If you find that you need any parts for that 81 Air Cooled.
http://www.engineceramics.com/vw/vwparts.htm

Stan Wilder

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stan Wilder" <wilden1-1@sbcglobal.net>
To: "J. Harvey" <jtharvey2@HOTMAIL.COM>; <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 8:38 PM
Subject: Re: Ran out of gas & now won't run

> As you become familliar with your new air cooled Westy you might want to
> consider this procedure.
> ------------------------------------------
> Shaping Up that new Old Vanagon or Westy
>
> This document addresses both Air Cooled Type IV 75-83 and Water Cooled
> Engines 83-91. It does not Include Diesel or Conversions of any type.
>
> Since you're new to the vehicle its important that you get the basic heart
> of your vehicle in good condition. (BE WARNED! Cleaning your engine can
open
> up oil leaks that are currently sealed with carbon deposits or sludge. It
> can remove carbon build up from under your rings and cause temporary oil
> burning until the rings reseat themselves. They may never reseat of the
> engine is very high mileage).
>
> In many cases the Previous Owner has used Oil additives or even special
> Infomercial products to chemically fix problems. These additives can lead
to
> problems especially those with Teflon in Air Cooled engines.
>
> It is standard procedure to avoid all oil additives in VW Air Cooled and
> Water Cooled engines. In many cases additives have been used to quieten
> lifters, piston slap, wrist pin clicking or other noise. You definitely
want
> to get rid of these additives before they harm your engine. They may have
> been added to raise oil pressure or hide any number of on-coming problems.
>
> The procedure listed below is my suggestion of what you should do as soon
as
> you get your new vehicle.
>
> #1) Check the oil; drain off about a quart of oil through the drain plug,
> strainer plate or other means. Be sure you get a full quart out, if you
get
> too much you can put it back in as required.
>
> #2) Purchase a quart of Gunk / Siloo /Rislone / Berryman B12 or other
brand
> of engine flush and pour it into the engine crankcase.  Follow the
> instructions on the can. Most flushed require only 5 minutes on a cold
> engine.
>
> #3) Run the engine flush for the recommended time and drain it off.
Install
> a new filter and clean the strainer if you have one. Pour in your new
engine
> oil; hold back that last quart of oil. Pour in a quart of Marvel Mystery
Oil
> with the new engine oil. Run the vehicle for about 300 miles with the
> Mystery Oil Mix in the crankcase. It is best to get this 300 miles around
> town over a period of one week so the cleaning agents in the Mystery Oil
> have time to De-carbon the interior of your engine and clean your lifters.
>
> You can run this mix for a thousand miles without damage so don't bother
to
> change at exactly 300 miles. What we're wanting to accomplish is just
> getting the engine to full operating temperature about ten times over a
one
> week period.
>
> #4) While running the 300 miles with the Mystery Oil blend in your
crankcase
> you should also run 16 oz of Mystery Oil through your fuel system in a
full
> tank of Gasoline to clean your combustion chambers, piston tops, valves,
> injectors and ring groves.
>
> #5) After you've completed this procedure you should install a new filter
> (Mahle or Mann), clean your strainer if you have one and install the new
> engine oil. Leave the oil level about �" below the MAX level on your oil
> dipstick. Stop putting oil in at three quarts and start your engine. Let
the
> engine run for a few minutes and then check your oil level after you have
> killed the engine and it has set for ten minutes. This will have given the
> oil enough time to circulate through the system and drip back to your pan
> giving a true oil level reading. Add enough oil to bring the level up to
the
> �" below the MAX mark on your dipstick.
>
> #6) adjusting your lifters: (this section applies only to hydraulic
lifters
> and stock VW camshafts)
>
> Lifter adjustment should be done on a cold engine.
>
> Locate Top Dead Center on #1 cylinder by dropping a thin wire through the
#1
> spark plug hole and rotating the engine until piston top squeezes the thin
> wire between the piston top and the cylinder head (don't force it)  the
> rotor arm should be pointing very close to the notch in your distributor
rim
> if you're at TDC. If not you're 180 degrees off. While you're adjusting
the
> valves inspect the valve stems for chips and the adjusting screws for
heavy
> pitting. Either of these signs can represent a weak / bad lifter or a
valve
> seat that is loose. (minor pitting of adjusting screws OK most of the
time.)
>
> Adjust #1 valves at the following settings.
>
> Option #1: One full turn down from the point that the rocker arm just
> touches the valve stem.
>
> Option #2: Using a feeler gauge set the clearance to .006 as the rocker
arm
> just touches the valve stem.
>
> Both settings have worked for me and many others. Do Not Use the full two
> turns as described in Hayes, Muir or Bentley Manuals.
>
> #1. Remove the valve covers. Read the part number on your heads, make sure
> that they are the same.
> VW heads will have a VW Logo on them, AMC heads will not and they won't
have
> a part number. The one thing you need to establish is that are both VW or
> both AMC. You can't mix the heads, they should be the same.
> #2. Loosen the adjusting nuts about two full turns.
> #3. Start the engine for about 1 minute. Be sure you've got some cardboard
> under there to catch any oil that slings out. Most cases there will be
very
> little.
> #4. Go to the back of the car and slip another piece of cardboard under
> there so I don't lay in the oil that dripped.
> #5. Bring #1 cylinder up to TDC, Remove #1 Plug, I use a flashlight and a
> piece of flat steel that comes off windshield wiper blades to get TDC.
> (others use a screwdriver or coat hanger wire) The steel will not rotate
> when the piston is at TDC but it doesn't bind the piston. (depends on your
> piston/head clearance)
> #6. I rotate my distributor so the notch in the distributor rim is right
in
> line with the rotor arm.
> #7. I adjust the first #1 intake and exhaust valves to one turn after the
