Date: Tue, 7 Jul 2015 21:21:16 -0400
Reply-To: Marc Perdue <mcperdue@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Marc Perdue <mcperdue@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Help! Weird noises after installing injectors...
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2015070606242214@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
Well, today was, um, interesting. I drove my van to a local shop that
is Volvo focused, but they love Vanagons. They just don't quite have
the expertise to be working on them. However, it was in short driving
distance and that was a concern to me.
At any rate, the clunking sound was caused by the plate under the
driver's side rear spring being broken and detached from the trailing
arm. That it happened after I replaced the injectors appears to be
coincidence. Unfortunately, the shop claims to not have the proper
equipment to fix this. What, you don't have a welder?!?
Second, they said the clattering noise was coming from inside the
engine and, without tearing the engine down, they couldn't really
diagnose the problem but that I might have to, worst case scenario,
replace the engine. =8^O
Because they couldn't fix these problems, they offered to only charge
me a minimal diagnostic fee of about $20.
So, fine, I says. I called Triple A and had my van towed to a shop
over in Staunton, Virginia, Complete Auto Repair, which is run by
Keith McDonald. Keith LOVES VW vans. One of his guys says, "We have a
trailing arm on one of our parts vans that's in great condition. It
will be easier just to replace the trailing arm." So, since my van
will be in good hands, I'm going to have them assess the clattering,
fix the clunking, and diagnose the problem wherein I has no power
below 2000 RPMs or so. Hopefully, in the next few days, I'll have a
great-running van that'll be festival-ready before the end of the
month.
Once that's done, I'll get an appointment with Crutchfield to assess
the problem with the right front speaker. Their lifetime warranty on
installations that they do has been totally worth the cost of having
them do the work.
After that, given that I've replaced the window seals, I'll have a van
that runs right, is water-tight, and sounds dynomite!!
I have to say, I was in the doldrums about the trailing arm, but I'm
excited that my van will soon be fixed right.
News at 11...
Marc Perdue
On Sun, Jul 5, 2015 at 11:40 PM, David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net> wrote:
> At 06:58 PM 7/5/2015, Marc Perdue wrote:
>>
>> the testing, discover there was water in my gas. I've put some Heet in
>> the tank to absorb the water and am going to replace the fuel filter
>> after the drier gas has had a chance to work through the system.
>
>
> That shouldn't take long. The fuel pump cycles at least one full
> tank through the system every hour of operation.
>
>
>> In the meantime, I was taking the van out for a test run and I'm
>> hearing two distinct new noises. The first is a fairly loud thunking
>> sound when going around corners, like some large object is loose and
>> banging against sheet metal. Driving it today, I only turned right,
>> going around the block, but it did it when I came home, turning left,
>> after the first test drive. I've looked all over the engine
>> compartment and can't find anything loose. I initially expected that I
>> had not installed the air filter correctly, but that's not the case.
>
>
> If you can't find anything underneath get someone to drive while you
> poke around and listen. Try with the engine cover off. Don't forget
> your closet and cupboards in a Westy.
>
>
>> The second noise is a fairly loud clatter that seems to be coming from
>> the driver's side of the engine and sounds like heat plates rattling
>> against something. Again, I can't find anything obvious. Would the
>> lifters make this kind of clattering noise after sitting for a while?
>> I'm frankly a bit nervous about taking it for a long drive because I'm
>> afraid I'll destroy the engine or something else.
>
>
> If you've never heard lifter clatter before it's terrifying. Twenty
> minutes driving should make it go away. When the engine stops at
> least one lifter is compressed and gradually collapses as it's
> supposed to. If it doesn't immediately fill up on starting it
> advertises, loudly. Theres only a very light spring plus pressure in
> the oil galleries to make the lifter expand, and the piston is an
> extraordinarily close fit in the bore
>
>
>> I know this is some fairly general information and hardly actionable,
>
>
> It's ok, I'm nog going to sue you -- as you say it's hardly actionable. ;)
>
> Yrs,
> d
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