Date: Sun, 9 Sep 2012 16:01:26 -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: Low compression, more test results
In-Reply-To: <CAFNeVpFFWDJ3nw+ouUqaDFNd1DtquzNCoqvjZ9q==46HPy8VYg@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252; format=flowed
Hi Tom ...
great goal ..getting your Westy in a solid state of repair and maintainance.
Depending on age and miles ...and previous 'service' or lack of service ..
there can be quite a few areas to address.
rather blasphemous to mention ......and Not a substitue for real repairs ..
there is a Lucas oil product that is 'engine oil stop leak'. Lucas is a
very good brand as near as I can tell . No product of theirs has ever
done me wrong.
You can do local camping in your westy perhaps. Doesn't have to be a
trip of hundreds of miles.
I am a very, very big believer in ..
drive it quite frequently ...make notes of things to fine tune and check ...
be it tightening loose screws, or lubing mechanism or whatever..
just the attention and 'psychic healing factor' makes your van and
your relationship with it much better.
as it is in aircraft maintanece ......you could start a list of things
to check and service..
and one by one, do them. Whether checking CV joints and boots..
or transmission oil level and conidtion or whatever....how worn the rear
wheel brgs are say ...lots of things to consider .
They are much better and happier vans with proactive care.
when I get a 'new to me van' ..there are about 50 things on it that need
inspecting or servicing right away usually, even more, ..and sooner or
later I get to them all.
have fun ! Scott
www.turbovans.com
On 9/9/2012 9:38 AM, Tom Carchrae wrote:
> Thanks Dennis, much appreciated.
>
> I will investigate and get a further clarification on the lash cap
> work from the mechanic. Loose bits in the engine is not good,
> although we have put over 2000 miles on it since, so perhaps this is
> not the case or they are 'safely' hiding somewhere in there...
>
> That side of the engine was not in good shape before this work;
> leaking push rod tubes (replaced) and valve cover. There is still a
> minor oil leak around the oil pump - it looks to me like the oil seal
> is damaged around the pump (bits of red seal are 'dangling' around
> it). The transmission has a bigger leak around the drive seal (parts
> in hand, just need some time), so I have just been monitoring the
> engine oil leaks.
>
> I am slowly succumbing, admittedly with some pleasure, to the fact
> that camping in a westy may not be the primary experience... well, or
> it will make your mechanic rich. Having been stuck in the middle of
> nowhere a few times, I'm more motivated to do my own work and get the
> van to a state where I am confident it is in good repair.
>
> Tom
>
>
> On Sun, Sep 9, 2012 at 9:22 AM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> In order for there to be so much clearance that the adjusting screws can't
>> reach the valve stem one of two things has happened. Either the valve stem
>> is extremely worn or more likely the lifter was adjusted allowing for some
>> lash and it pounded to the point that the snap ring that holds the internals
>> together busted out and when the valves were last touched those parts are
>> now sitting in the bottom of the engine. I would pull the push rod out and
>> inspect the lifter. The lifter can be replaced using one of those
>> collapsible push rod tubes. Hopefully the piston, spring, clip etc. will not
>> work their way into something like the camshaft gear.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
>> Tom Carchrae
>> Sent: Sunday, September 09, 2012 11:36 AM
>> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
>> Subject: Re: Low compression, more test results
>>
>> The lash caps were added, so I was told (and from what I remember) because
>> there was not sufficient turn in the valve adjuster. I know next to nothing
>> about adjusting valves, so I am also curious to know if this sounds like a
>> reasonable thing to do. It apparently brought compression in one cylinder
>> back from 90 to 130 or something like that.
>>
>> Scott: would you add these additives after an oil change, or just before an
>> oil change? I was considering adding a bottle of MMO or ATF and then
>> driving 100 miles or so before changing the oil. Is it ok to run the engine
>> with that kind of additive all the time (and if so, how much)? Or is the
>> general schedule something like give it a big dose if it has not been done
>> in a while/ever, change oil, then give it a small dose. A bit like a trip
>> to the dentist for the first time in 10
>> years and then starting to brush your teeth every day... I've also
>> been told to give it a dose of Seafoam - but it sounds like it's all the
>> same type of thing, detergents that clean out the crust.
