My FTO is making like a tapping sound...does yours do this?

[Playboy_FTO90]

For the last 3 or 4 months it has been making a tapping noise, its annoying but ive been told it could either be my head gasket which isnt good or my tappets..does anyone else have this problem? i also have a really bad oil leak and i was told they will need to pull half my engine apart to fix it but then another mechanic told me the oil leak isnt as bad and it wont take long or too much to fix.....so now im confused as too what the actual problem is!!

[Kustom]

For the last 3 or 4 months it has been making a tapping noise, its annoying but ive been told it could either be my head gasket which isnt good or my tappets..does anyone else have this problem? i also have a really bad oil leak and i was told they will need to pull half my engine apart to fix it but then another mechanic told me the oil leak isnt as bad and it wont take long or too much to fix.....so now im confused as too what the actual problem is!!

Tappets. Usual for a Mitsubishi. The mechanics are trying to rip you off. Unless it gets really loud I wouldn't worry about it.

[Taz]

Ok ill be the first to take a stab.
It all depends where the leak is as to how much of a bastard it is going to fix (obviously) a gasket would be one of the easier parts to replace (and much cheaper if you know how to do it yourself)
What kind of tapping noise is it? Generally sounds like a sowing machine during low revs and foot down if its the tappets - which is a very common problem and most likely the cause, there is a few DIY guides on it here, but unless you have the confidence to do it at the very least, i would suggest taking it to either another club member whos done it or a mechanic and fork out the $$$ - (if you can take it to another member, they can show you how its done and maybe you can tackle it next time?)
Out of curiosity what oil are you running? Can sort of get an idea of how bad a leak is by what grade oil you have and how much is pissing out (i.e. a much thinker oil pouring out is going to be a lot worse than a few drops of a thin grade etc) Might even give you an indication as to where its coming from (although the easiest method - correct me if im wrong - is the old brake cleaner on a hoist, then bring the car back in a day or two and see where its starting to come from again)
But pretty much youll just have to take it to someone and cop the fee the first time - Where do you live? Might be able to refer you to some people.

[Kustom]

Where do you live? Might be able to refer you to some people.

Fernvale, QLD.

[Taz]

Hmm, probably bit far of a drive to salisbury for a slightly better rate on work
If you can get a club member familiar with tappets and gaskets (assuming thats where the leak is) then it would be better to get some confidence to do them yourself next time.
That and since you need a specialized/home made tool to make the tappet adjusting 10x easier a regular mechanic will charge you a sh*t tonne to do them if you dont get one yourself im sure someone here can lend you one or there easy enough to make

[mosti]

If it's a mivec, don't even bother with the tappets....it's a waste of time as there is a 50% chance it's the collets which have broken off on some of he screws. There are 24 and priced at $30.....you do the math.
So no matter how perfect your tappets are tuned your engine will always tap.

So you have a few options.

1. Get the tappets tuned and prepare to fork out hundreds on new tensioner screws. (fingers crossed all the collets are fine and you wont need screws.....which is unlikely)

2. Try a thicker grade oil to mask it up if its annoying you

3. Get rid of the car because it's a piece of sh*t

4 Suck it up and live through it

[silverGPX]

Im quite handy with a spanner. Worked through quite a few FTO's now.

[phunkydude]

Or, chuck in a 4" cannon to your exhaust.
Problem solved.

[silverGPX]

hey andrew,
wanna have a ciggarette lighter install this sunday? haha. i gotta do mine, might as well put yours in while i have the crimps out.

[phunkydude]

^Sounds good. Let me know the time when it's closer. Cheers!

[Taz]

^^ sh*t i need to relocate mine to my glovebox or just under it, would love to get it done if im invited

[payaya]

If it's tapping its your lifters. Even oil from god cannot stop them from ticking.

Just get it over and done with and get them changed.

Looking at about 4 hours to change them.