Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2012 13:54:38 -0600
Reply-To: mcneely4@COX.NET
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Dave Mcneely <mcneely4@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: The New Vanagon Bentley Manual is Awesome!
In-Reply-To: <4F5668A2.2090006@comcast.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
Ken, your story describes exactly how I was when I first encountered this phenomenon some time ago. But, through the good folks on this list, and their "hand holding," I learned that the behavior is normal. It was just when you mentioned the valve adjustment difficulty that I thought, hmmm... . But I thought I knew that all was well. Thanks for the reassurance.
mcneely
---- Ken Wilford <kenwilfy@comcast.net> wrote:
> What you are describing is normal Vanagon lifter noise at start up.
> While it can be scarey to a Vanagon newb it is normal and after a while
> most folks just get used to it.
>
> I have had several new owners call me in panic mode because they left
> their van sit for a few days and then started it up to hear the very
> loud clacking noise of the collapsed lifter. They want to have the van
> towed to my shop directly. I tell them to calm down, drive the van
> around for about 30 mins and then call me back. They call me back and
> are happy they had someone to hold their hand and tell them that it was
> going to be "OK". :-)
>
> --
> Thanks,
> Ken Wilford
> John 3:16
> www.vanagain.com
> Phone: 856-327-4936
> Fax: 856-327-2242
>
> On 3/6/2012 12:47 PM, Dave Mcneely wrote:
> >> At 09:50 AM 3/6/2012, Ken Wilford wrote:
> >>> Here is a typical call, "My van idles funny." I ask, "Did this start
> >>> after you had some head work done?" Customer thinks I am clairvoyant.
> >>> I tell them to adjust the valves to zero lash and see if this helps.
> >>> They email me a few days later saying the problem is gone and the van is
> >>> running better than ever. If you have a little clacking adjust it to
> >>> half a turn preload and you should be good to go.
> > This confuses me a bit. My '91 waterboxer has "a little clacking" on startup, especially if it has sat for a couple of weeks (I try to get it out and drive it a bit at least that often to keep up with what might go wrong, and keep it running). It is my understanding that that is not a problem, since the lifters fill and the noise stops. I let it idle until that happens.
> >
> > Are you saying that that indicates the valves are out of adjustment? It runs very well, and gets around 20 mpg at highway running (usually 60 mph).
> >
> > mcneely
> >
>
--
David McNeely
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