Please help!! i drive a 1998 85sx (1.2 16v) and from start up it makes a quiet loud knocking (head turning)
when i accelerate the speed of the knocking incrases as does the noise.

the whole problem started about 4 mounths ago when i noticed a slight irregular knocking that was slowly getting louder. i took this to a garage and they said it was a hydraullic tappet and that a good motor flush would sort it out, i used a Forte product as this was recommended.

i kept this in 4 a week and then did and oil and filter change. this only made it worse as i was told by someone else that the flush had stripped away the deposits which were keeping the tapping quieter.

(your gonna have 2 bear with me as i have no mechanical knowlege)

by this point i was pretty annoyed so i took it to a different garage, "its got a knocking, sort it out" is what i told them cos i thought garages were supposed to fix cars.

2 days later i got the car back and the verdic was: your cars 'done' (whatever that means) the garage had taken out all the tappets, soaked them in a solvent overnight (cos apparently they were "gunked up like glue")
and put them back in - all this costing me £200
they told me that there would be a slight tapping noise to start with (which there was) and this would die down after a week or so.

of corse it didn't, and now i have a 'uniform, constant' knocking wich is louder and more noticeable than the original problem of an irregular, occasional knocking - and it only cost me about £300 !!!

Pleeeeeeeese someone help!!

- oh and i just failed my MOT, got fined for being 3 days late with tax and have a £800 TPFT insurance bill to pay on january the 27th because im 18 with a years no claims. Did i mention im a broke student :bang:

I've got one word for you.

Bus.

If it only cost you £300 in the first place then there is no way you should even consider throwing £200 in repairs at it - it's just not worth it unless the car is otherwise rock solid.

Not helpful I know but you've had some fairly major work carried out there and it's not done the job. In the first instance I'd also be taking it back to them as their work is (in their opinion) supposed to have cured your problem.

there have allways been problems with the hydralic tappets on mk1 85's/sportings, the flush was the correct thing to do however the garage removing and soaking was a bad idea since the tappet is a very well inclosed unit it probly did nothing. (was that main dealer btw?)
The way we used to solve this fault is to change all the tappets (very expensive) but usually works.
you could also try and run it on thinner oil, selenia performa is what fiat recomends i belive.

lots of people on here have solved the noisey tappet problem, by flushing engine with a gallon of diesel between oil changes. the little bottles of flushes that you add then drive for a bit are crap.

yes iv been told that changing the tappets is an option, one i dont like as its 16v

i will try the diesel flush, thanks.

( the car cost £3000 18mths ago, not £300. <--- thats what i'v currently spent on this problem)

With you Paul - blimey - that's becoming pricey then.

dave said:

lots of people on here have solved the noisey tappet problem, by flushing engine with a gallon of diesel between oil changes. the little bottles of flushes that you add then drive for a bit are crap.

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i cant say i would recomened something like that, very dodgey.

kebab said:

i cant say i would recomened something like that, very dodgey.

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why? it works,
i personaly use 50/50 mix of cheep 20w50 oil and petrol for a flush, been doing that for 18 years with no problems.

no respectible garage would do that however on your drive anything goes i supose.

kebab said:

no respectible garage would do that however on your drive anything goes i supose.

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no they would do a load of stuff what dont work and charge £300.

i'v been told to try removing the tappets and use a cellulose stipper to clean them - is this a good idea? apparently its very strong

I should imagine thats what you spent 200 notes on (if they actually did it,)

being no expert i cant really say anything on this but if your gonna remove the tappets you may as well replace 'em cos if the second garage actually soaked em in a solvent and it got worse the tappets are probably "fooked" and the gunk was dampening the sound....thats IF the tappets are the problem in the first place though!!