valve lifters/tappets
 

I am a little confused after searching and reading a few topics regarding the "usual" tapping problem.
What is the difference between the tappets and the valve lifters?
I am going to do this job on a very tight budget so to get me started I need to know the favourite to be the culprit, which I can then do first and keep my fingers crossed.
Also, are there any specialist tools I may need?
I have a pretty good socket set and torque wrench etc..

SYMPTOMS:
Tapping from the word go.
Tapping starts and stops when driving
Usually stops as I slow to a stop the starts again as I am at idle. Start.....stop....start.....stop...etc....
Sometimes when starting in morning it burns oil for the first couple of hundred yards. Although overall the car doesnt burn a lot of oil.

Merc 190E 1989 2.0l. Mileage reading 90.000(NO WAY)

Thanks in advance for your trouble :-)

No special tools needed.
The lifters are built into the rocker arms.
Remove the valve cover.Take the oil tube from top of the rocker boxes (flat metal tube).
Take the rocker boxes off one at a time.
Replace the lifters (in the end of the rocker that touches the valve).
Reinstall rocker box.Tighten down evenly.
Torque to...
21 nm
180 inch pounds
15 ft pounds

Brian.

Thanks very much for the advice Brian. Although you make it sound very simple :)

Warren

tappets?!!
 

Sorry I still don't know the difference between valve lifters and tappets. I read this in another post on a similar subject.



Thanks.....WozDo you think my problem is the lifters or the tappets?

Help me as soon as you can please as I want to have a go at this today if possible.....Thanks

They are the same thing.

Thanks for the advice. I am starting the job now, i will let you know how I get on. Woz

Well, I have opened her up and dismantled the bits and I can't seem to actually see anything wrong. When the tappets are worn are there any signs? They look just as good as the new one I bought except they are a little oil stained.
The crankshaft looks OK aswell, although I don't really know what is OK and what isn't, although there is nothing obvious at all. The rocker arms; well they look like rocker arms :rolleyes:
I'm stuck!! What do I do next? :(

Woz

:eek: Heck! I am even more confused now as I have been driving the car all day today and it hasn't made the noise once. After I had put one new lifter in(random choice of position) and assembled everything I ran the car until it reached quite a high temperature. While the car was running at this point, it was still making the noises although after a couple of minutes it stopped. :)......... Now I have heard it make the odd "tap" while I was idleing but only a couple of taps, and only the once today. Have I done somthing right by accident? :) :eek: Would be nice if it didn't come back. Woz