Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (September 2000, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Thu, 14 Sep 2000 15:06:40 -0600
Reply-To:     "Justin B. Jensen" <jjensen@SPRINTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Justin B. Jensen" <jjensen@SPRINTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: 80 Westy & Emmissions
Comments: To: ForestDweller <seattlesalamander@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20000914202748.20194.qmail@web615.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf Of ForestDweller Sent: Thursday, September 14, 2000 2:28 PM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: 80 Westy & Emmissions

So I just bought an '80 Vanagon Westfalia camper. PO#1 had receipts for roughly $3K worth of work and the car ran so smoothly that I figured I didn't even need to take it to the mechanic...I paid PO $2.8K, thinking that I had a great deal and she had a load off her back, and sailed off to emissions land (here in WA state, emissions testing are a part of life).

Here's where it all goes bad. PO#1 had been, as she said, 'crooked' by her PO (PO#2). She had been delivered a van w/ a bad junkyard motor, leaking oil everywhere, that barely ran to the shop...So she (PO#1) had a different motor installed & clutch plate, among other things.

With all that money spent, and the car running so well, I figure all I need to do is spend a few dollars...fail emissions a couple of times, get a waiver and I'm off to surf city. However, my emissions mechanic informs me that this too is a junkyard engine, and that my compression is so low (60/70/70/95 #'s) that this alone could have fried the catalytic converter (after market cat ~$150.00). Apparently, the rocker arm is frozen, caused by overheating?. Most likely attributable to lubrication failure (which could be heat related). Assuming I can get an emissions waiver, my emissions mechanic says I'm looking at a topend rebuild...(~$1500.00 for parts if I do it myself).

Which leads to my question(s): 1. Previous mechanic that installed this junkyard turd claims that the compression 3mos ago was ~120#'s in all cylinders and that a seized rocker arm could be causing all this. Again, not likely. One rocker arm would affect one cylinder. He recommends pulling the rocker train and doing a leak down test..looking for a dropped valv seat/burnt piston prior to rebuilding engine. Logical? How is this done? A leak down test is a good test however, you do not need to spend the time / money pulling the top end valve train to accomplish this test. With the uniformly low cranking compression ratios that you report above for all cylinders, It would be fair to deduct that this engine has experienced some event that has affected the general engine health such as extended or no oil changes, overheating, excessive engine speed on poor maintenance, etc. To restore this engine's performance you will be doing at least a top end overhaul - valve grind, cylinder hone, rings, gaskets. I would be suspect of spending any money on the top end without tearing the whole engine apart to ascertain the health of the bearings, etc. (You could gain some sense for this via an oil pressure mapping).

2. If I do perform a rebuild (my first major mechanical endeavor), my emissions mechanic suggests draining the oil, setting the motor on an old 50gal drum to work on it, using the exhaust system as a handle to lift it onto the drum, then taking this off when rebuilding. I've got a copy of John Muir's 'compleat idiot - 25th year aniversary edition' from the library...what else do I need? What's a good comfortable way to work on an engine? Where should I go for parts?

-Todd

__________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere! http://mail.yahoo.com/


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.