Date:         Tue, 20 Apr 2004 14:13:36 -0400
Reply-To:     "Warner, Jeff (DSIO)" <Jeff.Warner@DLA.MIL>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Warner, Jeff (DSIO)" <Jeff.Warner@DLA.MIL>
Subject:      IT'S ALIVE!
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

The '87 GL is running and running well.
 
For those of you who don't know, our old '87 was on it's deathbed. 
Or so we thought.  It hadn't been driven regularly since '2000 when 
it developed a leak in the distribution valve and the radiator fan 
stopped working.  Then last summer when I moved it into the shop 
for "cold storage" it exibited a rather nasty new knock-like noise 
and was smoking big time and leaking oil from the exhaust.  Seemed 
like a bad thing yes?  
 
Fast forward to the past few weeks.  We gave "Van" to our 16 year old
son Jonathan for Christmas with the understanding that it might 
require some significant work.  Even picked up an extra engine in 
anticipation.  Pulled Van out of cold storage, applied a new fuel 
pump (of course), a new battery (got swiped for something else) and 
started it up.  Same nasty knock and running on just 3. Shut it down 
to think about it.
 
Last night we pulled the valve cover from the right side.  No 
obvious problems, everything nice and snug.  Started it up and 
identified offending noise coming from rearmost valve.  Decided to 
put valve cover back on and see how badly it would start blowing 
smoke and leaking if we let it run a while.  After more than a 
while, there was no smoke and the oil that was left over in the 
exhaust runner burned off.  We also realized it was running on all 4 
cylinders and quite well too.  Noise was still there but it was 
starting to sound a lot more like a lifter than something worse.  Took it 
for a spin and after going about 1/2 mile stopped to turn around and 
the noise was gone!  WOOOO HOOOO!  Stupid lifter!
 
Looks like Jonathan will be driving his own bus to BB&B.  We 
couldn't be happier! 
 
Jeff Warner
Galloway, OH
'86 Wolfy Westy "Barry"
'87 GL "Van" (Not really mine anymore but the title is.)
 
PS.  So the lifter was stuck, okay.  But how do we explain the oil being pumped into the exhaust?  It was dripping out of the exhaust at a rather significant pace.  About 1 drop per second.  Now nothing.  Thoughts?