UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

I have a 1986 MKII Polo.

When I drive it it makes a sort of rattling noise, I have been told that it is probably the tappits.
Unfortunately I don't know an awful lot about cars or what tappits are.

Anyone know what its likely to be?
What does it involve doing if it is the tappits?

First thing to establish is whether your car has the older or newer type of engine, as the older type had mechanical tappets and the newer type had hydraulic tappets. If you lift the bonnet and have a look at the rocker cover, if you have three bolts holding it down along the centre of the cover then you have the new type, if you have eight bolts holding the cover on around the edges then it is the old type.

On the old engines, the tappets could be adjusted manually using an allen key, if you have a haynes manual then it will guide you through this. On the newer engines, the tappets are self adjusting so if there's a problem with them you'll want to replace them. They can be bought for £8 a piece from www.gsfcarparts.com, you'll need to remove the camshaft to get them out.. I don't think it should be too hard a job, but I've never tried so I don't actually know

The older engines look like this:

(Although the mk2 won't have the air intake tube going over the top of the rocker cover like that)

The newer engines look like this:

simple question... may be silly... but have u checked the level of oil.... sumtimes if you havnt got enough in there it dosent curculate properly.... so iv been told any how!

hell i've managed to get it to the point where you could probably get the camshaft out so it can't be THAT hard (clumsy arse with mechano bits)

Wow thanks for the quick replies guys!

I'll have a look at my engine when I'm on my lunch break but I think it might be the newer one... but since they are so similar I don't know :p

Is it watercooled or aircooled?

I have another problem aswell actually.

Every morning when I go out, I start up and it starts first time as normal, I put it into first, release the hand brake and drive forward, after a few yards it starts to pul as though the hand brake is on still or something and almost stalls cause it goes so slow, I release the clutch and rev loads it starts to increase speed and then jump a bit, then carries on as normal all in the space of about 50-100 yards.

Any ideas what this could be?

Ok I checked it at lunch time and I do have the older engine with the eight bolts around the edge holding down the rocker cover.

Thanks for your help, I'll look in my haynes manual this evening and get it done if I have time!

Thanks again everyone, I'll keep you posted )

Oooh mechanical head ........ that = revtasticness if you choose to tune it. Sought after for this quality in some circles...

Engine is absolutely and most definately WATERcooled VW stopped making/using aircooled engines (outside of Brazil and Mexico.. i.e. hot places with bad roads, needing extreme-environment reliability over speed) with the international mass-market demise of the Beetle and original Camper.

Almost-stalling and jolt might be your rear brake shoes binding? (They don't give much braking power on the move, but grip like death if you try moving off with the handbrake on / shoes stuck)
If you're parking up overnight on a flat surface (ie not on a hill), try coasting to a halt and leaving it secured in gear, rather than stopping using the foot brake and securing it with the handbrake. Then see if the jolt still occurs the next day (remember to put it back in neutral when starting and, barring emergencies, not to touch either brake until you've made sure whether / not it happens again)

There was some tip i heard about re-setting them / removing buildup that could cause them to bind by reversing quickly (on a private drive or something!) and putting the handbrake on hard a couple times, but i wouldn't reccomend it unless someone else confirms it's usefulness. Might be as well to remove the outer part of the brake drum assembly and see if the shoes (or the drum itself!) need obvious replacement.

got a plan.... worked for me....

put the hand break on TIGHT..... slap it in reverse, and bite the clutch so the car is trying to move, then do the same in 1st.... but make sure the car dont move, do it again in reverse, and once more in 1st.... and see if thats dun the trick?!

Lovely, should just be a case of getting the tappets adjusted in that case rather than replacing them Good luck getting it sorted.

lol it seems like everytime i come on here everyone is having the same problems with their cars as me

just done me head gasket on my car and now my tappits are nakered

oh well i think i'll cam it the same time as replacing the tappits

piper hotrod cam here we come .6" of exhaust movement, mwahahahaha