Date:         Tue, 15 May 2012 12:10:49 -0700
Reply-To:     Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Daniel - Turbovans <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject:      Re: what clues about engine health can I get...
Comments: To: Kenneth Lewis <kdlewis@NORTHSTATE.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <62175.162.58.82.136.1337082580.squirrel@webmail.northstate.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

if you're checking that ..
see how beat up the rocker arm screws are where they contact the valve
stems.

the valves stems should be hard enough material that they don't mushroom
for a long long time.

On 5/15/2012 4:49 AM, Kenneth Lewis wrote:
> Alistar,
> Pull the rocker arms and look for mushrooming valve stem ends. If you are
> not going to use the engine for a while, just leave them off to relieve
> pressure on the springs and hydraulic lifters. Check for collapsed or
> spongy lifters.
>
> Ken
>
>
> On Mon, May 14, 2012 4:11 pm, Alistair Bell wrote:
>> when engine on bench?
>>
>> I had to move my spare engine, again, while working in the barn.  I need
>> to decide what to do with it. Came as a spare with my syncro. was given to
>> the seller by a friend. Supposedly pulled from van to make way for
>> conversion.
>>
>> What I can see upon casual observation:
>>
>> - oil leak from base of crankcase breather tower (seen that before!)
>> - minor oil weeping from one valve cover
>> - pushrod tubes shiny, oil and rust free
>> - oil pump endplay 0.004" (good)
>> - water pump seized
>> - crank can be rotated, there is compression. I suppose I could rig up my
>> spare bellhousing and starter to spin the bugger and test compression.
>>
>>
>>
>> So what else can I look at apart from pulling the heads?
>>
>> alistair
>>
>>