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Date:         Mon, 28 Jun 2004 20:38:43 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1-1@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: Ran out of gas & now won't run
Comments: To: "J. Harvey" <jtharvey2@HOTMAIL.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

As you become familliar with your new air cooled Westy you might want to consider this procedure. ------------------------------------------ Shaping Up that new Old Vanagon or Westy

This document addresses both Air Cooled Type IV 75-83 and Water Cooled Engines 83-91. It does not Include Diesel or Conversions of any type.

Since you're new to the vehicle its important that you get the basic heart of your vehicle in good condition. (BE WARNED! Cleaning your engine can open up oil leaks that are currently sealed with carbon deposits or sludge. It can remove carbon build up from under your rings and cause temporary oil burning until the rings reseat themselves. They may never reseat of the engine is very high mileage).

In many cases the Previous Owner has used Oil additives or even special Infomercial products to chemically fix problems. These additives can lead to problems especially those with Teflon in Air Cooled engines.

It is standard procedure to avoid all oil additives in VW Air Cooled and Water Cooled engines. In many cases additives have been used to quieten lifters, piston slap, wrist pin clicking or other noise. You definitely want to get rid of these additives before they harm your engine. They may have been added to raise oil pressure or hide any number of on-coming problems.

The procedure listed below is my suggestion of what you should do as soon as you get your new vehicle.

#1) Check the oil; drain off about a quart of oil through the drain plug, strainer plate or other means. Be sure you get a full quart out, if you get too much you can put it back in as required.

#2) Purchase a quart of Gunk / Siloo /Rislone / Berryman B12 or other brand of engine flush and pour it into the engine crankcase. Follow the instructions on the can. Most flushed require only 5 minutes on a cold engine.

#3) Run the engine flush for the recommended time and drain it off. Install a new filter and clean the strainer if you have one. Pour in your new engine oil; hold back that last quart of oil. Pour in a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil with the new engine oil. Run the vehicle for about 300 miles with the Mystery Oil Mix in the crankcase. It is best to get this 300 miles around town over a period of one week so the cleaning agents in the Mystery Oil have time to De-carbon the interior of your engine and clean your lifters.

You can run this mix for a thousand miles without damage so don't bother to change at exactly 300 miles. What we're wanting to accomplish is just getting the engine to full operating temperature about ten times over a one week period.

#4) While running the 300 miles with the Mystery Oil blend in your crankcase you should also run 16 oz of Mystery Oil through your fuel system in a full tank of Gasoline to clean your combustion chambers, piston tops, valves, injectors and ring groves.

#5) After you've completed this procedure you should install a new filter (Mahle or Mann), clean your strainer if you have one and install the new engine oil. Leave the oil level about ¼" below the MAX level on your oil dipstick. Stop putting oil in at three quarts and start your engine. Let the engine run for a few minutes and then check your oil level after you have killed the engine and it has set for ten minutes. This will have given the oil enough time to circulate through the system and drip back to your pan giving a true oil level reading. Add enough oil to bring the level up to the ¼" below the MAX mark on your dipstick.

#6) adjusting your lifters: (this section applies only to hydraulic lifters and stock VW camshafts)

Lifter adjustment should be done on a cold engine.

Locate Top Dead Center on #1 cylinder by dropping a thin wire through the #1 spark plug hole and rotating the engine until piston top squeezes the thin wire between the piston top and the cylinder head (don't force it) the rotor arm should be pointing very close to the notch in your distributor rim if you're at TDC. If not you're 180 degrees off. While you're adjusting the valves inspect the valve stems for chips and the adjusting screws for heavy pitting. Either of these signs can represent a weak / bad lifter or a valve seat that is loose. (minor pitting of adjusting screws OK most of the time.)

Adjust #1 valves at the following settings.

Option #1: One full turn down from the point that the rocker arm just touches the valve stem.

Option #2: Using a feeler gauge set the clearance to .006 as the rocker arm just touches the valve stem.

Both settings have worked for me and many others. Do Not Use the full two turns as described in Hayes, Muir or Bentley Manuals.

