clatter, unearthly

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Art McGinn - 28 Jul 2008 07:01 GMT

folks: this "problem" keeps coming up and i've yet to discover what
causes it. it's an unearthly clatter from the engine of our '81 vanagon
after it has been parked for a few days. after the engine runs for a
little while, the clatter fades away, as if it never happened. there
seems to be no loss of power while the racket runs its course. it sounds
like a broken valve or a valve-lifter that's not getting oil or some
other metal-on-metal activity. it sounds like a death rattle. several
years ago i had another '81 -- and it did the same thing under the same
circumstances. anybody have a similar experience?

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Jan Andersson - 28 Jul 2008 12:48 GMT

> folks: this "problem" keeps coming up and i've yet to discover what
> causes it. it's an unearthly clatter from the engine of our '81 vanagon
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> years ago i had another '81 -- and it did the same thing under the same
> circumstances. anybody have a similar experience?

the hydraulic lifters are bleeding out while it sits, and therefore
they7 make the valve clearance grow huge. Once you start the engine, the
oil pressure pumps them back up and everything is fine. You don't need
to worry about it, but it would be nice if you could take the lifters
out and clean them. Requires disassembly, they are made of a couple of
parts. If you do take them out (with a magnet, no need to tear down
engine. ) make sure you mark them really well or do them one by one, to
make SURE they go in the same hole they came out of.

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Art McGinn - 28 Jul 2008 18:36 GMT

jan: that's a relief to know. many thanks for your explanation. art

>> folks: this "problem" keeps coming up and i've yet to discover what
>> causes it. it's an unearthly clatter from the engine of our '81
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
> engine. ) make sure you mark them really well or do them one by one, to
> make SURE they go in the same hole they came out of.

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Michael Rogers - 29 Jul 2008 01:26 GMT

>>> folks: this "problem" keeps coming up and i've yet to discover what
>>> causes it. it's an unearthly clatter from the engine of our '81 vanagon
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>>> years ago i had another '81 -- and it did the same thing under the same
>>> circumstances. anybody have a similar experience?

I've got a new factory long block with hydraulic lifters that will do the
came thing on #1 exhaust if the motor stops in a certain position, the rest
are fine.

Fatus Mikus

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