now all we need is a piano
Al I will send you a spring in good old US mail if you send me you address

going slower miles an hour with a pain in my wallet

----- Original Message -----
From: "Al and Sue Brase" <albeeee@MCHSI.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Monday, September 05, 2005 4:42 AM
Subject: rattle INSIDE engine

> For the past several years, my 87 2.1 engine has had an internal rattle.
> Kind of sounds like a marble vibrating near the distributor. It rattles
> a lot faster than a loose valve lifter. Maybe twice a revolution instead
> of once every other revolution. This is an engine that I totally rebuilt
> about 6 years (60k miles) ago. It had spun a rod bearing. I put in a set
> of rebuilt 1.9 rods, reground the crank, new rings, etc. It runs great,
> but the oil pressure was a little low. First I just shorted out the high
> pressure sensor, but started using straight weight 40w oil for 9 months
> a year. That keeps the buzzer off. I wouldn't be surprised that I
> boogered something up in the assembly, but if it is a terminal error, it
> sure is getting there slowly.
> So, anyone have any ideas what might be the source of the rattle? I've
> pretty well eliminated all the external sources.
> Except possibly the plastic oil vent tower. Is there anything in there
> that can get loose and rattle?
> My other guess would be the distributor drive. Is there supposed to be
> only one thrust washer at the bottom? What determines the end play of
> the drive? (One thing that makes me wonder is that the timing seems to
> dither when you check it with a timing lite. Maybe moves around 4
> degrees or so.)
> If the drive had excessive end play and was smacking up against the
> distributor every half turn, that might be my sound! It has about the
> right timbre or tone, if you know what I mean.
> Any suggestions?
> Al Brase
> 87 GL, 80 westy, 56 pickup