Additive to Cure Piston Slap

nalaver said:
Hi just to add my 50 cents, these engines had some units with quick wearing skirts , to my knowledge the blocks were mostly good . If coated ceremic bore then normally very hard wearing ,in this case you can hone and fit pistons and problem is gone , some of the engines cannot have the crank removed ,this is nor a problem as the bearings normally last forever ,,,, .So if you like the car and are able to tackle job it is worth it as new pistons can make a huge difference in noise and performance ,if you look on ebay.de you can find better than original pistons for about € 300 , whilst apart check rod small ends , replace valve stem seals all gaskets and rod bolts and head bolts so cost around €650, forget the additive route ....
Al
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Thats interesting information you have provided thanks! Could you provide a link to the ebay.de pistons you mentioned to help us out as i find it difficult to find. I have a new engine block here for mine but need new conrods so a link for them would be much appreciated. Cheers Mark.
 
Just looked at the workshop manual for a 2004 BBY engine and it provides data for piston and bore / honing measurements for standard and oversize pistons.
The manual also confirmed the crank can't be removed - so masking the main bearings to avoid contamination with swarf / abrasives from the honing process must be possible - but no guidance is given

Cheers Spike
 

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Hi Mark ,here is link https://www.ebay.de/itm/4x-Kolben-N...ake:VW&hash=item3f860ea93c:g:1LcAAOSwq7xamQ7B, I would look at getting complete kit ie with gaskets and bolts , however before you order remove cylinder head and confirm block is ok (generally if honing marks are visible and no ridge at the the top and here I mean less than 0.025 then you are good to go ,sometimes pistons are sold 0.01 larger than the standard measurement this can be useful . Take your time ,if you go ahead and repair use masking tape to close off big end bearings ,once finished honing (read how to do it ) .wash clean ,use paper towel in oil to clean cylinder bores several times to remove fine dust particles .
Al There are several pistons on the market not sure which to go for in this case.........
 
audifan said:
Was the cam belt changed 60000 miles ago? Lazy tappets or gummed up? Timing not correct, tensioner failing or failed, even the belt with a frayed edge can make some strange noises. Let the garage who is going to change the belt check it out. If not in the area they are working on should be able to tell you what is wrong. Just do not ask them directly " do you think it is piston slap " Water pump and alternator can both make strange noises. So there are a few other things it could be.
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It could well be lazy hydraulic lifters/tappets. It would be worth a flush with Wynns Flushing Fluid, but will entail another oil and filter change! At least its minimal work and cost to try.
Wynns also produce a fluid for cleaning lifters. This may be another option, before you start stripping the engine?
My FSI has a knock and this is what I will try out, although not a priority at the moment.

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I have an fsi ,the knock in mine is from the cylinder head more specifically the variator (try disconnecting the electric valve )
Al
 
Just to reply to some of the questions on here, and by the way a big thank you to everyone who has commented, we bought the A2 1.4 SE Petrol at 9,000 miles from Blackburn Audi who had it as a Sales / Demo Car. All Cam Belt Changes have been done when they were due, by Audi Dealers then Harpers Cumbria using only Genuine Audi Parts. Going to Harpers next Tuesday for Cam Belt and Water Pump again at 120,000 Miles. Noise started at approx 60,000 Miles. Would not say it came on suddenly. I thought it was Noisy Tappet(s). Carlisle Audi agreed with that. Tried to get me an exceptional ( i.e. out of Warranty ) Warranty Claim. All Audi would offer was discounted Parts and Labour but that was still going to cost me a lot of money at the time. I tried more Oil Changes and then some Forte Additive which was supposed to fix it. That did nothing. Due to retirement of our trusted MOT Garage we started going to an MOT Station attached to a local VAG Independent. They said it was not Tappet Noise but the very common VAG 1.4 Petrol Engine Piston Slap, which some owners had managed to get repaired under Warranty by VW anyway. My understanding is that Harpers Cumbria agree with the Piston Slap diagnosis.

As for rebuilding engines myself, I do not have the facilities to remove or re fit an engine at home. No familiarity with working on modern ( ish ) engines. Had it been a BMC A or B Series, Ford 1500, 1600 or Lotus Twin Cam 1588c ( Ford 1500 based ) from the 1960s - 1970s, I had all of those back then when I was 17 years old to my early twentys, and rebuilt them all myself. Including having rebores, Crankshaft regrinds etc. I would consider doing one of those, if I still owned one.
 
No need to remove the engine. All (!) you would need to do is remove the head and the sump and then change the pistons. Easy-peasy (-ish).

RAB
 
I have done that in situ on some of the older Engines I mentioned. Morris Minors, even did my mates MGB in my parents garage over a weekend when they were away. The B Series is better for in situ work as the Oil Pump can be removed and replaced with the Sump off. A Series is on the back of the Engine, so the Engine or Gearbox has to come out to get to it.

In the end the A2 will just have stay as it is, unless / until a Piston lets go. Had that happen on a Stage 1 Tuned Riley 1.5 Engine in a very modified Split Screen Morris Minor, my first car. It went though the side of one of the Bores and wrote the Crankcase off ! Great car. I bought it already fitted with Riley 1.5 Engine and Gearbox. Still had the lower ratio Morris Diff. So much Torque it used to snap Half Shafts like they were carrots ! I was always down the scrap yard salvaging Spare Half Shafts and Diffs.

Anyway back to A2s. I would never attempt changing Cam Belt(s) or Water Pump myself, or much else for that matter.

