Tapping sound on start up

Hello all
For the past four months or so I have been hearing a tapping sound whenever I start my car in the mornings.It usually goes away after about 7 seconds but I would really like to get it sorted out.
The engine is a RB20DE.

RB motors have solid lifters. It sounds pretty normal for engines that would have over 100k kms on it. You can go to a slightly heavier oil such as a 10w-30 or even 10w-40.

RB motors have solid lifters. It sounds pretty normal for engines that would have over 100k kms on it. You can go to a slightly heavier oil such as a 10w-30 or even 10w-40.

Thanks for responding
The engine has 222,443 km on it as we speak so I will try the grade oil that you recommend and see what happens.

Thanks again.

Thanks for responding
The engine has 222,443 km on it as we speak so I will try the grade oil that you recommend and see what happens.

Thanks again.
da da da da daaaaaaaamn

da da da da daaaaaaaamn

The RB engines are the greatest man, with the exception of the tapping noise on start up she still runs very very well,no topping up of oil between oil change or anything like that. :biggrin:

I hope my poor RB lasts that long, but if she doesn't I got another one under a tarp in my back yard :-)

I hope my poor RB lasts that long, but if she doesn't I got another one under a tarp in my back yard :-)

A very good mate of mine has an R32 GTS-t (RB20DET) with 230,000+ kms (143,000 mi) and it still runs good. Burns very little oil and is still making around 300hp. He's went through 3 auto gearboxes and recently had it converted to manual.

I've got just over 136,000 km's on my GTR and only the turbo seals are giving me grief, but since they are factory turbos that is to be expected.

there is also an additive that you can add to the oil to get rid of the noise. (cant remember the name though) worked a treat on my noisy old GTE

Morays Upper Cylinder Lubricant!

Works wonders on older well worn engines.

But you might find some heavier oil is all thats needed. I would throw a bottle of nice pure mineral 20-50 penzoil in there :-)
Remember the RB is an old enigne desgin, from a manufactor that knows how to build enignes.

Morays Upper Cylinder Lubricant!

Works wonders on older well worn engines.

But you might find some heavier oil is all thats needed. I would throw a bottle of nice pure mineral 20-50 penzoil in there :-)
Remember the RB is an old enigne desgin, from a manufactor that knows how to build enignes.

I am going to try and see if I can get the Morays stuff thet you mentioned here in Jamaica where I live.If I can`t find it out here I might have to try the U.S.A.

I will also give the Penzoil a shot, that should be much easier to get.

Well any 20-50 will do, I just happen like the Penzoil after useing it in my previous cars, one was a 2.5l 6cyl with more than a little work done to it.
It also has the advantage of comeing in a 5l container, most of the oil we here in NZ is in 4l containers, which is only enough for the average 4cyl.

Well any 20-50 will do, I just happen like the Penzoil after useing it in my previous cars, one was a 2.5l 6cyl with more than a little work done to it.
It also has the advantage of comeing in a 5l container, most of the oil we here in NZ is in 4l containers, which is only enough for the average 4cyl.

I am going to get some 20-50 pop one in and see what happens.
If I was going to keep the car then the noise woud be O.K. but nobody wants to here a noise when they come to purchase a car.

Well any 20-50 will do, I just happen like the Penzoil after useing it in my previous cars, one was a 2.5l 6cyl with more than a little work done to it.
It also has the advantage of comeing in a 5l container, most of the oil we here in NZ is in 4l containers, which is only enough for the average 4cyl.


I hope you DON'T!

Moppie please don't give out advice like that unless you KNOW what you are talking about. RB motors are natorious for pumping great volumes of oil to the head and draining slowly!
You can starve the sump if you do under high revs and blow your main bearings.

I hope you DON'T!

Moppie please don't give out advice like that unless you KNOW what you are talking about. RB motors are natorious for pumping great volumes of oil to the head and draining slowly!
You can starve the sump if you do under high revs and blow your main bearings.

I have not change the oil as yet.I really don`t need to blow a bearing as as I mentioned before I am going to sell the car and I really don`t want to be spending too much money.

I am going to try the slightly heavier oil that you suggested in your first post and move up gradually if it is required.

You can starve the sump if you do under high revs and blow your main bearings.



I find it hard to believe the drain holes in the head are so small they are unable to drain a 20w oil at operating temprature, it would imply a rather serious design flaw.
Its not uncommon for many engine designs to hold excess oil in the head after being run at high RPM, but you would have to pump out well over 3L from the sump before any damage would be to done to bearings, and long before that happened the low oil pressure warning light would have come on (and hopefully put the engine in limp mode, assuming it has one).

The RB motors were intended on being run on 5w-30 originally. Yes it is a desgin flaw as you put it but none the less it is true. Jun and other companies make small restrictor plugs with only a 3mm apperture hole in them for the top of the block in the oil feed holes. These little brass plugs reduce the original 5mm hole down.

Keep in mind just as the SR motors the RB's have no cam bearings, but only jurnals in which the cams ride on. So having a lot of oil in the head was the idea but it seems the return holes are too small in the block and head. Opening them up isn't an option because at lower rev's you starve the cams. it's really a catch 22 but if you intend on running high revs for extended periods of time you can't go to a heavy oil.