Woe is me! Death rattle?

[Dartmoor]

Just very recently when I start my Aircooled 2litre from cold there is a bar rattle/knocking - when you open the hatch at the back, it sounds like its coming from the crankshaft pulley...which, er, means the crankshaft?? It not a trivial squeakly noise that you might get from a slipping belt, or noisy alternator - a harded mechanical noise. So, I need to get it checked - is this a death rattle?? Hmm...new engine? And my worst fear...can I even get a good recon 2 litre a/c?

[perro]

I wouldnt worry to much think you will find its the tappets . If its a hard mechanical rattle and the van hasnt run for a few days . My van does it and its very worrying. But a run sorts it out and hey presto no knocking noise. I gave my van a oil change and a flush . It does it a lot less now. The problem is noted in the handbook that comes with theses vans from new .

Im not saying what the noise is but for a 2lt Aircooled this is the loudest mechanical noise I have heard coming from my engine and its scared me to death when it first did it . now im used to it so am less bothered if you wanted a fix change the hydraulic tappets you will find that it is normally the right hand side bank that makes the noise

Let us know how you get on

[Dartmoor]

It sounds too noisy and clunky to be tappets. It sounds ominously like play in the crankshaft or bigs ends worn...What would shot big ends sound like? I am getting a compression test on it this week though,

[perro]

still think its the tappets sorry. They sound like a ball bearing in a tin can in-fact they sound horrific . Hard to tell coz im not there and cant hear it but ive had bottom ends go on these engines and they are more of a rumble than a clunk. You can get recon engines they are about £1300 .00 for a new one but as I say if you've not run it for a bit and this has come from nowhere then thats the noise it usually clears after about 5 miles . Dont forget its been cold and you need to get the things pressurized . the seals can go on them and they take a while to get back up to pressure . Do you have end float or play on the crank? if its as bad as you say on the bottom end then you will have low oil pressure . Good luck with it but if you have a loud clunking that sounds like the world is coming to an end then its going to be the tappets . If you've got a horrible rumble then its the bottom end normally accompanied with excessive smoke from the oil filler .

If the van is running and you want to take the risk give her a run for about 5 miles what have you to lose if its the bottom end she is dead anyway if it is the tappets at least you will sleep tonight

good luck

[rugchucker]

As Perro said, its probably the hydraulic tappets. This is a known condition with the 2.0 a/c. It happens when the vehicle has been standing for a while. What is needed is a good 20 minute run, its no good leaving it to tick-over as that wont clear it. It sounds noisier than expected because the heads have no water to deaden the sound.

Mine only does this if its been stood a few days and I have then run it just to manouvre it on the drive.

I have found that an oil change and the addition of Wynns hydraulic valve lifter conditioner is beneficial

Des

[Dartmoor]

well, I can only hope that you are right. The noise started after the van has been used all weekend - it was ok on Thursday and Friday - started yesterday when I started her after a day out (so she was running in the morning). And now it sounds worse. The pulley wheel looks like its got some play when its thundering round with the belt - and I reckon the noise is there. The engine is probably 120k - first engine. According to "How to keep your vw alive" it is past its life expectancy. It is pretty gutless on hills, and maxes out at 60-65mph on the flat with twin new webber carbs. So I think it is in its twilight. Who sells good recon engines? I want a good one, even if its more expensive, as I can;t be doing with engine trouble! I just wanna camp!

[kevtherev]

It sounds too noisy and clunky to be tappets. It sounds ominously like play in the crankshaft or bigs ends worn...What would shot big ends sound like? I am getting a compression test on it this week though,

big ends knock or donk and it is hardly audible at tickover

I doubt very much if it is "play" in the crank jounals.. thats a rumble.

Hydraulic tappets, once drained of oil, clank very loudly, and if you have more than one it is ridiculously loud.

Have you changed the oil and filter ?

[Dartmoor]

It sounds too noisy and clunky to be tappets. It sounds ominously like play in the crankshaft or bigs ends worn...What would shot big ends sound like? I am getting a compression test on it this week though,

big ends knock or donk and it is hardly audible at tickover

I doubt very much if it is "play" in the crank jounals.. thats a rumble.

Hydraulic tappets, once drained of oil, clank very loudly, and if you have more than one it is ridiculously loud.

Have you changed the oil and filter ?

Oil and filter in March - less than 300 miles ago - oil regularly checked. You are all giving me a warm feeling - maybe its not terminal?

[eatcustard]

Probably the same as mine, everyone says tappets but its probably not

All the Mechanics who I have got to listen to it say big end (4 of them cant be wrong)

this is link to the video sound of it (again)

It is a WBX 2.1 , but you will get the drift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcufP2QUN5Y" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[perro]

That sounds nothing like tappets . If it was an ear deafening hollow clunking sound that makes your heart sink then its tappets . The noise on the you tube sounds quiet in comparison. I guess with sounds you have to hear them for yourself . My view is take the scamp for a run and if it goes away its the tappets if it stops and makes grinding noises then its not . sorry cant be more help

[Dartmoor]

Well, taking the van to someone who knows more about vdubs than I do tomorrow. Hopeful that it is tapets. Other clues? The clanking/knocking goes with revs, and gets quieter as the engine warms up. BTW - errr, dumb question, what are tappets? Can I get them fixed?

[perro]

they open and close the valves and are hydraulic i.e. are adjusted by oil pressure . When they are fitted you fill them with oil. When they get very hot or are left for a while they lose the pressure and the valve clearance gets to large and you get the horrendous rattle I think you are describing . Its a common thing on these engines . Good luck with it and please let us know how you get on with it. I hope it is just the tappets and you have nothing to worry about. The noise will probably have gone by the time you get to the place you are going .

Regards

Perro

[Dartmoor]

An update - and plea for help!

The good news - compression is good all round. And it is not the crankshaft. I am told that the pulley hub has been damaged, and therefore this is what is making the noise?

Now the bad...very bad news. The pulley hub is no longer available tried JK, Heritage and some second hand parts dealers - nothing..no one has one

My worst fear has always been just this - not finding parts for the T25 engine - a few months back I even considered selling and going to the bay window dub, for which everything but everything seems to be available. But this damn CU engines seems a rare beast - and what can I do??

Rather than spend hours on the phone fruitlessley to breakers, hearing "what's that? No, haven't had one of those for a long time", had anyone got a CU engine they are breaking or a good lead? My thoughts are going back to the Bay, and the voluminous catalogues for the 1600 Aircooled engine in the 68-79 bus......

[kevtherev]

An update - and plea for help!

- a few months back I even considered selling and going to the bay window dub, for which everything but everything seems to be available. But this damn CU engines seems a rare beast - and what can I do??

My thoughts are going back to the Bay, and the voluminous catalogues for the 1600 Aircooled engine in the 68-79 bus......

well, take a look in this voluminous catalogue and you will see the 2L Aircooled engines are virtually identical.... to... the ones in this bay window you are besotted with.

But then you seem to know all about bays, so it must have slipped your mind

[Dartmoor]

Do you mean there is a chance that the part of interchangeable between the 1600 Aircooled engine (68-79) and the 2 litre cu? If that's the case, that would be good news - but is that the case?