General Noisy after head gasket replacement.

[Scotty100hp]

Hi all,
I’ve just had the head gasket replaced and head skimmed on my 100HP. When I started it was very noisy and basically sounds like a diesel. I took it straight into the garage that fixed it and the mechanic said it was normal as the oil needed to fill the hydraulic tappets (I’m paraphrasing slightly here) and it would gradually get quieter. 100 miles later and it still sounds the same and there seems to be a dip in performance. Is this normal or should I be concerned?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Greasytrucker]

Think i’d be smelling a rat personally

 

[koalar]

Hydraulic tappets fill in seconds

A faulty one will generally be quieter at higher revs when the oil pressure is higher

should I be concerned

Yes, if not the same start up noise as before the head gasket, why was the head gasket changed?

dip in performance

Not normal

When I started it was very noisy and basically sounds like a diesel.

Is the noise only on startup and fine while driving

Is it on heavy acceleration on cold engine

Video might help, it's hard to explain noises

 

[Scotty100hp]

Hi koalar, thanks for your reply. Head gasket was changed due to coolant loss and P0300, P0303 and 0304 em faults. Also did a sniff test and saw the gasket after it was removed. Strangely the car had never overheated. The noise is continuous, it literally sounds like a small diesel engine. I’m currently waiting for a new windscreen to be fitted so will grab a video shortly.

 

[Greasytrucker]

Wonder if the manifold gasket wasn’t replaced or hasn’t sealed correctly and it’s chuffing from there a bit

 

[Scotty100hp]

Hopefully you can get the idea from this.

 

[koalar]

Is it louder at the front of the engine or back

Sounds like It either lifter tick or exhaust manifold

location of the sound should narrow it down

 

[Scotty100hp]

Is it louder at the front of the engine or back

Sounds like It either lifter tick or exhaust manifold

location of the sound should narrow it down

I’m going to say it definitely sounds louder at the back and it seems to be across the whole width of the engine.

 

[koalar]

Shame

I suspect it needs to go back to the company that changed the head gasket

It shouldn't feel worse to drive after a gasket change

Especially If it was originally down on compression in two cylinders

Trying to think what we can try, that is helpful

You could disconnect an injector one at a time and see how it runs, you can hear the injections ticking at the back of the engine, but they shouldn't be that loud

 

[MrMagoo]

Sounds very similar to my old Punto Sporting Speedgear (1.2 16v) when I missed timed it after I replaced the head gasket.
Fortunately, there was no engine damage.

 

[koalar]

It has to have oil and the correct grade, worth a quick check

The sensible solution is to take it back,

Down on performance and sound like a bag of nails, just isn't right, to be honest I am not sure how they could even hand it back in that conditions without further examination

 

[Scotty100hp]

Sounds very similar to my old Punto Sporting Speedgear (1.2 16v) when I missed timed it after I replaced the head gasket.
Fortunately, there was no engine damage.

That had crossed my mind to be honest.

 

[Scotty100hp]

It has to have oil and the correct grade, worth a quick check

The sensible solution is to take it back,

Down on performance and sound like a bag of nails, just isn't right, to be honest I am not sure how they could even hand it back in that conditions without further examination

It’s going back in tomorrow to hopefully get it sorted and to be MOT’d. I’ll report back, in the meantime thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

It’s going back in tomorrow to hopefully get it sorted and to be MOT’d. I’ll report back, in the meantime thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

Good luck. Do please let us know the outcome won't you?

 

[bugsymike]

As has been mentioned, it does sound like valve gear to me, I have heard similar when valve gear/ rockers or in this case hydraulic tappets have not been kept in original order when dismantling so when reassembled parts don't quite match. Over enthusiastic cleaning of hydraulic tappets can result in noise but as has been mentioned after 100 miles or so that shouldn't be an issue as tappets would have settled full of oil by then.
I assume correct gasket and no oil ways to valve gear partially blocked although by now I would expect even more noise.
Oil wrong/thin or contaminated, I assume it wasn't run with water in oil?
I doubt if exhaust related as doesn't sound "spitty" enough to me, however easily checked by your assistant holding a damp cloth over the tail pipe, if engine stalls no leaks, if noise gets louder around exhaust manifold then gasket issue, but to me it is valve gear area.