Can't help you directly on this one but i can say the following:  just a few
weeks ago i had a squeaking noise as well coming from what appeared to be
the left bank cylinders.  It sounded for sure like something major - read
piston pin - coming from inside.  Upon closer inspection i found the source
of this mystery squeak.  You see, several months ago i had replaced the
large metal coolant tube on the left side that runs from the water pump and
ends close to the thermostat housing.  Towards the end of this large tube
there is a smaller (maybe 1/2 inch) tube or spigot sticking out at a 90
degree angle, a rubber hose form the cooling system is held on to this
spigot with a small hose clamp.  Here comes the punch line - the
spigot/hose/clamp pass through some engine tin work in that area.  There was
no noise after the initial pipe install but after several thousand miles the
clamp rotated on this spigot, perhaps a few milimeters, and depending on
what load was on the engine would make contact.  This resulted in metal
rubbing against metal .................... a squeak !!!  I thought for sure
i was going to have to open the engine up.  Thankfully not!!  Check
everythnig before jumping to any conclusion ......................i was
pleasantly surprised.  Good luck.
Claudio  Cella    87  Vanagon         90 Jetta  TD
----- Original Message -----
From: "Don & Christina Preston" <betsy@UTAH-INTER.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, November 10, 2001 4:11 PM
Subject: A ticking time bomb . . .

> Hello again all!
>
> I've been off the list for a while (computer died, and other sordid
events),
> but I'm back. And of course, I've got a problem :-)
>
> My Vanagon's been running super smooth. Everything has been just great,
> until yesterday. I started to go to work, then realized I have fogotten my
> badge. So, I went back into the house and by the time I had returned to
the
> van, there was gasoline leaking out of the rear, where the line connects
> above the starter, and it sounded like the valves were ticking (they
haven't
> ticked since I replaced the head gaskets about a year ago). So, I shut
down
> the motor and took the wife's car to work, since I was late already.
>
> Today I found the cause of the gas leak, just an old fuel line. So I
> replaced it and went for a drive. From the moment I started the van, I
heard
> that ticking again. It sounds like a valve tick, but a bit louder, coming
> from the right head. So, I pulled the valve cover on the right head and
> noticed a couple of things.
>
> 1. There was no oil at all in there. I've always found there to be at
least
> a little hangin around.
> 2. There was some kind of whitish goop on the underside of the valve
cover.
> I don't know if this is important, but the more info the better, right?
> 3. All the valves are adjusted correctly. I had though that maybe one of
the
> adjusters loosened, but nope.
> 4. There is a kind of squeaking noise coming from the engine while running
> as well as the tick.
>
> So, any ideas? I'm thinking this could be as simple as a bad oil pump or
bad
> as a main bearing or bent rod.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Don Preston
> '87 Wolfie GL
> ~Betsy the Mp3 Bus~
>
> BTW, I don't think I thanked you all the last time I was around for all
the
> help, so THANKS!!! I really do appreciate the great input from you all.