Well I don't wanna risk it Because wrapping will also hold heat inside header. It can reduce heat in space around engine, but it holds that heat inside. And that may cause bigger damage than I can imagine
Better way will be making own heat shield and put it between ex. man. and engine body

I'm thinking the same. There is probably thermal design issue. Main focus was the Euro4 (and higher) emissions. And they ("designers") ignored the rest.

Catalytic converter is heating up the engine (oil pan, block, head) and engine bay in general (spoiling engine performance - hotter intake air), when you are stuck in the traffic.

Original heat shield is a "windscreen", to protect cat. from cooling (and rain) while driving at high speeds, that's all.

Moderate exhaust wrap (mostly manifold, pipes, not cat.), with thinnest possible bandage would probably help.
And/Or extra heat shield between the cat. and engine. Some aluminium sheet.
I will try something (shield or wrap - don't know). Shield seems to be safest option (heavy wrap can spoil the cat. - that's what they say if you search the internet).

Yes, but shield shouldn't be very broad, otherwise it will block incoming air from left & right side to cool engine block while riding I think...it should be wide as original shield

Update on ticking issue - I listened hot idle engine noise again, but what I noticed is squeaking of camshaft. As you remember, I had oil sludge (burned oil) on VVT solenoid. Guys in service cleaned what they can from camshaft space. But - on 1.4 8V is metal plate mounted below valve cover. Oil is distributed from cylinder head through hole with gasket up, directly between valve cover and that metal plate, and there in narrow (skinny) space is distributed to VVT solenoid and to lubricate camshaft throug other holes in that metal plate.
So I think that tehre can be still oil sludge (burned oil) between valve cover and it's metal plate and oil isn't distributed well on all parts of camshaft. And that's causing that camshaft's squeaking, and maybe also that ticking. Because oil acts not only as lubricant, but also cools down engine parts.
I'll remove valve cover, and now the question:
-> may I re-use valve cover's gasket? This gasket was replaced by authorised service appr. half year ago...so maybe it's re-usable again?

You could give it a go. If it leaks is easy enough to change.

And I need also special silicon which is putting on 4 places right?

If gasket is still flexible, it can be reused multiple times. Do need to change it.

Four points (corners, arches) is a minimal version. It is better to glue whole gasket to the head. Lay tiny trace all around the head. On "four points" little bit more.
It will seal 100% guaranteed, no leaks ever.

Only downside: it will be annoying to clean it next time you pull the cover.
Silicone should be "high temperature" version. Preferably one that doesn't smell like a vinegar.

In theory there is something in the cheapest silicone products, that can poison catalytic converters.

OK, thx ;-) This weekend I'll do this:

1, take head cover off
2, clean everything around camshaft
3, check if all oil channels are clean
4, check status of lashes + valve clearances
5, check camshaft status
6, check if oil return channels are clean
7, clean head cover, especialy between it's top body and metal plate inside

I will take a lot of detailed pictures & publish it here :slayer:

So I did it. On pictures is shown another proof that engine was overheated - see dark red areas on camshaft. Oil sludge inside valve cover, but nut so much as I expected. I cleaned all oil passages. Vlave clearances 0.35 intake, 0.4 exhaust. Overal condition of lashes OK. So I completed it all back. Work for 2 hours, but that was my 1st time job. I used Loctite high temp sealant under valve cover gasket on 4 places. Looks that it holds OK. Pictures are before cleaning

So nothing changed, except that camshaft squeaking. Outside temp is now 13 degrees and when I stop car with engine on operational temp, there's no ticking. But if I let car run on idle, and engine isn't cooled by outside air, ticking will start.
So as I thought, it's really depending on temperature and engine cooling by outside air. Very strange issue I'll see after next oil change + using different oil filter. As we know, history of this engine is unknown. Ex valve on 3rd cylinder has been changed by someone, so maybe there was timing belt damage. And then previous owner has to overheat engine (oil sludge, burned oil, wried ex manifold) because of lack of oil. So maybe there's still burned oil on oil piston ring on one piston and ticking is caused by small piston slap...or it's grinded pin...hard to say... So I'll see after next oil change

