Club 80-90 Forums

My van has just been checked over by a mech as a pre MOT check, i also wanted him to balance the carbs for me. Just had a call from him saying that the Hydraulic Lifters are not working but someone has had a mess about in the past as the adjusters are at max.

So what do i do now?
Reading online it generally says that taking them out an cleaning them works. Or do i just replace them.
Is it an engine out job? or can i do in while they are in the van?
Is it a hard job? My pushrod seals also need to be done so can do them at the same time.

Any help would be great

Cheers
Ben

Hydraulic Lifters are not working

Be interesting to know how he came to this conclusion? It's unlikely all of the lifters have failed. If someone has messed with them and wound them in too much the most likely outcome is piston hitting valves. Unless he is familiar with air-cooled VW he might not know how to set them up himself. If your engine has been recon'd in the past you might not have hydraulic lifters anymore. My van has a vege engine and it has solid lifters. If you try to set solid lifters as if they were hydraulic the engine won't turn over.

adjusters are at max.

What does he mean? Are the screws all the way in? Here's photo of my adjusters, the one on the left is gapped for a solid lifter, the one on the right is gapped to make up for a valve seat that was tunneling out through the head. What do yours look like?

He has been a VW and BMW mech for about 40years would trust him with my life! He is my gfs father! lol
Lifters are screwed he showed me. some are on full adjustment others are not and have a huge gap. So Engine will be coming out this week. And get a nice little overhaul.

seems a bit drastic for lifters.
or is there other things you haven't told us about.

setting lifters is on the ratwell site
http://www.ratwell.com/technical/HydraulicLifters.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pushrod tubes seals are leaking badly and i think output shaft is also leaking and will be far easier to do all that on the bench, also Engine bearer and Tinware could do with a paint. and il want to check over the valves. That way once its done its done and sorted!:-)