Hydraulic tappets — removal and installation (VW Sharan 1)

A few words should be said about hydraulic tappets, as improper handling can damage the engine. Sometimes you can still hear noises from the valve cover area, which, however, does not mean that there is a malfunction. Noises can appear, for example, when the engine is first started after a long period of inactivity, which has led to the oil flowing out of the hydraulic tappets and the formation of a gap in the valve train. After a short time, the noise will disappear again. If the tappets continue to make noise after a certain time, their condition should be checked according to the instructions below.

When removing the tappets, the following instructions must be observed:

• mark the tappets immediately after removal. It is best to mark them using marks on the inside. To do this, mark one line on the first tappet, two lines on the second tappet, etc. Fig. 412 shows how the tappets should look after marking them;
• after removing the hydraulic tappets, do not install them with the contact surface facing down;
• replace the entire pushrod as it cannot be adjusted or repaired.

If the valve noise seems too loud to you, the tappets can be checked as follows:

• start the engine and let it run until the fan comes on;
• increase the engine speed to 2500 rpm and let it run for about 2 minutes;
• if the tappets are still noisy, the faulty tappet can be identified by removing the cylinder head cover as described when disassembling the engine and rotating the camshaft so that the cam lobe for the tappet being checked faces upwards;

• press the plunger down with a piece of plastic or wood (Fig. 413). If the gap is more than 0.1 mm before the valve opens, then the plunger must be replaced.

Caution! After installing a new tappet, do not start the engine for about 30 minutes after assembly, otherwise the engine may be seriously damaged.