Date: Tue, 7 Jul 2009 14:15:19 -0400
Reply-To: Harold Teer <teer.vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Harold Teer <teer.vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Problem Solved: Was Metallic sound when depressing the
clutch---Now happens in neutral when depressing accelerator
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Thanks everyone! What a great piece of mind to have people on the list who
can provide me with suggestions. Monday morning, I tightened the water pump
belt and the power steering belt to see if that made any difference and it
didn't. The metallic squeal was still there sporadically when I shifted
gears, at idle when revving the engine and sometimes at around 30-40 miles
per hour.
Using the shop list on Larry Chase's site, it sounded like a competent,
honest, and fair mechanic was located near Burlington, VT. Craig's VW
Repair is located on 96 Elm Court, Colchester, VT. While his shop is
located off of Prim Rd, the address on Larry's site is wrong. Craig is
everything he is cracked up to be. I pulled in around 4:00 pm, explained
the problem and asked if I could set up a time for him to look at the van
the next day. He said something like, "lets take a ride and let me hear
what you hear so I know what I am facing". So, he dropped what he was
doing, cleaned his hands and jumped in the van. I drove awhile and he drove
awhile and he pronounced the problem to be either a disintegrating catalytic
converter or something loose on the exhaust system. Back at his shop, he
jacked up the left side of the van, got out a rubber mallet and started
hitting things. After about 6 hits, he found the problem. The left hand
side exhaust system hanger had been bypassed by a previous mechanic with a
welded rod and the old hanger was sometimes rubbing on the rod. Craig fixed
the offending hanger and we were out of there in about 45 minutes. He
charged me so little that I paid him twice what he asked, and for me it was
a bargain at that.
Scott had it right with his diagnosis. That is the second time he has come
up with a solution to one of my problems.
Later, that evening when checking into Grand Isle State Park near
Burlington, I noticed that one of the park rangers had a Vanagon. We
started talking and I told him of my experience with Craig. The ranger
seconded my opinion and told me how highly regarded Craig is in the local VW
community.
On Tuesday, our trip continues with piece of mind and the hope that a bad
exhaust hanger is the worst problem we face on our drive to Newfoundland and
back.
Thanks everyone and I will try and post pictures on our return.
Harold
___
Harold Teer
1991 Westy (Vangaux)
Harrisonburg, VA
2009/7/5 Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
> HI Harold,
> it's starting to sound like an engine rattle .......if noise is there with
> trans in neutral and not touching the clutch pedal.....
> water pumps wear out ........they can get loose and be shot, but not
> actually leak sometimes.
> I've never seen one make noise though, but it's easy, and worthwhile to
> undo the alternator belt from the w. pump and alternator pulleys and spin
> things by hand.
>
> hydrualic lifter noise comes to mind ........though usually that's at idle
> and all revs above that.
> piston or rod knock/rattle ?
> how's the oil lever, condition, grade, and age ?
>
> can you produce the sound standing at the engine, and reving it by the
> throttle lever ?
> is it one side or the other ? or in the middle ?
> loose/tired exahsut .....
> yeah............easily could be that - to test for that .......a fast
> simple test.....engine off, kick the muffler with your foot, listening for
> rattles.
> my 'wild hunch' leans towards investigating the cat and muffler.
> or just loose brakcets and such.
> The alternator on your yher van ( 2.1 engine right ? ) is famous for
> getting loose and rattling or floppy around a little. I've seen dozens of
> cases of that syndrom.
> elft long enough ........it can break the mounting bracket, even break off
> studs in the engine .
> check that out for sure.
> I looked at one 86 Westy for sale for $ 9,000 ( it was about 5,000 down on
> repairs too ) ........one glance at it idling and the floppy around
> alternator was most obvious.........to me, but not to the VW shop that had
> checked out the van for the sellers. This loose alternator was as plain to
> see as a flat tire actually.
>
> hope you figure it out !
> scott
> www.turbovans.com
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> *From:* Harold Teer <teer.vanagon@gmail.com>
> *To:* Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@turbovans.com>
> *Cc:* vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
> *Sent:* Sunday, July 05, 2009 8:50 AM
> *Subject:* Was Metallic sound when depressing the clutch---Now happens in
> neutral when depressing accelerator
>
> OK,
>
> I can now give a much better description of the problem. The other
> evening, the sound had gone away and I was going from my memory which was
> faulty.
>
> I can now sometimes replicate the sound when the van is stopped, the
> emergency brake on, the transmission in neutral, the clutch not depressed,
> and I accelerate the engine. The sound (metallic squeal) happens if I
> accelerate to about 3000 rpms and the sound briefly occurs there and when I
> release the accelerator. It does not sound like a squealing belt but does
> have that kind of sound except that it is more metallic in nature.
> Transmission and clutch operation are smooth.
>
> Now, I am starting to think it could be the water pump. Not leaking yet
> that I can see and I have lost no coolant in the 1,000 miles since we have
> left home.
>
> What do you think? Will try and check email this evening or in the
> morning.
>
> Harold
> ___
> Harold Teer
> 1991 Westy (Vangaux)
> Harrisonburg, VA
>
>
>
>
> On Sat, Jul 4, 2009 at 8:05 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans <
> scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>
>> Could you describe the noise please !
>> a whining sound, a crunch. a pop, a clunk...........etc.
>> more than 'metallic sound' if you can.
>>
>> do the clutch pedal and shifter feel totally normal and smooth ?
>> ........like there is *no* symptom, except the noise .........or is there
>> 'a strange feel' in either the clutch pedal or shifter ?
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Harold Teer" <teer.vanagon@GMAIL.COM>
>> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
>> Sent: Friday, July 03, 2009 5:40 PM
>> Subject: Metallic sound when depressing the clutch
>>
>>
>>
>> My wife are on our way from Virginia to Newfoundland and are now in
>>> Brattleboro,Vermont heading to Maine. I just noticed a new sound from
>>> our
>>> 91 Westy and am wondering if anyone can give me a best guess as to what
>>> may
>>> be causing the noise. I have Larry's list of shops on my computer so can
>>> access it to find a shop but wanted some ideas before hunting for a shop
>>> next week.
>>>
>>> The transmission shifts easily and the van is running great. The
>>> transmission fluid has been changed every couple of years and it was
>>> changed
>>> before this trip. However, sometimes when I put the clutch in to shift
>>> from
>>> 1st to 2nd and from 2nd to 3rd, a metallic sound momentarily emits from
>>> the
>>> rear of the van. After I get the van in the next gear, the noise goes
>>> away. Once or twice, the noise continued for a few seconds after the
>>> clutch
>>> was released. The noise does not happen every time I shift and I think
>>> it
>>> is related to the clutch and not the transmission itself.
>>>
>>> Ideas and thoughts appreciated,
>>>
>>> Harold
>>> ___
>>> Harold Teer
>>> 1991 Westy (Vangaux)
>>> Harrisonburg, VA
>>>
>>
>>
>
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