T4: Loud Noise from Motor or Oil Pump and Electrical drain

[honesthorizon]

Hi all,

I’m working through a couple of issues on a VW T4 (1999). I’ve already spent time testing and gathering opinions from mechanics, but I wonder if any of you can give some valuable input — it might save time and money in the garage.

MOTOR NOISE

I’ve had a tapping/knocking noise from the lower engine area. The mechanic who replaced the oil pump (after the car stranded on the road, unable to drive) said it would go away, but it hasn’t. I'm unable to go back to that mechanic. The noise has actually gotten a bit louder lately.

Here are some opinions I’ve gotten:

Crankshaft Bearings
A VW-experienced guy thinks it could be worn crankshaft bearings. He says the only real solution is opening the engine and doing it properly - big money and time.
Note: One guy who also worked on the car mentioned the shaft bushings/sleeves (“tuleje walu” in Polish) were recently done, but I’m unsure if that overlaps with crankshaft bearings or not.
Hydraulic Lifters (Tappets)
Another mechanic suspects the sound could come from the hydraulic lifters in the cylinder head, suggesting wear or blockage.
He also suggested replacing the whole motor (it has around 320k on it), which I’d like to avoid.
Low Oil Pressure?
I haven’t tested it yet, but some suggest checking oil pressure first to better determine the issue. No errors have shown up on the computer.

Symptoms & Notes:
• Noise is present when engine is warm and cold
• Black smoke when revving
• Oil level is good and I’m checking often

Questions:
• Anyone have experience with hydraulic lifter noise vs bearing knock on a T4?
• Should I get an oil pressure reading first before pulling the engine apart?
• Is there any way to narrow down my problem without a full teardown?

BATTERY DRAIN

I’m getting a 0.1 amp (100 mA) parasitic draw when the van is off. After pulling fuses one by one, I traced the draw to:

Fuse 19 (30A): A/C, radiator fan - drains about 0.04–0.05 A
Fuse 21 (15A): Interior lighting, radio, clock, OBD, etc - also drains about 0.04–0.05 A

There is no A/C installed. The radio was disconnected during testing. Fuse 21 makes sense due to interior electronics and clock, but Fuse 19 concerns me.

I’m wondering if this could be:
• A stuck or faulty radiator fan relay?
• Possibly a wiring issue from a previous modification?

Questions:
• Does anyone know where the radiator fan relay is located?
• Have others seen a small draw like this from that circuit?

Thanks for any thoughts.

Video with the noise:
https://youtube.com/shorts/o0zDuvl6vG4?feature=share

[trunnion]

Is that a diesel?

[67rustavenger]

[germanoldschool]

That is a 1.9td (no i) enginecode: ABL. You could take of the valve cover to check camshaft, lifters etc. I would look for another engine which has proven less Km on it.