Bradley, join the club.  My '84 does the same thing.  Every once in a while
I will put in a quart of Riselone or Magic Marvel Oil and problem will go
away.  I'm running Castroil 20W-50 like many others on the list.  I also
have found that keeping the oil level from going more than 1/2 quart down
also helps.

John Lauterbach
Macon, GA
----- Original Message -----
From: "Bradley Flubacher" <flubach@HOME.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2001 9:48 PM
Subject: chronic valve tapping

> I have a tap that comes and goes weekly. It's beginning to be very
annoying.
> I only drive to and from work (about 2 miles each way) every day, so it's
> tough to run the engine for the 30 or so minutes it takes for the lifter
to
> pump back up.
>
> I don't think a lifter should be going flat every week.  Is this
indicative
> of something wrong?
>
> Bradley Flubacher
> State College, PA