Date:         Thu, 14 Dec 1995 10:47:22 -0800 (PST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         David Schwarze <des@teleport.com>
Subject:      Re: jump!

Eric Baden writes:
> 
> Thanks to those who responded to my questions re: hydraulic lifters and 
> setting the valve timing. I got a friend to turn the engine giving me the 
> opportunity to view the valve train. As I thought the distributor was in 
> 180 degrees off, so I switched the plug wires to begin at the new #1 
> firing position.  I've cranked it over and it putt puttputt brrrr 
> almost starts up but it seems I'm just not getting enough juice to keep 

Did you adjust the hydraulic lifters properly?  I did mine the way the
book said - bled them in a big tin full of oil till I couldn't depress
the plunger *at all*, then installed the valve gear, and turned the
adjusting screw till it touched the valve, then two additional turns.
This caused the valve to open slightly.

This scares me, cause as far as I know, all of the valves are open
slightly, which would mean that the cylinders have no compression.  I'm
assuming that when the engine is turned over a few times the valves will
adjust themselves so the clearence is nil (but the valves are closing).
Perhaps your lifters haven't made this adjustment yet?  That could be
why the engine doesnt catch and is turning over so easily (no
compression!!).  Anyone know for sure if this is how the hydraulic
lifters work?

-David

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David Schwarze                     '73 VW Safare Custom Camper  (Da Boat)
San Diego  (Actually La Mesa)      '72 VW Westfalia Camper      (Da Project)
California, USA                    '73 Capri GT 2800            (Da Beast)
e-mail: des@teleport.com           '87 Mustang Lx 5.0           (14.17@99.34)
http://www.teleport.com/~des       '93 Weber WG-50              (Da Piano)
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