#1. Remove the valve covers. Read the part number on your heads, make sure that they are the same. VW heads will have a VW Logo on them, AMC heads will not and they won't have a part number. The one thing you need to establish is that are both VW or both AMC. You can't mix the heads, they should be the same. #2. Loosen the adjusting nuts about two full turns. #3. Start the engine for about 1 minute. Be sure you've got some cardboard under there to catch any oil that slings out. Most cases there will be very little. #4. Go to the back of the car and slip another piece of cardboard under there so I don't lay in the oil that dripped. #5. Bring #1 cylinder up to TDC, Remove #1 Plug, I use a flashlight and a piece of flat steel that comes off windshield wiper blades to get TDC. (others use a screwdriver or coat hanger wire) The steel will not rotate when the piston is at TDC but it doesn't bind the piston. (depends on your piston/head clearance) #6. I rotate my distributor so the notch in the distributor rim is right in line with the rotor arm. #7. I adjust the first #1 intake and exhaust valves to one turn after the rocker arm just touches the valve stem. Or use Bobs way of .006 with a feeler gauge (you are eliminating pre load by using his method, nothing wrong with it). #8. Since I've got a manual transmission I put the gearbox in 2nd gear and rock the car until the next cylinder comes up to TDC, I watch the rotor arm and when it is 90 degrees past the notch and first position I set the next valves. (leave the spark plugs in, only #1 needs to be removed) #9. While all this is going on the sealer that sticks my new valve cover gaskets to the valve covers is setting. #10. Just follow through on each cylinder until you've got them all set. #11. Check the general condition of your valve stems (no chips) and your adjusting screws (few tiny pits OK, but no chips or hard wear signs). #12. Reinstall your valve covers. #13. Crank your engine, pay attention to the oil light, if it doesn't come on immediately stop cranking and then crank again. #14. Your engine may be noisy for as long as 15 minutes, don't panic. Just take a gentle trip around the block and it will normally settle in. #15. I don't bleed the lifters, I've never to my knowledge had air locked lifters. If the above procedure doesn't quieten your lifters then you could possibly have the air locked problem. If you do you'll just have to follow the procedures in the Bentley or get info from Boston Bob about the bleeding procedure. #16. I made a tool consisting of a wood dowel with a finish nail in the end of it so I could bleed the lifters, pushing it down in the relief valve releases pressure in the lifter but I envisioned it as introducing air into the lifters and could never see that it did anything. It could be an option if you decide to try it.

#7) After adjusting the valves your engine may be hard to start. Give it a few tries and it should start up. The lifters may be noisy for a few minutes and this can continue for fifteen minutes. I've found that a quick trip around the block at moderate normal speeds will normally quieten the lifters after the adjustment process.

#8) Clean all electrical connections in your engine compartment. You can use spray Berryman B12 or other spray carburetor cleaner. Agitate the cleaner with a brush at each connection and then give it a shot of cleaner to rinse out the residue.

#9) Inspect the condition of your Distributor Cap (Air Cooled Require Copper Contacts, Water Cooled can use either Aluminum or Copper). Inspect your Rotor Arm for burnt contractor end. Inspect you spark plug wire (Air Cooled Require solid core, Water Cooled Require Graphite Fiber Wires). Clean all connectors in the cap, spark coil and wire to plug. It is best to have all Bosch brand ignition but other brands are good as long as they meet the required contractor requirements. If you have a point set ignition the points should be inspected and adjusted to .016/. 020, this will get you within the required dwell range. Rule: Dwell changes timing so if you change dwell you'll need to reset your timing. Be sure that the right spark plugs are installed.

#10) Set your timing as specified by the manual you are using for reference. Take special care to check the timing at the full advance specified. While progressing from idle timing setting to the full advance setting the advance should be constant without dropping back and forth during the increase of engine speed. The timing mark on the Air Cooled is a small saw cut in the rim of the Fan, it is difficult to see and a drop of Liquid Paper or white paint will be a big assist in sighting it with the timing light.

#11) Replace your fuel filter, don't pass this up just because the PO said it had a new filter. The Berryman or other Fuel Injection may have loosened up ancient contamination in your fuel tank and started blocking the filter with debris.

#12) Test your fuel pressure at the fuel rail per specifications of the manual you are using.

#13) Visually check all fuel lines for leaks. Replace any leaking lines or lines that are hard, have splits or any aging signs.

#14) Check all vacuum lines for leaks, replace all lines that are soft, split or have loose connection. Installing hose clamps on vacuum lines is a good idea.

#15) Addressing oil leaks, primarily on Type IV air cooled engines. (nothing here for Water Cooled)

a) Clean your engine top to bottom before pointing at any particular location as a possible leaking spot.

b) Most common leaking areas on an air cooled are, valve cover gaskets, push rod tube O rings, loose oil filter, bad gasket on the strainer plate.

c) It is best to get the O rings and valve cover gaskets replaced right with the initial investigation of oil leaks. It narrows down a lot of options.

If you didn't do a compression check before you purchased the vehicle don't waste your time doing a compression check unless your engine has problems. I've seen Air Cooled engines with 80psi average compression that still ran very well and produced enough power to operate very well as long as it was run with respect.

----- Original Message ----- From: "J. Harvey" <jtharvey2@HOTMAIL.COM> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM> Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 4:36 AM Subject: Ran out of gas & now won't run

> I bought a 1981 Westfalia today. 10 blocks from the previous owners home it > started to run out of gas. 5 blocks later I coasted into a gas station > barely sputtering on fumes and had 10 gallons pumped in. Now the van won't > run. It will start and idle for 1.5 seconds and then it put-puts like it is > running on one cylinder and then dies. > > What gives? At first I thought sediment had clogged the fuel filter, nope. > I replaced that with no luck. Could the fuel pump have burned up while it > ran dry for less than 2 minutes? What's the large canister that sits after > the fuel pump? There's definately no obstruction between the tank and > pump....I got a shower. > > Here's another one. The tank was bone dry when I added $20 of gas. The > tank only took $18.50 (~9 gallons) and then proceeded to leak. ? > > Any help would be great. -John >


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