Date:         Fri, 26 Oct 2001 09:22:16 -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:      Lifter Thoughts
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After installing new lifters and going through several adjustments, I have
come to some conclusions and would like to hear any feedback from the list.
I have a tired 1.9l wbx that came to me with 120K+ miles on the original
motor.  It had a damaged lifter due to the PO's attempt to replace a rusted
out pushrod return tube.  I replaced the lifter.  I tried adding CD-2 to
the oil as a treatment for the noisy lifters and this set me back probably
3 or 4 months. I didn't realize what the CD-2 was doing to my oil pressure
and the lifters.  The engine would just fade after 15 or 20 minutes of
highway driving.  It would continue to run, but with no power.  After going
through many parts, draining the oil (and the CD-2 with it) fixed the
problem.  I eventually replaced all the lifters,  return tubes and seals.
I am now running my lifters at nearly "zero" lash.  I backed off the
adjusters and turned them in by hand until I felt resistance, tightened a
little further, (less than 1/16th turn) and locked them in.  It starts
better and idles better.  It actually cranks faster.  It sounds like a
sewing machine, but I don't get any loud clacking or hammering like I had
at 1 turn, 1/2 turn, or 1/4 turn.
I believe the lifter problem in older engines is due to several things.
The low oil pressure prevents running more than 1/4 turn or less of lash.
When the hot idle pressure is only 5 or 6 psi, there is not much left in
the lifter for the next start up.  Most of us are running 20-50 oil.  If
you have a gauge installed, you see it goes up and pegs out at 85 to 90 psi
on a cold start.  This means the relief is opening, and who knows how much
oil the lifters are getting.  I have seen several posts about wear in the
camshaft bearings, while the main bearings appear to be OK.   This would
only hurt the oil pressure to the lifters.
I think an oil cooler would  keep the oil viscosity up, but I haven't
figured out a good way to do this on the 1.9l.
I guess I will just  put up with it until a rebuild comes along.

                                                   Jay