Most likely a case of classic "Vanagon Clattering Lifter Syndrome". It
is the result of the lifter losing it's prime. Scarey, but generally not
threatening. May occur on any Vanagon engine, but seemingly occurs more
often with engines that lack the following:

Mann or Mahle Oil filter  ---- has a bypass relief valve sufficiently
strong to hold pressure in the oil galleries when the engine is shut down.

20W50 Wt Dino Oil or 15W50 Mobil 1 Synthetic  ( or Castrol Synthetic).

If these two are not present, then often the oil galleries bleed down
allowing the lifter to lose pressure and bleed down. On next start up
the lifter will clatter like crazy until it pumps up again in about
twenty minutes or twenty miles.

To fix, add a quart of Marvels Mystery oil to the engine oil, then
operate for a hundred miles then drain the oil, install the new filter,
and put in the new oil. This works most times. My own engine - a WBX
2.1L - is highly sensitive to WHEN the oil is changed. If I don't do it
on time - so many miles per oil change, then the lifters clatter, even
with the special filters and oil. But the Special filters and oil helps,
and it is rare that I get the clattering. I'm just particular about when
the oil is changed.

Good Luck.

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver

Put a quart of
Darryl Carpenter wrote:

>Hi Guys
>Yesterday I started my '91 Westy and a loud ticking noise came from the
>engine - not unlike what you might hear on an older car when its oil
>pump hasn't pumped oil up to the lifters yet.
>Anyway, the noise didn't disappear as it warmed up. The dipstick showed
>just a little below full. I assume the lifters are hydraulic on the '91
>- is there a chance that one of the lifters collapsed?
>Thanks
>Darryl
>
>
>