Ticking issue update - I processed ticking sound recorded on my phone and there is appr 5 ticks per second. So if my iddle (without AC) is 700rpm (by ECU), that means 700/60 = 11.66 rounds per second on crankshaft. But camshaft is roatating 2 times slower, = 11.66/2 = 5.83 rounds per second. That match my sound measurement.
So ticking is defiinately not from pistons, which is good. Now there are 3 possibilities:
1, sound is coming from camshaft lobe vs shimm on some valve (but I checked shape and status of cam lobes + valve clearances + proper oil distribution)
2, sound is coming from hitting piston with some valve (but there's no ticking on cold engine, so it can be caused by point 3,)
3, because there was general head repair (by someone, because I saw new shiny exhaust valve on 3rd cylinder for example), somebody did some mistake - maybe added wrong (weak?) spring, or used new valve from different material which changes it's lenght too much when getting hot

So my tip is: wrong new valve type used. On cold is OK, but once it gets hot, it's lenght became too big and A, is hitting piston or B, causes some problem between cam lobe and shimm

Check vacuum while ticking is present and disappears. Is there any change. Manual gauge, put it into small breather hose.
https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-pu...cuum-boost-gauge-m-jet-t-jet-2.html?p=4502458

Hi Grande, I checked that hose few times. As 1st I didnt know for what it's there - I thought that its fuel tank ventilation. Then I found that its sucking my finger But even plugged or unplugged, I dont see/hear any difference. Is it OK?
But I'll check it on hot idle while ticking and also when theres no ticking.
But what it measures? If MAP sensor is ok? Do you think that there can be some false air in intake manifold when engine is hot (and ticking is present?)

I guess GP wants to check if any intake valve would stay (partly) opened when engine is hot and therefore show less vacuum @ the pipe ... Right GP ??

BRs, Bernie

But compression test was ok. Can I measure MAP sensor values into on-line chart via MES?

Rado77 said:

Can I measure MAP sensor values into on-line chart via MES?

Click to expand...

Yes you can record a lot of values with MES and even export them as CSV to use in Excel or another spreadsheet/personal software. If you plot several curves together, the biggest variation will be considered for the display, so small values could seem very flat with almost no visible variation. In such case you'd have to plot this value separately...

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)

Good morning Bernie. There's still a lot I need to learn about using MES and one of them is whether I can use it to see Fuel trims? My VCDS generic OBD reader does this - both long and short term - but it refuses to speak to the Panda (which surprises me slightly as it has communicated with every other car I've tried it on! including my younger boy's Astra) MES has a parameter called Mixture Correction Learning Value which it measures as a %age, as I would expect the trim value to be displayed, but it is only the one value (no hint of long and/or short term). I've been discussing this with Grant at Gendan who, as always, has been very keen to help, but we're not getting very far with it. Have you (or anyone else reading this) anything you could add which might help?
Regards, as always
Jock

MES readings (MAP) are probably too slow to do such diagnostics.
You need real mechanical gauge.
Then, maybe, will be some changes while ticking sound pops out.
From stable vacuum, to fluctuations, shaky needle. That means valves or valve guides.

Yes I understand your advise ;-) It's a pity that I didnt push buckets to check valve returing when I had head cover off...that could proove if one of valve guides is sticky, damaged. Is there any chemical way how to clean intake valve stems vs valve guides? I mean without dismantling anything?

As you saw my pictures of oil sludge inside camshaft area, can be oil sludge under buckets on springs which can inhibit backward movement of valve?

Pugglt Auld Jock said:

Have you (or anyone else reading this) anything you could add which might help?
Regards, as always
Jock

Click to expand...

Sorry Jock, not this time :-( When you day VCDS, do you mean the VAGCOM ersatz ? So is it just the interface or do you happend to "talk" to an Astra with
the VW tool ??? And I would be surprised one could play with the A/F ratio without editing the so called MAPs, I know one thing that can be done with VCDS on my Scirocco (and other VW's) is to correct the way the fuel gauge respond to the actual fuel level, and also to "trim" the average consumption, but that's nothing about real engine management...

BRs, Bernie

If someone here helped You fix -or better, understand- your issue, hit the thanks icon @ bottom right corner, it's free and makes us feel helpy ;-)