clatter, unearthly

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?

Art McGinn wrote:
> 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?
>


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.

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



Jan Andersson wrote:
> Art McGinn wrote:
>> 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?
>>
>
>
> 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.

> Jan Andersson wrote:
>> Art McGinn wrote:
>>> 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?


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