General Squeaky Cam?

[Misty Buff]

Hi Folk,

I've just managed to get my Panda back on the road after the headgasket failed last year (though I'm not a mechanic; I just took a photo of everything I did and then put it all back in the reverse order) Obviously I took the head off, had it skimmed and replaced etc as per trusty Haynes suggested and put all the relevant bits (I think!) back. I've run it for a couple of hundred miles now and as it gets warmer it starts to 'squeak'. I'm sure its not a slipping fan belt even though it sounds like one; I've taken off the rocker cover as I was convinced it was inside and sure enough with the engine running the 'squeak' was louder than ever with the engine running. After running into the garage and returning with the trusty oil can, a quick squirt on to the (followers?) at the nearside end instantly cured the noise. Trouble is after about 10 mins it comes back again. Does this sound like blocked 'oilways' or whatever the channels the oil uses to get up to the top of the engine? The engine is very clean inside with little or no sludge or deposits built up from what I can see (its even silver rather than black inside) I looked in the comic and it reckons to make sure that the oilways are clear and thats all it says.:bang:
How do I do this? Do I need to remove it and clean it out somehow? Does anyone know if those engine flushers which you chuck in for 15 mins might clear them out; this will be my next try tonight although I will have to change the oil & filter again or does anyone have any better ideas?

 

[peterainbow]

are you thats what it is, had the same effect on my cam belt tensioner, shortly before the cam belt went, which went because the tensioner was dragging on the belt hence...

just a thought

 

[Ffoxy]

Hi Folk,

I've just managed to get my Panda back on the road after the headgasket failed last year (though I'm not a mechanic; I just took a photo of everything I did and then put it all back in the reverse order) Obviously I took the head off, had it skimmed and replaced etc as per trusty Haynes suggested and put all the relevant bits (I think!) back. I've run it for a couple of hundred miles now and as it gets warmer it starts to 'squeak'. I'm sure its not a slipping fan belt even though it sounds like one; I've taken off the rocker cover as I was convinced it was inside and sure enough with the engine running the 'squeak' was louder than ever with the engine running. After running into the garage and returning with the trusty oil can, a quick squirt on to the (followers?) at the nearside end instantly cured the noise. Trouble is after about 10 mins it comes back again. Does this sound like blocked 'oilways' or whatever the channels the oil uses to get up to the top of the engine? The engine is very clean inside with little or no sludge or deposits built up from what I can see (its even silver rather than black inside) I looked in the comic and it reckons to make sure that the oilways are clear and thats all it says.:bang:
How do I do this? Do I need to remove it and clean it out somehow? Does anyone know if those engine flushers which you chuck in for 15 mins might clear them out; this will be my next try tonight although I will have to change the oil & filter again or does anyone have any better ideas?

Did you change the both the belt AND tensioner when the Head gasket was done? Water pumps can also squeek after a cambelt swap.

 

[Chas Uno]

You would've had to removed both the alternator and cambelt to do the headgasket. Are you sure both have been tightened to the correct setting when you replaced them? Too tight can cause squeaking on the cambelt as can too loose on the alternator belt.

And a reduced oil flow to the cam followers would normally cause a tapping noise rather than squeaking. It's possibly that one the camshaft bearings isn't seated properly and is causing a restriction in oil flow or is too tight causing the clearances to be too small.

I'd start off by re-tensioning the cambelt and alternator belt, and if that doesn't help then you may have to lift the camshaft off to look at the bearings.

 

[Misty Buff]

Wow, What a fanastic response ..... A big thanks to you all for your advice :worship:

I don't think its the cambelt tensioner as the noise is at the other end of the block, but for what its worth I will probably replace anyway just to eliminate this. One thing that I wasn't sure of is how to measure the tension of the cambelt ..... again the comic says something like "tension the belt reasonably tight" I realise this is a difficult thing to explain, but possibly I have overtensioned it being a bit paranoid about it being a bit slack.

And a reduced oil flow to the cam followers would normally cause a tapping noise rather than squeaking. It's possibly that one the camshaft bearings isn't seated properly and is causing a restriction in oil flow or is too tight causing the clearances to be too small

As it happens I am getting an imtermtitant tapping noise, funnily enough from the tappets. Bizarrely it sounds better when the engine is cold and gets noiser as it warms up, though does come anfd go. Again as UNo45 mention, perhaps a restriction in the oilway somewhere. I know before the head gasket was done that the motor ran sweet and I haven't played with the valves and guides just lifted the head off and put it back afterwards, but it appears that something must have changed somewhere.

Are the camshaft bearings a piece of cake to replace? I'm keen to get it sorted as the car is in great nick with only 42 000 miles on and its just passed MOT (fortunately can't fail MOT on a tappety, squeaky engine)

Thanks again for all your help; I'm amazed there such enthusiasm for the little blighters, though I can understand why ...(I think!)

 

[panda-sport]

I've taken off the rocker cover as I was convinced it was inside and sure enough with the engine running the 'squeak' was louder than ever with the engine running.

Hmm, there should of been oil squirting every where running with the cover off from the spray bar. If not then looks like a blocked oil-way. I believe it's possible to put the headgasket on round the wrong way round and block the oil-way.

 

[Misty Buff]

Now you've got me worried ..... though I seem to recall that the words 'ALTO' had to be face up on the gasket so that it is fitted correctly, which I ensured was done.

With the engine running and the rocker cover off there is quite a bit of oil flicking about, but I wouldn't say its 'spraying everywhere', again I suppose its difficult to quantify in words: should it be flying about and hitting the underside of the bonnet and all that?

Could it be that when the head was removed and cleaned with degreaser and took me about 6 weeks to put it back together that in this time the oilways might have corroded a little and blocked them a bit? It was under polythene wraps in the garage so should have been OK. Other than taking the thing apart to double check the gasket, can you suggest a way to check or clean the oilways. I've tried to find a diagram of where the oilways are, but appears to be a difficult thing to find.

I think I'll try an engine flush and see happens, but I have my doubts as to the effectiveness of this 'majic potion'

Thanks again y'all for your help, mucho appreciated :worship: