Help please Brava 1.4 tappets

[Rob]

Hi, Ive just bought the old fella a 1.4 12v brava, and its got a very loud metallic noise from the top end. Its running fine apart from the noise. I took the rocer cover off, and found a broken tappet on no.2 cylinder. Ive bought one replaced it and its no better.

Ive flushed the engine and changed the oil also. Is there a procedure to fit these tappets, as i removed the broken one and broken pieces then just put a new one in. Is this a terminal problem, or is it a expensive one to sort. Thanks for reading and thanks for letting this nebie join your excellent forum.

cheers rob.

 

[Tommy K]

will prob need a new cam shaft as the oil feed to the top of the engine will prob be blocked and it's buggered the cam & followers...


common fault with the 1.4


there are repair kits on e-bay.

Come Join the 5 pot club! Almost standard Mk1 HGT 73k - 16mpg!!

 

[Buzz]

I'm with Tommy. You'll be needing a new camshaft, but make sure you clean out that oil spray bar next time you are in. Dont use anything thinner than a 10W40 semi-synthetic oil (or thicker for that matter, just stick to 10W40) and make sure you change the oil and filter every 10k. I used to do mine halfway betwween 12k services, as it only cost £18 for enough oil and a filter. Nowadays even big ASDA stores sell the correct oil for a 1.4 brava and its dirt cheap, so theres no reason not to. plus, as you'll have noticed, theres almost as much rom in that engine bay as there is the boot, so its an absolute pleasure to work on.

Buzz
The champion of the Bravo 1.4
& now ex owner of a Bravo 1.8

 

[rob]

Yes Chaps, I used a decent flushing solution, then filled it with a good quality 10/40 part sunthetic engine oil. Is the only oil feed to the cam and tappets from the oil bar on above the cam, and on the tappet, theres like a little pin hole on the side. does this need to be lined up to an oil feed in the head when inserted? Just wondeing, as from timing belt end the first 2 are swimming in oil, the next one not as much but there was a good coating of oil over all the cam.

 

[Buzz]

Thats the only feed as i recall. Pop it out and give it a god clean, just incase its partly blocked. I'd have thought they'd all be spraying more or less the same amount of oil.

Buzz
The champion of the Bravo 1.4
& now ex owner of a Bravo 1.8

 

[rob]

Thanks for your help, so what you are saying is the rail over the top is the only oil feed to the cam and tappets. If this is the case, is it easy enough to remove? I only bought the motor for £150 and dont want to chick £££'s away at it. If it dont cost a lot to fix, I dont mind, bt i need it to last me about 6 weeks until i get my marea back on the road. Courtesy of somone running into it!!!

 

[Buzz]

if its only to last 6 weeks, i shouldn't worry about noisy tappets.

Buzz
The champion of the Bravo 1.4
& now ex owner of a Bravo 1.8

 

[rob]

Well apart from the tappets, its done 71k and is absolutely mint bodywise. Was thinking if i can sort it, when my dads marea is back, i might keep it and use it as a replacement for my aging station car :- a uno 1.0 start which has proudly done 196K only having head gasket surgery and service items in its humble 15 years. However i dont think it will pass the mot next time as its started smoking a little, and its gearbox sings a lovely tune now!. Im not keen on the marea as weve had all kinds of problems with its original engine and box, but i like the brava. Its prettier and more practical

 

[Anonymous]

more tappets

Hi all, thanks for all who have responded to this thread.

Now, today I lifted the cam cover off to find a broken tappet, and the follower wedged into the back of the head. luckily its just marked it a bit, but theres excessive scoring on the cam on no.4 cylinder (one nearest coil).

I primed the new tappet with oil, refitted the follower and tightened the cam back up (that end of it was loose). Then turned it over to see what happened. the oil feed rail was working well to the other 3 cylinders, but not this one. I took it off a blew it out, and as recommeded sprayed some carb cleaner through it blocking each port to make sure id get a good flow. This then got re-fitted, and i now have good oil feed across the top.

Tappet still making right noise, and there is scoring on the last cam lobe where the oil starvation happened. Having borrowed a haynes manual, it says there are oil channels in the head which supply the oil to the hydraulic tappets.

What would be the best thing to do now. I know that i have oil blockage issue, but the damage is now done. Would it be best to chance my arm with a 2nd hand head completely, or would it be cost effective to replace cam etc. Ive had the oil pressure and everything checked and the rest of the engine appears to be in fine fettle. Other than this problem, an mot tester friend of mine has given it the once over when we bought it, and said theres no other issues.

He's the one who suggested 2nd hand head, but id appreciate a second opinion on this please. Thanks for reading!

 

[Buzz]

Just do whatever is cheapest. If your mechanic friend has suggested a new head, go with that (i'm presuming he'll help you fit it)
Its usually an oil blockage clean up, and therefore new camshaft. Check fleabay, as there are often folk selling a camshaft and new rocker cover gasket as a kit.

Buzz
The champion of the Bravo 1.4
& now ex owner of a Bravo 1.8

 

[Anonymous]

No, my friend wont fit it so im not sure. I will have a go at things on commericlas and general car maintenance, but im not sure about torque settings and timing settings etc. Thnaks for your help though buzz.

 

[Buzz]

i do my own servicing and basic repairs, eg. replacing brake pads, but i generally don't set about engines or gearboxes myself. Don't have a torque wrench or the confidence to get that dirty, lol.

Buzz
The champion of the Bravo 1.4
& now ex owner of a Bravo 1.8