Date:         Mon, 30 Jul 2012 08:25:13 -0700
Reply-To:     den jolliffe <sondancer77@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         den jolliffe <sondancer77@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Continuing saga 82 aircooled 2.0l westy emission failure issues
              update
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"Actually nothing is fixed by adjusting the hydraulic lifter. Just a cover up
for another problem unless they were not adjusted correctly to begin with.
Anytime the valves are adjusted the adjuster screws should be replaced. They
do get a wear line from siding on the valve stem. Move that line and the
screw and valve tip can chewed up."

Nothing fixed....but it tells you the real story of what is going on...one of the reasons I do adjust the hydraulic lifters...flame proof suit on....to track what can be wearing in the valve train....particularly with AMC heads....not adjusting hydraulics assumes there is no mechanical wear in the valve train and when there is that the hydraulic lifter somehow magicly knows how to adjust for that...IMHO not reality based on the many dozens of air cooled hydraulic engines I've had apart/serviced.
 
EXAMPLE: I adjusted a 2.0 solids engine air cooled in a bay last week...AMC heads with under 3000 miles...all 4 exhaust valves were tight...it would barely idle before, actually started with just the key after...owner said it has never started with just the key without feathering the gas pedal...
 
EXAMPLE 2: An 80 2.0 hydraulics engine in a Westie that is maticulously maintained...the owner was told hydraulics never needed adjustment, so he didn't...engine was really down on power with the odd pop out the exhaust...lifters were up to one turn too tight due to valve train wear...adjusted correctly the idle came back and some of the lost power returned...exhaust pops stopped, but the damage is done IMHO.
 
MY thoughts are AMC heads are a decent casting, but the valves used are very soft, and the single angle valve seat cut is not sufficient for use with todays fuel....good quality German made sodium exhausts and a three angle valve seat cut along with regular hydraulic lifter adjustment every 10K miles will add up to many more carefree miles.
 
I'll step off the soapbox now...us old boys still need to vent don't you know...I can't believe what I did PDI/blue blanket service on in 72/73 is being called vintage vehicles today.....zowie, where did the years go.