Hello everyone. I am new to this list. I have some questions about
hydraulic valve lifters, or whatever the proper name. i think i have a bad
cylinder head but let me give you a bit of background and let you decide.
i am wondering if it is worth fixing.

I fell into old vw  vans via the older, 1600 engines because I can remove
and install the  engine myself, on the side of the road if necessary. But
i have recently  inherited a 1983 vanagon from a neighbor, obviously
because it has  problems. this is an air cooled engine. it still runs but
there is a problem with  cylinder #1 and it kicks alot of oil through the
tailpipe. i haven't even  started it since it was driven into my driveway,
so i can't give you  compression data, but it does run.

spark plugs removed from cylinders 2-4 are clean and dry, whereas the plug
from #1 is black with oil and icky. i took the valve cover off and looked
at the valves on cylinders 1+2. i can move the rocker arm of the intake
valve of cylinder #1 about an inch. the spring on that valve doesnt move,
what moves is the bottom half, what i would call the push rod, if this
thing has push rods.

so is this a problem with the hydraulics in this valve? if so, are the
hydraulics part of the head and all i need to do is simply put a new head
on? what other problems am i looking at in terms of damage to that
cylinder and other parts of the engine?

any help on this matter would be appreciated. Thanks.
david