Date:         Mon, 9 Jun 2003 17:44:10 -0700
Reply-To:     wilden1@JUNO.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Bent valve push rod
Comments: To: elloyd10@COMCAST.NET
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Measure your pushrods .............. I've got several sets of stock and a
set of chrome molly.

Stan

On Mon, 9 Jun 2003 17:40:27 -0400 Ed Lloyd <elloyd10@COMCAST.NET> writes:
> Should I drive this vehicle?
>
> Two weeks ago I got back from a weekend trip driving 5-6 hours each
> way through the mountains of West Va.  The 87 2.1L watercooled van
> preformed well, and had no problems, but after I got home I noticed
> a small oil leak had started.  I traced it to a push rod tube, and
> ordered a collapsible replacement tube from Bus Depot, along with
> the seals.
>
> This weekend I tore into the project and got a rude shock.  When I
> pulled the #1 cyl pushrod out of the tube it was bent! Curved into a
> bow shape.  Not kinked or creased, but so far out of line that it
> had rubbed a hole in the thin wall of the tube, thus the oil leak.
>
> Looking further, I checked the other pushrods, and all were straight
> and true, but I found problems with all 4 of the valve adjusting
> screws   It looked like Stan's cats had chewed up the ends.
>
> History:  the heads were replaced 3 years ago by a VW dealer, using
> AMC heads.  Four months ago I checked the clearance, after reading
> about Boston Bob's .006 setting.  I found the pre-load to be very,
> very tight, so loosened them and set them to .006.  I did not bother
> to check the push rods or the ends of the adjusting screws at that
> time.  Don't know if they were already in that condition, or if the
> damage is recent.
>
> This is a daily driver, so I just put everything back together, and
> started the engine, which ran fine for a few moments before I shut
> it down and began to wonder, should I drive this?  Will this cause
> more damage?  Can the adjusting screws just be ground smooth?  Can a
> replacement push rod be used?  The manuals all talk about putting
> the same ones back into the same place, so I'm worried about
> improper mix and match.  The top of the valve stem ends are fine by
> the way.
>
> Any info about what may have caused this problem and what to do about
> it is appreciated.
>
> Ed in Aspen Hill
>
> 87 vanagon
>
>

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