QuestionQUESTION: Hi HT
I have a few questions regarding my 97 Excel 1.5 SOHC.
1) My vehicle suffers from what seems to be the common problem whereby when pumping fuel into the car, it takes a long time because the pump keeps going off prematurely and making that clicking noise. I'm not really concerned with this problem and was wondering if it would be ok to not address the issue?
2) My excel always experiences this tapping noise under the hood when the engine is cold. It has been there since i purchased the vehicle last year but is getting worse and taking a longer time to go away.
I'm unsure what it is but it sounds almost like the tapping a normal engine would sound like when in operation but significantly louder when the engine is still cold...
I have had a look at some previous repairs/services done to my car in the past and it seems like the air con and timing belts were changed at 90,000 km. It is now 120,000km. Weird thing is that the receipt actually seems to read "bolt" instead of "belt" but the costs incurred were aroudn 5 times more than an average service.
There is no such thing as replacing aircon and timing bolts are there?
I have some bottle which claims to help tapping lifters, do you think it is worth a try?
What problem could it be to make that tapping noise?
3) I also have a bottle of some 'fuel injector stimulant' lying around at home whereby you just pour it in with the fuel. What is your opinion on these things? marketing gimmick/waste of time?
Thanks for your time.
ANSWER: 1. Your issue with filling the tank likely means that your feul vapors don't vent properly. If that's the case, your tank could excessively expand or contract, causing the tank to crack and leak. Although very unlikely, this is a possibility.
2. Without hearing the tapping noise, it's hard to say what it would be. One common problem with your engine is that if the oil wasn't changed frequently enough, the oil feed holes will clog, preventing oil pressure from reaching the lifters and causing the valves to tap. You could try adding the lifter-tap additive to address this issue. Another way to address would be to use 1/2 quart of transmission fluid (to replace 1/2 quart of oil). Transmission fluid is high in detergents, and will help clean your engine. Don't use more than 1/2 quart, though. Transmission fluid isn't engineered to support the stresses present in engine bearings, and using too much transmission fluid could cause engine failure.
I cannot imagine that air conditioning and timing bolts would be replaced at the same time. While there are many bolts associated with these systems, they wouldn't be replaced as maintenance. There'd be some complaint regarding some problem that would result in this type of repair. It's a pretty safe bet that the belts were replaced and somebody made a typo or has poor handwriting.
3. Fuel injector cleaners that are added to the tank are largely a waste of money-- at least in the U.S. Our gasolines already have additives to prevent deposit buildup in the injectors and elsewhere. Presuming your country has similar detergents in the fuels, this type of thing shouldn't be needed. Furthermore, the products added to the fuel work well over long periods of time but do poorly at resolving actual problems at the time of repair. I've used several professional injector cleaners. I've never been able to see any noticeable change in injector deposits using any chemical advertised as an injector cleaner.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Helo again HT
Just wanted to ask a few quick questions to follow up.
1) Are there any methods/precautions to prevent the tank excessively expanding/contracting? eg perhaps keeping the tank more full or less empty? Or would that not make a difference?
2) With the lifter addictives would it be safe to add that in every oil change? Does that have the detergent qualities you mentioned too?
3) Should I try to pour in the transmission fluid at halfway before I top up with engine oil?
4) What kind of transmission fluid? does it matter manual or automatic? is there a particular grade I should stick with?
Thank you very much once again!
Answer1. Leaving the fuel cap loose would prevent the shrinkage/expansion, but you'd be venting fuel vapors into the atmosphere, causing pollution and a fire hazard.
2. You can add the lifter additive at each oil change. You'd have to read the description on the particular additive to see whether it has detergents to help clean the engine. I've seen some whose primary mode of functioning is to thicken the oil. Although this will help quiet lifters on vehicles with low oil pressure, it will do little to clear clogged passages.
3. You can add the transmission fluid at any time. It'll mix with the oil when you start the engine. Make sure you use no more than 1/2 quart transmission fluid.
4. I'd recommend using Dexron ATF. It's inexpensive and readily available and doesn't have friction modifiers that many newer fluids have. Gear oil (manual transmission oil) won't have the detergents and will be far too viscous for use in the engine.
