45:54 am

you may have a dying lifter if you are running a hydro head

Title: Re: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: Pre95 on July 02, 2009, 07:55:37 am

Quote from: Zulfiqar on July 02, 2009, 04:45:54 am

you may have a dying lifter if you are running a hydro head

How do I know if it's a hydro head?

Title: Re: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: Zulfiqar on July 02, 2009, 01:16:44 pm

there is usually a sticker on the valve cover with a cross on it meaning no settings required,

the other dead giveaway would be that the head would have a projected sections between cylinders 1 2 and 3 for hydraulic lifter head and only one projection for mechanical lifter head between cylinders 2 and 3

Title: Re: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: DCC on July 02, 2009, 11:34:45 pm

Checkout Tyler's post, you can see the differences between solid and hydro:
http://www.vwdiesel.net/forum/index.php?topic=16688.0

Title: Re: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: jkmackenzie on July 03, 2009, 05:37:47 pm

Yeah mine definitely does as well.  I've never really worried about it though, as I also thought it was normal.  Thanks for the info on hydraulic heads to guys.

Title: Re: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: Rabbit TD on July 15, 2009, 08:07:50 pm

Quote from: Zulfiqar on July 02, 2009, 04:45:54 am

you may have a dying lifter if you are running a hydro head

That's always been my objection to the hydraulic lifter engine, lifter problems, you hear so much about it on here all the time and I can't figure for the life of me why anyone wats to mess with them in the first place.

Title: Re: Newbie question: Is your diesel more 'cackly' when cold apposed to warm?
Post by: jtanguay on July 17, 2009, 08:44:13 pm

Quote from: Rabbit TD on July 15, 2009, 08:07:50 pm

Quote from: Zulfiqar on July 02, 2009, 04:45:54 am

you may have a dying lifter if you are running a hydro head

That's always been my objection to the hydraulic lifter engine, lifter problems, you hear so much about it on here all the time and I can't figure for the life of me why anyone wats to mess with them in the first place.

very true.  i loved my '86 solid lifter 1.6TD.  sticky valves suck!  solid lifter engines also have a little bit more power too! now if only they didn't need as much maintenance...  maybe using royal purple with that Z Max stuff???  :D