Don’t know if I mentioned on here but when thrashed down the M6, if I go to work that way, then the Engine is silent again, as it should be, when ticking over at the Traffic Lights. I can only put that down to heat expansion of the Pistons.
 
Hi ,as Rab has pointed out not a big job really ,however if you feel it is then do not tackle and live with the noise as it is going away when engine has warmed up . The other option is to contact someone in the area who is prepared to take on the project ,unfortunately I am far away otherwise I would do for around € 800 . Best of luck Al
 
nalaver said:
Hi ,as Rab has pointed out not a big job really ,however if you feel it is then do not tackle and live with the noise as it is going away when engine has warmed up . The other option is to contact someone in the area who is prepared to take on the project ,unfortunately I am far away otherwise I would do for around € 800 . Best of luck Al
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I see you are somewhere in Switzerland. We have been regular visitors to Kandersteg, sometimes twice per year, since 1998. With a couple of extra trips to Saas Fee a few years ago. Never by Car though. Always flown SWISS from Manchester then SWISS Rail Transfer. Can’t beat the Swiss Travel System !

Drove the A2 60 Miles up the M6 yesterday to Harpers in Carlisle for the Cam Belt(s) and Water Pump Change today. They are going to decide if it needs a New Clutch at the same time.
 
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Picked A2 up from Harpers in Carlisle this afternoon after Cam Belt(s) Water Pump Change. They say an Exhaust leak around the new Flexi Joint / Manifold area is making the Piston Slap sound worse than it is but they did not have time to do anything about it. They also say Clutch is worn but not slipping. It does when I’m driving at The Traffic Lights Grand Prix !
 
Hi and Hello , if you want to test for exhaust leak get a thin pipe place in one ear and with the other end place in area you suspect the noise is coming from. As for clutch why not wait until you decide on piston job then if it turns out to be an engine out you save the labour on the cluch job..
I am not sure what type of exhaust my FSI had 3 pipes joining into one and it had a leak in the middle ,tricky fix but doable ...
Cheers
Al
 
Another way to detect an exhaust leak it to wrap a small piece of tissue around a stick and secure with tape leaving the loose end like a flag. You can now check around the manifold by lowering the "flag" beside the manifold and flexi with the engine running to see where the leak is, also check from below. Get the leak fixed then save for a replacement clutch and forget about the "piston slap"
 
audifan said:
Another way to detect an exhaust leak it to wrap a small piece of tissue around a stick and secure with tape leaving the loose end like a flag. You can now check around the manifold by lowering the "flag" beside the manifold and flexi with the engine running to see where the leak is, also check from below. Get the leak fixed then save for a replacement clutch and forget about the "piston slap"
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Jellybean said:
It could well be lazy hydraulic lifters/tappets. It would be worth a flush with Wynns Flushing Fluid, but will entail another oil and filter change! At least its minimal work and cost to try.
Wynns also produce a fluid for cleaning lifters. This may be another option, before you start stripping the engine?
My FSI has a knock and this is what I will try out, although not a priority at the moment.

Sent from my SM-N960F using Tapatalk
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Hi 66Beetle,
I have to agree that a sticky tappet maybe the cause , I’ve had 6 VW/Audi cars both petrol & Diesel engines & can honestly say that I use Wynn’s engine flush at every oil change with very good results in curing noisy tappets when they develop , cheap to try before any major undertaking.

Keith.
 
My previous experience of Noisy VAG Hydraulic Tappets has been that they are noisy on starting the Engine then quieten down when the Oil gets up there. This is not like that. The noise goes away sometimes, usually ticking over at Traffic Lights straight after a fast run down the motorway when the Engine is hot. I did try some Forte Additive which was specifically supposed to fix Hydraulic Tappets. That did nothing. Audi trained Technicians and VAG independent mechanics all tell me it is the very common Piston Slap of the 1.4 BBY Engine. No mention of Noisy Hydraulic Tappets. It’s going to be a case of just using the A2 because we have to, unless a Piston lets go. Still considering buying a “ Spare A2 “ if the right one turns up.
 
I look for exhaust leaks by taping a hairdryer to the exhaust end and putting positive pressure into the system. Then I use a spray bottle with soapy water on all the cool pipes and look for bubbles forming.

The last time I did this the holes were obvious enough that the draft gave it away but I did also find a couple of additional pinholes on the join and on top under a mount.


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@66Beetle

I can’t believe this thread is on 3 pages and nobody has condemned the use of the Slick50 treatment yet. That stuff is not good, I’ve never come across a shred of hard evidence it works, however I have come across evidence it blocks oil filters. Please change yours ASAP as a precaution.

If you want to try an additive, I would suggest Engine Restore. I’ve read articles on this that it can sometimes help maladies such as the one you’re experiencing (promoted by Quentin Wilson too, he wouldn’t put his name on snake oil I doubt).

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dj_efk said:
@66Beetle

I can’t believe this thread is on 3 pages and nobody has commented on the Slick50 treatment yet. That stuff is not good, I’ve never come across a shred of hard evidence it works, however I have come across evidence it blocks oil filters. Please change yours ASAP as a precaution.

If you want to try an additive, I would suggest Engine Restore. I’ve read articles on this that it can sometimes help maladies such as the one you’re experiencing (promoted by Quentin Wilson too, he wouldn’t put his name on snake oil I doubt).
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Pretty sure they did on about post 3?
 
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