Noisey Hydraulic Lifters "squishy"...welcome any i

[testarossaguy]

Last night I decided to look into the "clatter" issue with my 2000 mexibeetle. I started the engine and warmed it up for a few minutes, to get the lifters pumped up. Shut motor off. Turn to TDC for number 1 cylinder. Remove the rocker covers. Push on the rocker arm and observe movement. As it turns out, the intakes for cylinders 1, 2, and 3 were all squishy. There was no clearance between the rocker arm and the push rod, but with my thumb I could collapse the lifter about .080" to .120" or so. I backed out the adjuster screw, and inserted a .002" feeler gage, and then tightened the adjuster until there was drag on the gage, then removed gage, and tighted 1.5 turns. I did this for all of the soft lifters. Started up the motor, the rattle noise is reduced by about 30% to 50% I would estimate. I have read through a procedure concerning these hydraulic lifters, and how to fix them. So my next step is an oil and filter change. If that doesn't do it...I'm afraid I'll have to pull the motor out and open up the crank case....I am NOT looking forward to that if it becomes necessary.

Has anyone else gone through this experience with hydraulic lifters? If so can you please tell me about it? Thank You......

[bon2198]

i have hydraulic lifters and have only adjusted them once, when i put them in. 1.5 turns past zero. i once didn't start the car for a few weeks doing an interior project and they clattered for a few mins until they were pumped up. but after that they were fine. i would adjust them all 1.5 turns past zero, do your oil change and see what happens. you can change the lifters without having to pull the motor if you have a good long magnet.
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1970 VW Beetle 1776cc MOFOCO w/hydraulic lifters, 042 heads and dual dellorto's
"It's better to be hated for what you are than loved for what you are not"

At the end of the day it's YOUR car so do what YOU want to it.

[testarossaguy]

Well I have some good news. When I started the car up today, it rattled just about as loud as it did before I adjusted the valves. I decided to drive over to a friend who is very VW knowledgeable and get his opinion. He wasn't very familiar with mexibeetles. I leave and go for a short drive, within maybe 2 miles.....almost ALL OF THE CLATTERING STOPPED !!!!!!! I was very happy to hear.....er.....I mean.....not hear that!

I will drive the car a bit more, and the re-verify the valve clearances. So it looks like "non-adjustable" lifters may need a periodic adjustment.

[Antonio Trejo]

The hydraulic lifters on the mexican Beetle are a proven design, having been used on the T4 engines and Wasserboxers since 1978. They are necessary for the ACD engine, as variations in valve clearance affect emissions and can cause damage to the catalytic converter. The hydraulic lifters keep optimum clearance with no user maintenance.
The lifters require greater oil flow and cleaner oil, and thus also require the spin-on-filter pump with larger gears than used on older engines. The full-flow filter keeps the oil clean to prevent fouling the lifters, and the larger gears provide more oil flow.
When properly bled and adjusted during assembly the lifters should not require re-adjustment until an engine re-build is needed.
Some owners report various problems with hydraulic lifters that can usually be traced to a couple of causes:
When adjusting the lifters, the clearance is first adjusted to zero clearance; and then an additional turn in to compress the piston in the lifter to allow them to self-adjust. This assumes that the “zero clearance” is when the valve train first contacts and the lifter piston is fully “solid” at maximum extension. If the lifter has bled down, and the “zero clearance” position is started with the lifter mechanism partly compressed, an additional turn may bottom out the lifter and keep the valve from seating fully. This can cause poor idling and valve burning.
Valve clatter can occur when one or more lifters bleed down and cause excess lash clearance before they again pump-up to proper operation. An owner may “panic” when he encounters lifter clatter, and re-adjust the valves while the lifter pistons are partly collapsed; thereby adjusting them too tightly and causing the problems noted above. There will be conditions that cause lifters to bleed down, but this is a minor issue; so don’t be too aggressive to over-react. Just drive the car fully warm and the lifters should pump up within minutes to a few days. Driven sensibly there should not be damage from this condition.
Lifter clatter seems to be worse when too heavy oil is used. When a valve stays open with the engine off, the valve spring may hold enough pressure on a lifter to cause oil to seep out. With a thick oil the lifters don’t fill again as easily as with a thinner oil. That’s why you typically have to drive with a hot engine enough to get the lifters to quiet down, as the oil thins when engine gets warm.
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Parts VW
"From Volkswagen of Mexico factory..."
Genuine VW Sedan parts
Genuine VW Ultima Edition parts
Genuine VW Type 2 watercooled parts

[DrDarby]

Very Very well said my friend.

May I add that clatter in Vanagons was very common too and having owned and worked on many Mexi beetles I find the worse thing you can do is start a cold engine such as to move the car out of the garage and shut it off. Do this a few times and it is clatter city.

Change the oil, use a QUALITY oil filter such as genuine VW, MANN or Bosch and use the one for a 1985-1991 gasoline vanagon. Use a 5W40 syntetic motor oil (I use Mobil 1 turbo diesel truck). If oil change history is suspect run a 1/2 quart of Marvel Mystery oil or Dexron ATF on top of the oil in the engine for 100 miles or so then change. 1/2 qt overfilled will not cause any harm.
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Midwest Autosavers, Inc. Crystal Lake, IL

[Bruce]

[testarossaguy]

THANK YOU VERY MUCH for this information guys.

Antonio: I read that the mexibeetle 1600i motors should use 15W50 oil, you recommend using 5w40. I will follow your recommendation. I recently bought my 2000 mexibeetle and don't know the history, but it "appears" to be very well maintained. I drove the car about 100 miles home, and it rattled the entire way. So I would assume that after that long of a drive, the lifters would be about as pumped up as they could get. The oil looks very clean. Never the less, I will change it out this weekend.

Bruce: Thank You for the tip about using the Ford 5.0 liter size oil filter...I will look into that.

Once everything is changed out and fresh, I would like to recheck the valve adjustments. What is the recommended procedure for this?

Thank You Everyone...!

[DrDarby]

It's taken up to a day's driving to get the air out of a stubborn lifter on my '04 mexi with 15W40 oil. Using the synthetic 5W40 the longest it's taken is 10 minutes and it doesn't happen as often.
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Midwest Autosavers, Inc. Crystal Lake, IL

[Bruce]

[testarossaguy]

Bruce - sorry for my typo error....I meant 15w40 oil....

[Antonio Trejo]

This is the hydraulic lifter set by VW of Mexico

_________________
Parts VW
"From Volkswagen of Mexico factory..."
Genuine VW Sedan parts
Genuine VW Ultima Edition parts
Genuine VW Type 2 watercooled parts