The hydraulic lifters of my Opel (Vauxhall) Astra OPC started tapping, even when the engine is warm. Would only changing the oil make any different, or is it to late for that?

You can also buy that stuff you pour in the oil that cleans the lifters. Does that stuff work? And which one works best?

I need a cambeld in about 20.000 km, so then I could also change the lifters. Does it mather if I continue driving with those tapping lifters, or is it bad for the engine or camshaft?

Cheers, Ruud

If you are far overdue for an oil change the lifters can start to clatter. For engine additives I would not use a de-sludger. They tend to loosen up too much goo and make more trouble than good.
If its available there try a can of EOS (Engine Oil Suppliment, General Motors PN: 992869). No idea if you can get it there or not. Its an engine break in additive and is good for tired engines as well.
Cheers.

try an oil change if it's not been done lately otherwise get another set of tappets unless you can identify the dodgy one...

Ned.

ps if carrying on I guess the only bits that could get damaged would be valves, seats or cam lobes but don't know whether this is the case..

[Edited on 11/11/06 by ned]

Could be due to a partially blocked oil strainer . Check to see if engine has a lot of black sludge inside the cam carrier . Common fault if engine hasn't been looked after . Also happens on CVH engines amongst others

This is common on alot of vauxhalls. Id run some engine cleaner through it before you change the oil.

very common, change the oil for some thinner stuff temporarily and then thrash the living daylights out of it when it is warm, a really hard drive usually clears up the sticking tappet valves. Won't cause great harm even if they tap though, just a bit too much valve clearance.