Date:         Tue, 3 Nov 2009 10:39:17 -0500
Reply-To:     greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Greg Potts <greg@POTTSFAMILY.CA>
Subject:      Re: A few "new" Engine Questions: (Oil Change interval - Lifter
              noise)
Comments: To: Jeff Lincoln <magikvw@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <c803c1a70911030550v74ef6e3dk2ac10df0a5072bec@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; DelSp="Yes"; format="flowed"

Hi Jeff,

Congrats on the accomplishment!

When I did my own overheat refurb job I had a heck of a time getting  
the valve train set up right afterwards. The pushrods weren't quite  
sitting centered in the lifters and once I started up the engine it  
was pretty loud and clattered like there was a bag of hammers under  
the hood.

Drive it around for about 20-30 minutes and that should pump up the  
lifters. I wound up readjusting mine about 2-3 times before I got  
everything centered up and since then it's been quiet and reliable.

Personally I was lucky this past year to have TWO spare WBX's  
available and I was able to avoid extended times without a van. But  
having had as much trouble as I have I am not sure I would be willing  
to invest a lot of time and $$$ into another WBX.... I have pretty  
much decided that my next major investment in the van will involve a  
Zetec conversion.

Happy Trails,

Greg



Quoting Jeff Lincoln <magikvw@GMAIL.COM>:

> Now that I have everything working - I have a couple of questions for those
> of you who know :)
>
> While my "new" engine isn't a fresh rebuild nor is it new it did sit for an
> unknown amount of time. So does it require a kind of break in period? Should
> I change the oil after a small amount of miles? I mean maybe it doesn't
> matter at all since it's not new - but I wondered because it had been
> sitting (possibly for several years).
>
> The second thing i wanted to ask is about lifter noise. I've heard a lot
> about it here over the years but have never experienced it (or at least I
> don't think I have) - well I think I am experiencing this now - can anyone
> explain the sound this would make? I would say waht I am hearing isn't a
> knock or a ping really - I'm not sure what I would call it. I understand
> that if this is the lifters this should correct itself once they are pumped
> back up - how long does that take?
>
> Thanks again for everything.
>
> --
> Thanks,
>
> Jeff
> '90 Carat (Grover)
> '86 (We call this one Parts)
> '78 Bus (Melissa) Patty's Bus
>