UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Anyone help.
The wide has a 1996 MkIV polo 1.4 8v that has been serviced regularly by a main BW dealer and has done 65k miles. The car has already had to have a new head gasket at 62k miles that VW said was common - a surprise to us all bearing in mind developments in technology over the last 70+ years of automotive engine development. This however is not the issue, the issue is this

On start up the car has a rattle coming from the top end (I suppose the camshaft) that lasts about 2 seconds and then on tickover has an anoying 'thunk thunk thunk' also coming from the top, any increase in RPM means the sound dissapears.

Seeing that I am vastly more familiar with Fords (that freqently make this noise) can anyone confirm what they think it is. I am supposing either a camshaft problem or do these engines have hydraulic tappets and could it be one of these?

Anyone had this problem?

+ anyone know how to stop the door locks from freezing up to become inoperative during cold weather (sick and tired of having to get in through the boot).

Hi and welcome

You'd better edit the word "Wide" to "Wife" before she reads your post or else you'll be in the dog house!

The 2 second noise on startup is pretty normal... It's just that the oil hasn't reached the tappets etc yet.

Dunno about the thunking noise... Have you had a new cam belt yet?

My cam belt tensioner broke and that made a very loud ticking noise under 3k revs, but went completely quiet after 3k...

Might be worthwhile getting a new cam belt and tensioner soon anyway, but sorry I can't help with the thunking noise.

Oh, and re: the locks... I used to pour hot water over them...

I have remote central locking on this car though, so I just de-locked the handles and use the remote.

Is it the lock, or the handle that freezes up?

Cheers for the advice - sounds like the same as the Ford CVH's with the oil feed issue.
Yeah the timing belt has been changed on the last service but no harm in getting it checked out.

As for the locks - you can get your key in but the locks wont turn - trust us to get the 1.4L with no remote or central locking - b*gger.

Thanks again

Suppose the rattle may be a little more exagerated at this time of the year due to colder weather - thus the oil is a bit thicker on start up.