I doubt it has anything to do with lifters.  Sounds like serious ring
problems.
It sounds like your 'back yard' repair is to get good barrels and pistons
from the other engine .......
put those on carefully ( ! ) .......and do some valve work to a pair of good
heads, and install them carefully.

how's the end play ? I have two 2.1's here ............with excessive end
play ......
and it's not just a matter of shims..........I think the cases might be
pounded out where the shims go. The supposed to flat shims are pounded into
a 'cone' shape some ......which I'm sure is not right.  Very high miles on
both of those bottom ends.

what fun though !
Scott
www.turbovans.com

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Cochran" <mxsailor@GMAIL.COM>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Thursday, July 09, 2009 3:10 PM
Subject: 2.1 questions

> Have my '86 Westy back from Mazatlan and looking through the motor. Blown
> head gaskets both sides. When I pulled an exhaust pipe from one head, a
> quart (at least) of oil ran out of the pipe. If it got in through the
> bottom of the cylinder past rings (all rings look OK but some major
> scoring
> on cylinder walls of 2 adjoining cylinders) it could have been pumped out
> on the exhaust stroke... or could it have been a sticky hydraulic lifter
> holding open the intake valve and sucking oil in? or something else?
> Should
> I check the lifters? Soak them in ATF for awhile? Go ahead and assemble
> the
> motor?
>
> I have a spare motor, both heads bad, but two perfect cylinders for the
> repair.