Andy Morse wrote:
>
> 86 syncro, once in a while especially after not driving it
for a while I get
> a lot of a abnormal ticking from the valve cover area,
eventually it goes
> away. What's the cure?

Hi Andy,

I have the same problem (actually it's no more than a minor
irritant) with my '85 1.9 WBX.

The problem is that the hydraulic lifters lose oil when the
van has been standing unused for a while.  Within 5 to 15
minutes of normal running, the "abnormal ticking" noise goes
away, because the lifter re-fills with oil.   I think the
reason is that the lifters are not specifically designed to
be used in the horizontal position - as far as I am aware,
they are similar to those used in various VW in-line four
cylinder engines that are mounted nearer to the vertical.

My personal "cure" is to live with it.  If you cannot live
with it, replacing the offending lifter will solve the
problem.

Good luck,

Tony