TheSamba.com :: View topic - 1978 VW Westfalia bus valve adjustment question

Sun Oct 17, 2010 9:57 pm

Hi everyone. I have a 1978 VW Westfalia bus with a type 4 2.0 engine. Read everything I could on adjusting valves on this engine including Ratwell's site and books by Tom Wilson, John Muir and the Bentley Manual. Clearly I could identify whether I have hydraulic (what they are supposed to be) or solid lifters by pulling them out and inspecting them but I do not want to risk messing anything up by doing that for the first time (out of fear!), so what I did was assume that they are hydraulic and adjusted them according to ratwell's website by getting to TDC on #1 backing of the lock nut, adjust screw so it just touches the top of valve and then turn adjusting screw 1.5 turns to the right (tighten/preload) and then of course rotate engine 180 degrees and then do each cylinder in sequence. Once done doing that tried to start engine and got no combustion. So redid valve adjustment to where each adjusting screw on each valve is just touching the valve (of course rotating engine 180, and doing them in sequence). No tighter and no looser. Now engine fires right up and I have combustion.

Would this be considered a sign that I do not have hydraulic lifters?

I understand that if I have solid lifters I need to adjust them all to .006, but am just curious if this situation would be a dead give away as to the type I have.

Also I know that most say if hydraulic no adjustment is necessary, but being that I'm not the original owner of this bus I just want to make sure that they are in fact adjusted correctly from the get go as I have no idea what any previous owners may have done to this engine in the past.

I have driven the bus as they are currently adjusted (just a few miles per trip) and bus runs pretty good actually but I have noticed that she heats up pretty quick so not wanting to take any chances I need to adjust the valves properly so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for any help in advance,
Scott

Sun Oct 17, 2010 10:07 pm

This may answer some of your questions:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=436214&highlight=

Mon Oct 18, 2010 12:52 am

Steel push rods or aluminium push rods, that is the question. Only your magnet knows for sure.

Certainly sounds like solids at this point. Solids can have steel push rods if they are aftermarket, but in that case the lash should probably be set close to zero and not .006".

Mon Oct 18, 2010 1:01 am

^ Yeah, but keep in mind: Don't check the tip, gotta check the shaft of the pushrod to see if it's magnetic. Super easy to pull one out, just a couple nuts and a rocker will come off. While it's out, might as well shine a light down the tube, see if you can see a circlip on the lifter, indicating hydraulic lifters.

I'm betting you have solids.

Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:29 am

This was a simple method of confirmation that worked for me, and revealed hydraulics:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=436214

Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:18 am

Thanks for everyone's input and advice. I'm pretty sure I have solid lifters and have adjusted them to .006. All seems well with the exception of one valve that seems to be knocking a bit so may have to adjust that one slightly differently.

Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:15 pm

So did you determine yet if they are aluminum or steel pushrods?
Just knowing that you have solid lifters isn't enough. Like mentioned, steel adjusts differently.

Tue Oct 19, 2010 4:52 pm

Desertbusman,

I did not pull the push rods to find out as I mentioned earlier I'm afraid to screw something up if I do pull them since I'm not a professional. But the bus does seem to be running much better now that I've done the adjustment to .006 and the overheating issue seems to have gone away.

Tue Oct 19, 2010 5:44 pm

usphotographer wrote: Desertbusman,

I did not pull the push rods to find out as I mentioned earlier I'm afraid to screw something up if I do pull them since I'm not a professional. But the bus does seem to be running much better now that I've done the adjustment to .006 and the overheating issue seems to have gone away.
bad thinking dude.
1st you are adjusting the lifters to a spec for an unknown type of lifter.
its really easy to check, then you will know for sure, also, its not uncommon for people to find hyds and solids, and there was one guy who bought a bus, couldnt adjust the lifters, then after so many people bitching saying, "YOU GOTTA LOOK!!!" come to find out, there were no lifters in the bore on one of the cylinders..so knowing that just look..JOE!! :wink:

Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:14 pm

78Kombi wrote: usphotographer wrote: Desertbusman,

I did not pull the push rods to find out as I mentioned earlier I'm afraid to screw something up if I do pull them since I'm not a professional. But the bus does seem to be running much better now that I've done the adjustment to .006 and the overheating issue seems to have gone away.
bad thinking dude.
1st you are adjusting the lifters to a spec for an unknown type of lifter.
its really easy to check, then you will know for sure, also, its not uncommon for people to find hyds and solids, and there was one guy who bought a bus, couldnt adjust the lifters, then after so many people bitching saying, "YOU GOTTA LOOK!!!" come to find out, there were no lifters in the bore on one of the cylinders..so knowing that just look..JOE!! :wink:
X2, 15 minutes on your back now could save your engine, all you have to do is pull one rocker assembly and a pushrod and peek down the tube, the hardest part is torquing the nuts properly after and getting the tube retainer wire back in correctly.

Tue Oct 19, 2010 6:26 pm

usphotographer, don't feel bad,
my hydro lifters act the same way. I eventually set them to zero lash and then added 1/2 turn seems to work well and all are quiet most of the time.

Wed Oct 20, 2010 3:56 am

musktchup wrote: usphotographer, don't feel bad,
my hydro lifters act the same way. I eventually set them to zero lash and then added 1/2 turn seems to work well and all are quiet most of the time.
yup I have tried 2 turns, 1/2 turn. they run cooler with less turns. but are quieter with more. so im 1.5 turns on mine...