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Date:         Wed, 22 Aug 2001 10:29:41 -0400
Reply-To:     Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jay L Snyder <Jay.L.Snyder@USA.DUPONT.COM>
Subject:      Hydraulic Lifter Lore Is True!
Comments: cc: Rocky.R.Snyder@usa.dupont.com, capt.mike@mindspring.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I should not have doubted Bob Donald's wisdom. His zero-lash lore is true. I have an '85 1.9l that had a bad lifter when I bought it about 2 years ago. The PO had tried to replace a rusted out pushrod return tube and succeeded in damaging the lifter in the process. I replaced this lifter, and eventually all 8 lifters, when the valve adjustment troubles began. I read Boston Bob's write-up and concluded this was better for old, crapped up lifters, not new ones like I had! I split the difference--about 1 turn from zero lash. I put up with intermittent clacking and was resigned to believing it just depended where the camshaft parked itself on shut down. I got really tired of the noise. The engine ran OK, seemed weaker than my '86 GL, but I wrote it off to the extra weight of the camping gear, A/C and the smaller 1.9l engine. The mileage was good, getting 22.5 mpg on two recent trips. I decided to adjust the valves using the zero-lash technique and see what happens. I backed off each stem until the lifter was fully expanded, then by hand, tightened a tiny bit--maybe an 1/8th of a turn. I expected all sorts off clacking. It started right up with no loud clacking. The cold start was much better than before--no stalling. It idled a little faster than before. After looking for valve cover leaks, I took it for a test drive. It was amazing. It drove like my old '86 2.1l! I would not have believed it. The only noise I have had so far, was after I moved it around in the driveway and shut it down. It clacked a little on the next trip for a few minutes, but went back to normal on the trip home (round trip of two miles?). Next up: the shift linkage.

Jay '85 Westy (The Hindenburg)


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