> rocker arm just touches the valve stem. Or use Bobs way of .006 with a
> feeler gauge (you are eliminating pre load by using his method, nothing
> wrong with it).
> #8. Since I've got a manual transmission I put the gearbox in 2nd gear and
> rock the car until the next cylinder comes up to TDC, I watch the rotor
arm
> and when it is 90 degrees past the notch and first position I set the next
> valves. (leave the spark plugs in, only #1 needs to be removed)
> #9. While all this is going on the sealer that sticks my new valve cover
> gaskets to the valve covers is setting.
> #10. Just follow through on each cylinder until you've got them all set.
> #11. Check the general condition of your valve stems (no chips) and your
> adjusting screws (few tiny pits OK, but no chips or hard wear signs).
> #12. Reinstall your valve covers.
> #13. Crank your engine, pay attention to the oil light, if it doesn't come
> on immediately stop cranking and then crank again.
> #14. Your engine may be noisy for as long as 15 minutes, don't panic. Just
> take a gentle trip around the block and it will normally settle in.
> #15. I don't bleed the lifters, I've never to my knowledge had air locked
> lifters. If the above procedure doesn't quieten your lifters then you
could
> possibly have the air locked problem. If you do you'll just have to follow
> the procedures in the Bentley or get info from Boston Bob about the
bleeding
> procedure.
> #16. I made a tool consisting of a wood dowel with a finish nail in the
end
> of it so I could bleed the lifters, pushing it down in the relief valve
> releases pressure in the lifter but I envisioned it as introducing air
into
> the lifters and could never see that it did anything. It could be an
option
> if you decide to try it.
>
> #7) After adjusting the valves your engine may be hard to start. Give it a
> few tries and it should start up. The lifters may be noisy for a few
minutes
> and this can continue for fifteen minutes. I've found that a quick trip
> around the block at moderate normal speeds will normally quieten the
lifters
> after the adjustment process.
>
> #8) Clean all electrical connections in your engine compartment. You can
use
> spray Berryman B12 or other spray carburetor cleaner. Agitate the cleaner
> with a brush at each connection and then give it a shot of cleaner to
rinse
> out the residue.
>
> #9) Inspect the condition of your Distributor Cap (Air Cooled Require
Copper
> Contacts, Water Cooled can use either Aluminum or Copper). Inspect your
> Rotor Arm for burnt contractor end. Inspect you spark plug wire (Air
Cooled
> Require solid core, Water Cooled Require Graphite Fiber Wires). Clean all
> connectors in the cap, spark coil and wire to plug. It is best to have all
> Bosch brand ignition but other brands are good as long as they meet the
> required contractor requirements. If you have a point set ignition the
> points should be inspected and adjusted to .016/. 020, this will get you
> within the required dwell range. Rule: Dwell changes timing so if you
change
> dwell you'll need to reset your timing. Be sure that the right spark plugs
> are installed.
>
> #10) Set your timing as specified by the manual you are using for
reference.
> Take special care to check the timing at the full advance specified. While
> progressing from idle timing setting to the full advance setting the
advance
> should be constant without dropping back and forth during the increase of
> engine speed. The timing mark on the Air Cooled is a small saw cut in the
> rim of the Fan, it is difficult to see and a drop of Liquid Paper or white
> paint will be a big assist in sighting it with the timing light.
>
> #11) Replace your fuel filter, don't pass this up just because the PO said
> it had a new filter. The Berryman or other Fuel Injection may have
loosened
> up ancient contamination in your fuel tank and started blocking the filter
> with debris.
>
> #12) Test your fuel pressure at the fuel rail per specifications of the
> manual you are using.
>
> #13) Visually check all fuel lines for leaks. Replace any leaking lines or
> lines that are hard, have splits or any aging signs.
>
> #14) Check all vacuum lines for leaks, replace all lines that are soft,
> split or have loose connection. Installing hose clamps on vacuum lines is
a
> good idea.
>
> #15) Addressing oil leaks, primarily on Type IV air cooled engines.
(nothing
> here for Water Cooled)
>
> a)      Clean your engine top to bottom before pointing at any particular
> location as a possible leaking spot.
>
> b)      Most common leaking areas on an air cooled are, valve cover
gaskets,
> push rod tube O rings, loose oil filter, bad gasket on the strainer plate.
>
> c)      It is best to get the O rings and valve cover gaskets replaced
right
> with the initial investigation of oil leaks. It narrows down a lot of
> options.
>
> If you didn't do a compression check before you purchased the vehicle
don't
> waste your time doing a compression check unless your engine has problems.
> I've seen Air Cooled engines with 80psi average compression that still ran
> very well and produced enough power to operate very well as long as it was
> run with respect.
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "J. Harvey" <jtharvey2@HOTMAIL.COM>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Monday, June 28, 2004 4:36 AM
> Subject: Ran out of gas & now won't run
>
>
> > I bought a 1981 Westfalia today.  10 blocks from the previous owners
home
> it
> > started to run out of gas.  5 blocks later I coasted into a gas station
> > barely sputtering on fumes and had 10 gallons pumped in.  Now the van
> won't
> > run.  It will start and idle for 1.5 seconds and then it put-puts like
it
> is
> > running on one cylinder and then dies.
> >
> > What gives?  At first I thought sediment had clogged the fuel filter,
> nope.
> > I replaced that with no luck.  Could the fuel pump have burned up while
it
> > ran dry for less than 2 minutes?  What's the large canister that sits
> after
> > the fuel pump?  There's definately no obstruction between the tank and
> > pump....I got a shower.
> >
> > Here's another one.  The tank was bone dry when I added $20 of gas.  The
> > tank only took $18.50  (~9 gallons) and then proceeded to leak.  ?
> >
> > Any help would be great.  -John
> >
>