Date:         Mon, 30 Dec 1996 17:14:57 +0000
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Scott Maurer <smaur@worldnet.att.net>
Subject:      Crankcase breather sludge?

At 07:32 PM 12/26/96 +0000, you wrote:
>Cetin had written

... it's
>actually a nice system, just prone to the actuator getting gummed up with
>sludge from the crankcase breather.  but it is easily cleanable and has
>enough range of motion to keep the engine running when it is stiff and cold.
>
How do you clean up any sludge that has gotten into the throttle valve
housing via the "crankcase breather?"

I discovered sludge/blockage in my crankcase breather hose while rebuilding
my "84 Vanagon GL 1.9L. Now I suspect problems downstream.  There is no
vacuum at the throttle valve housing fitting (early version), for ignition
timing retard. Is there anything I'd damage inside this fitting if I attempt
to push something through it to "unblock" it?

Are there other items in this area susceptible to blockage from any sludge
that may have made its way through the crankcase breather hose? 

The engine I rebuilt from was full of sludge. The PO said he used a local
store brand oil. When I dismantled the engine, it had uncirculated new oil
near the oil filler that could not reach the crankshaft because of excessive
sludge blockage... 2 piston rods were seized to that crankshaft.