Check your engine to transaxle fasteners. Dixie was doing that when we got
her, and I found a 1/8th inch gap at the bottom of the mating seam!

Did them up, clunk gone.

On 10/25/06, Dennis Haynes <dhaynes@optonline.net> wrote:
>
> Muffler or tail pipe is not where it belongs. Wrong part or fitment.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Barrett Willet
> Sent: Wednesday, October 25, 2006 12:25 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Hard thunk at startup
>
> '88 2.1L
> Recently I've been hearing a hard thunk at startup.  Almost like
> somebody is kicking her in the rear.  The thunk only happens the
> second the engine catches.  No thunking while the starter is doing
> it's thing.  After that, it purrs along just fine and no thunks occur
> on acceleration.  It seems like this eliminates engine mounts.  More
> prevalent after the van is warm like during quick trips to the
> store.  I recently replaced the muffler & cat but I double checked
> all the hardware and everything is tight.  Of course it doesn't make
> a noise first thing in the morning.  Kind of stumped.  Of course my
> worst fears are rods and bearings but it seems like I would hear
> weird noise during normal driving.  Any thoughts?
>
> Barrett
> '88 Wolfsburg 2.1L
>

--
Jake
1984 Vanagon GL
1986 Westy Weekender "Dixie"
www.crescentbeachguitar.com