"Tappet" noise and oil level on my BIS

[gnash]

Afternoon ppl,

My BIS is starting to make sounds like a sewing machine  :roll:  Sounds like tappets to me, started to happen over the last coulpe of hundred miles.  

I'm thinking I should take the rocker cover off and check the clearances, but looking at the cut-away engine diagram in the workshop manual, the oil/dipstick level seems to be above the bottom of the rocker cover.  I don't mind draining the oil as I intend to change it and clean the oil filter. Am I right that the oil will fall out when I take the rocker cover off due to the engine being horizontal? ::

Your advice and experiences would be very welcome!

austin

[Chris Lakin]

hi Austin, thats a good question, never thought about that, only done the clearences when oil drained. but what im thinking is, is that the oil will have to come up past the piston rings, and if the rings are designed to prevent the oil coming past, so technicaly you should be alright.

Definately the tappets, you couldnt of described it better. "like a sewing machine" they do need tightening up quite often. The clearences are in the BIS workshop CD manual.

Good luck m8, i hope some one else will confirm what i said???

Chris

[gnash]

Thanks Chris,

I was thinking about a 'normal' vertical engine where when you pour new oil into the filler cap at the camshaft (top) end it fairly quickly drains down to the sump.  I s'pose in the BIS engine the oil filler cap is at the crankshaft/sump end and I can't think what would happen if the camshaft wuz actually submerged in oil.. ::

However I'll post back when I've done it.  Now should I be brave and take the rocker cover off and see what happens or will I drain the oil first

I also wanna renew the coolant since I can't tell if there's enuff water in the system.  The temperature sender/transmitter is faulty (got a new one to fit).  So I don't want to rely on the dashboard warning since the warning light might not work.  Turning the heater on from time to time can't be the most reliable way to check.

All minor things though - we lovc the wee car!  :cool:

austin