>>
>> Tom
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sat, Sep 8, 2012 at 5:29 PM, Scott Daniel - Turbovans
>> <scottdaniel@turbovans.com> wrote:
>>> It's good to add a hydrualic lifter additive to the oil on old
>>> waterboxer engines.
>>> It's not just from sitting ..
>>> it's from being goo-ed up over time.
>>> I always put in some treatment or cleaner..
>>> CD-2 , marvel mystery oil etc.
>>>
>>> last caps aren't usually needed in my experience, fwiw.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 9/8/2012 5:05 PM, Larry Alofs wrote:
>>>> " and adding lash caps."
>>>>
>>>> Can someone explain about lash caps?
>>>>
>>>> Larry A.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, Sep 8, 2012 at 10:56 AM, Tom Carchrae <tom@carchrae.net> wrote:
>>>>> Hi Stuart,
>>>>>
>>>>> My van had low compression on one cylinder when I bought it earlier
>>>>> this year. I took it to a mechanic (here in Vancouver) and he was
>>>>> able to restore the compression on my engine by adjusting the valves
>>>>> and adding lash caps. This included adjusting one to 0 lash.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm not convinced my engine is well just yet. I've had a series of
>>>>> coolant issues, possible minor head gasket leak, but not confirmed.
>>>>> Anyway, van runs quite well, although certainly not fast, it seems
>>>>> to have a reasonable amount of power. I did get overtaken by
>>>>> another vanagon going up a very steep mountain hill; after that I
>>>>> started to get engine envy/doubt again. :)
>>>>>
>>>>> The worst scare so far has been starting it after it sitting for a
>>>>> few weeks. Oh the horrid tapping! A quick Google said lifters are
>>>>> prone to draining if left sit, so I crossed my fingers and drove it
>>>>> for a while and now it sounds fine again.
>>>>>
>>>>> Tom
>>>>>
>>>>> On Fri, Sep 7, 2012 at 7:52 PM, Stuart MacMillan
>>>>> <stuartmacm@gmail.com>
>>>>> wrote:
>>>>>> Well, for those who have been following by email thread about
>>>>>> making the mistake of checking compression on my 140k mile original
>>>>>> engine
>>>>>> (90-150-100-130) I’ve done some more tests.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 1. Valves were zero lash or 1 turn in, no valve noise, timing
>> dead
>>>>>> on
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 2. Manifold vacuum is 12” Hg with ±1” tick (should be steady
>>>>>> 17-21)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 3. No detectable vacuum leaks (propane test), all vacuum hoses
>>>>>> new.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 4. 22% leak down on #1, could hear leakage all three places, but
>>>>>> exhaust and intake were louder than the dipstick, with the exhaust
>>>>>> being the worst. (Should have used the decibel meter on my iPhone,
>>>>>> but I didn’t want to get it greasy ;-) ). Didn’t bother testing
>>>>>> the others after this result.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 5. Does not burn oil (in 1000 miles at least) Plugs that came in
>>>>>> it
>>>>>> were clean.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 6. PO installed reman AFM recently
>>>>>>
>>>>>> 7. Idles smooth (as any of them anyway), runs well, no coolant
>>>>>> leaks,
>>>>>> but has poor acceleration and poor gas mileage (~15 mpg highway).
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Looks like it’s got some leaking valves. No surprise this rig is
>>>>>> worn out, I assumed it was, but I could drive it home at least. I
>>>>>> hope I can get a few thousand more miles out of it so I can save
>>>>>> some dough for a conversion!
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Sometimes ignorance is bliss, but never for long. I waited until
>>>>>> after my planned summer trips to check the engine condition, so I
>>>>>> was blissfully ignorant on purpose. I’m still planning a couple of
>>>>>> fall trips nearby though. What the hell, I’ve got AAA premier.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Stuart
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ’85 Westy, purchased in May
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