Date: Thu, 24 Aug 2006 08:54:18 -0400
Reply-To: Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject: Re: 86 2.1 L clunking noise under load
In-Reply-To: <BAY111-F18FF9CB6289FB1427E482BB4440@phx.gbl>
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I would agree that if this were a bearing issue you would not have made it
back. Grab the tail pipe and try to shake the engine. Or have someone
start the van while you watch the tail pipe. It could be that the motor
mounts are bad. I have seen several instances of "engine work" meaning that
people put everything back together and left out several key bolts!
Recently a guy came in with a rebuilt engine that was recently installed by
another shop. Two of the three bolts that hold the engine to the aluminum
mounting bracket were not there! I think they just forgot to install them.
I have seen many other instances of missing bolts and hardware. Sometimes
it is negligence and other times the bolts get loose over time and vibration
and fall out.
The other thing I would check are your rear wheel bearings and CV joints.
Usually I hear CV joints when coming to a stop sign slowly (they will click,
click, click).
Hope this helps,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
http://www.vanagain.com
http://www.strictlyvwauctions.com
http://www.eurovan.org
http://www.vwcabrio.org
Phone: (856)-327-4936
Fax: (856)-327-2242
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Mark hersh
Sent: Thursday, August 24, 2006 1:00 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: 86 2.1 L clunking noise under load
Hi Everyone,
We're new to the list and recently acquired an 86 Weekender Westy (2.1 L
stock engine, auto trans) that we took last week from our home in Seattle to
the Missoula MT area. Heading up a steep grade in a National Forest the
engine made a deep clunk noise that I thought might have been a main bearing
going south. We stopped, let it cool, checked oil and coolant, and got out
of there. We took it easy, 50-55 mph but it made the same noise going up
Lookout Pass (MT to ID on I-90) and I eased up on the gas and we crested at
15-20 mph on the shoulder. Ran fine downhill, through Spokane, stopped for
the night having travelled about 150 miles after the first clunks.
The next day we kept it at 50-55 most of the way and crested Snoqualmie Pass
around 40 mph with no apparent problems and made it home ~250 miles. I did
add ATF (about a cup) and one quart engine oil after Lookout Pass but before
Snoqualmie.
I have been having some coolant problems and have been needing to top off
the filler tank occasionally. In one rest stop, it did overflow a bit, but
the gauge never ran higher than 5/8 (OK, maybe 11/16, but not 3/4) and after
the clunk I ran the heaters if it got past 1/2. It always ran less than 1/2
on extended downhills and 1/2.
A friend (with no VW experience) says it's unlikely I could have made it
back 400 miles with a main bearing going south and suggested a loose motor
mount might make such a noise. The van has 240K miles on the odometer and
has had some engine work done in the past (probably goes without saying),
but I sensed both engine and trans were near the end of the wear cycles when
we bought him. With this trip, we have put about 2500 miles on him, but
this was the longest and most strenuous trip we've been on.
Any ideas? Thanks.
Mark & Jennifer
86 Weekender Wolfsburg Edition, "Monty"
