Tappy on start-up

[GoblinKing]

Hey guys, got an issue which I have asked on a couple of forum's but thought i'd ask here as you guys makes the most sense

Got the vectra 2.2 direct (Z22YH) which i've owned for just few days over the year now and have not had any real problems with it till a could of days ago. When I started my car up friday morning, the engine started tapping for about 2 - 3 seconds before sounding fine. (its the same tapping noise you hear when your low on oil).
In fact, my first thought was the oil was low even tho. the car had a full service only 2 and a half months ago by vauxhall, so i went to check the dip stick but i cant get any reading, its just drenched in oil, its just smearing all over the dip stick, the oil is much thiner than what i had before. I've also got the usual milky condensation under the oil cap but thats been there pretty much ince ive owned the car

It seems the longer i leave the car the longer the tapping will be, example, yesterday i moved me car after only driving it about 2 hours before and it only tapped when starting up for like a second, much less, or won't tap at all if its only for like half hour or less, don't know if that means anything

My question is, does this sound just like it just needs a top up, is it worth risking putting topping it up a bit (dont wanna over fill with oil), or is it something else i should be prepared for?

I'll also add that I had the chain / tensioner changed by Benny only 4000 miles ago (back in feb 2010).

Cheers

[Deztroyer]

you need to clean the dipstick and get a proper reading to determine if the level is low = it could also be the viscosity of the oil not staying in the hydraulic tappets and draining out overnight etc - but first things first clean dipstick and get an accurate reading on a flat surface and come back with the result from there ........before all the horror stories and things to replace are advised

[hoochydady]

as said bud i would drain the old oil out and put new stuff in with a new oil filter and see how it is if its still the same get some 1 to start the car with the bonnet up and listen to the drivers side ov the engine and see if the noise is coming form there if so it may be your chain it may be a noisey thrust bearing so who ever starts it for you make sure the clutch is pressed in fully at the time

[GoblinKing]

Cheers guys, thanks for your help,

I'll see if i can check the oil levels after work (shortly ) so i can be more sure. I just can't see how it can be the chain tho. as I got it change last feb (about 4000 miles ago) and that was as a precaution so that I didn't have to worry bout the chain how could it fail after 4000 miles????

its got full vauxhall service history, never missed a service, last one was only 2 months ago (I paid £350 quid total), but it seems it doesnt matter how much you look after a car, or how much money you throw at it it still frickin breaks

Ill keep you guys updated on this

Cheers guys

[rushy]

I always get a clean good reading on my 2.2 dipstick like this. Take the stick out, clean it, point the grooved side to the right, so its looking at the battery box and dip away, the back side will be smeared but the grooved side will show a perfect line of oil. Make sure you take the reading no longer than 5 mins after the engine has been turned off as well, as that is the proper way to read the oil level. The distance in between the max and minimum is 1L I believe.

I has a similar problem, time, engine temp and ambient temp had an affect on it. It also very slightly misfired. I was advised it could be a sticking hydraulic lifter, so I put a good flush through it and switched to the thicker 10w 40 VX oil and its been fine for the last 2-3 years. It might of even been Benny who sorted me out, I cant remember, I think he used witchcraft to diagnose it as I can remember he could tell by a pattern that was made on the oil filter.

You know your best bet is to PM Benny, he knows exactly what work has been done and you know he'll be straight up with you.

[GoblinKing]

Hey Rushy, thanks for your advice, i try that one later.

just to update you, i went with a work mate after work to try again, first we tried checking the oil level, both of us were getting the same reading, the bottom part of the dipstick is just cover in oil up to about just after the actual reading thing, onto the coil stick bit itself. my work mate thought it was over filled but i guess that can't be possible, im sure id now by now and vauxhall are THAT stupid

I think the dipstick itself may need replacing, its quite rusty but i cant see how that can affect the results, plus i could get the results on the 10/40 when i had that in there, damn, i wish i asked them to put 10/40 in now, didn't think of it at the time

Then i asked him to listen when i turn over the engine to see if he could see where it was coming from and it was fine, ****** didn't even start tappin, so now he thinks im paranoid

anyway, ill check your method and give it a go, but im thinking of taking it to a garage and just getting them to drain it all out and put 10/40 back in!!!

ill msg benny and see what he thinks, like u advise. After meeting the guy and seeing him work i know how good he is!!

Cheers

[rushy]

5w30 is the recommended oil mate, but I've seen many guys make the switch to 10w40 for cars with higher miles. I do my own services so swap it out before 10k. Leaving the 5w30 in for the VX recommended 20k doesn't sit right with me, so even when it had 5w30 in I still did an interim oil change at 10k.

The way you describe it, it does sound like its over filled TBH, and yes some VX staff are that stupid, my dealer changed the rings on my car, I drove it out of the forecourt with a cloud of blue smoke behind me.....end result a new engine under warranty. The would never tell me what they had done but I think they timed it wrong.

[GoblinKing]

ahh i see, just out of interest, lets say it was over filled, would that be related to the tapping noise im getting? I thought I would be getting other types of issues if it was over-filled

[Deztroyer]

overfilled you could get oil on the plugs and then it would have running issues and lack power

[GoblinKing]

hmmm, well, i haven't got any running issues (infact, after its service, i noticed it was a little more responsive), it idles fine, it pulls and drives fine right up the gears, and no warning lights or anything, thats why its a little weird.

I have now tried checking the oil as people suggested, warm her up, wait about 5 minutes and check. . . same results, the whole reader bit covered in oil. so i tried just dippin it in but not all the way, and when i pulled it out, there was a marking, so to me that would tell me that there is plenty of oil (if a little too much) in there.
so this still leaves me puzzled, ive tried a couple of times to get someone to start it so i could listen where it coming from but on both times it didnt do it so i havent been able to check that yet.

therefore, at this rate, I might just book it back in with vauxhall (where i just got it serviced) and see what they think so I dont know what else to do now