TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1987 Vanagon lifter tick after sitting 3 years

Sun Jan 08, 2012 5:39 pm

Okay, so I'm resurrecting a guys 1987 Vanagon that's been sitting for quite some time. Today I changed the oil and installed Mobile 1 5w-30 synthetic. After a tune up consisting of new wires, plugs, cap, and rotor I fired it up. The engine runs okay but has a very loud clicking sound which I'm hoping is a few flat lifters. I ran the engine at a fast idle for about 30 minutes but no help. From reading the forum I'm seeing people adding a pint of Marvel and even some ATF. I have some ATF on the shelf but would have to fly for the MMO so what do you guys think. Add some ATF and see what happens? Is it possible to remove the rockers and pull the lifters like in a late bay? Maybe I could manually clean and bleed. Of course easier is better so I'm guessing it's best to try an additive first...

Sun Jan 08, 2012 5:47 pm

I had that in my 89 after it sat for about a month. I put in some SeaFoam, drove it on the freeway for about a half mile or so, and the lifter noise when away. Those hydraulic lifters sometimes take some time to fill with oil.

Brent

Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:04 pm

My lifters tick after 3 weeks!
Fast idle is not enough, take it for a half hour drive and it should go away. If not then an adjustment my be necessary.
Ben's process here works for 2.1 also: http://www.benplace.com/1700valves.htm
I like MMO.

Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:05 pm

I had the same issue with my syncro that had been sitting. I added a quart of regular ATF and it went away after one drive. I now add a half quart of MMO to every oil change and all is well.

Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:19 pm

Hey Aeromech:

You have to run the engine at about 3,000 rpm to build the oil pressure to fill the lifters. It sounds horrible while you do this, but it is the only way to get the lifters to pump up. Idle will not do it, nor a fast idle. On one vanagon I had that sat unused for over a year, it took about 25 minutes at 3,000 RPM to finally eliminate lifter noise, so be patient.

Once your vehicle is ready for the road, you definitely will want a more viscous oil. These WBX engines have lots of bearing clearance and rather loose oil pump clearances as well and need 20W-50 or thereabouts for sustained highway driving.

Having said that, the thinner oil will allow your lifters to pump up more quickly. I would not suggest risking ATF for any longer than the time it takes to quiet those lifters with an oil change immediately thereafter.

You will find lifter ticking on the next start up after any occasion when the engine was run briefly and not brought to full oil and coolant running temps, such as when car-jockeying on your driveway. It is nothing to worry about and disappears quickly.

Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:28 pm

Okay guys,
I think the next thing to try is some atf and a 30 minute run at 3000 rpm in my driveway. Hopefully that will do the trick. Once quieted down should I then change the oil? Also, I have several kinds of oil, mostly it's Castrol but I do have Mobile 1 as well. I can run the following from my stock.

Castrol 5w30 edge
Castrol 10W30 syntec
Castrol 20w50 Dino
Castrol 10w40 Dino
Mobil 1 5w30 syn
Mobile 1 0w40 syn

and maybe a few others. What would you recommend

Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:40 pm

Mine sat for several years before I became the owner, and it came with that sickly lifter noise. I drove it for a few months, trying various of the additives but for me the noise only went away when I changed the lifters with the head-reseal job.

Just saying sometimes the ones that have sat for +2 years could be truly damaged and unsalvageable;although I agree with the others here that you should take it for a good highway run to get that oil temp up.

Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:44 pm

mine sat for a year, ticked...i did an oil change and added a half quart of MMO and ran her on the freeway. no noise now

Sun Jan 08, 2012 6:47 pm

Use the 20W50 or even better, 15W40 for the additive package.

Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:14 pm

Ditto - just tough it out. First time my lifters pumped down, I just about had a heart attack! So much noise! It's okay.

Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:39 pm

I suspect you know where I'm going with this, but what did you do to clean out the old fuel?

Sun Jan 08, 2012 9:03 pm

Get it out on the road and drive it till it quits ticking. Don't monkey around.

Mon Jan 09, 2012 5:50 am

Tram wrote: Get it out on the road and drive it till it quits ticking. Don't monkey around.

X2

Use some MMO and then drive it on the road or highway over 3000RPM until it subsides. I wouldn't do it in the driveway, but that's just me.

Mon Jan 09, 2012 7:20 am

Driving it isn't possible because it hasn't been registered in about 3 years and I'm sure it's not insured.

The fuel tank was empty when I got it towed to me. Someone had yanked the filler tube out of the tank and lost the rubber bung so I had to replace that.

The backstory on the Van is that this was Kip's years ago when he was a poor college student. Since then he's become the CEO of his own Hydroponics company located near San Francisco. Now, against the advice of several people close to him he wants to restore it and then take it back home to the bay area.

Since it had been parked for so long unattended it was abused by some street people and a few items taken or destroyed. I've been working to fix all that.

Sun May 13, 2012 11:50 am

Howesight wrote: Hey Aeromech:

You will find lifter ticking on the next start up after any occasion when the engine was run briefly and not brought to full oil and coolant running temps, such as when car-jockeying on your driveway. It is nothing to worry about and disappears quickly.

I had some ticking this AM, but I moved my van yesterday in the driveway, so I am sure this is it. My gut told me to go drive it for 30 minutes and heat it, but I decided to come back home... I think now I will plan on driving some time this week to get the oil heated up and I am sure she will be fine.

Gotta love thesamba and the Search feature... :-)

Thanks.