Lifter noise alone is not a sign of miss adjustment, just a lazy lifter.
Adjustment won't fix it.
The front two cylinders having lower compression can be an indication of a
problem including worn camshaft lobes.
A 20 pound difference can be an indication of something amiss. 120 is a wear
limit. Do you have an air compressor? Get an economy leak down tester like
http://www.amazon.com/Milton-S1257-Cylinder-Leakage-Tester/dp/B000K1FLHG
After you get a reading you can bypass the gauge and put full pressure into
each cylinder and find out where it is leaking through.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: neil n [mailto:musomuso@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2012 3:37 AM
To: Dennis Haynes
Cc: vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com
Subject: Re: Fuel Injector (or wiring) Question: Deceleration, Fuel Shutoff
Mode

Huh. Ok. I thought that minimum of 120 PSI was good.

Looking again at the bill, mechanic wrote:

130       120
140       140

Though this may not be indicated in the above figures, given the brief
lifter noise at start up, I have to wonder if the valves are adjusted
correctly (initial adjustment)  on the p-side head.

The p-side head is an AMC. I assume a PO had a new head installed at one
point.

Neil.

On Fri, Jul 27, 2012 at 10:43 PM, Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@hotmail.com>
wrote:

> Unless your battery-starter cranks very slow or you compression gauge
> is off
> 120 is not good compression for a water boxer. Time for a leak down
> test and measure valve lift. Bad valves/guides can cause all sorts of
funky stuff.
> Except for the O2 sensor system being difficult to diagnose the rest
> of the FI system usually works or it doesn't. It is often blamed for
> something else being wrong.
>
> Dennis
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On
> Behalf Of neil n
> Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2012 12:54 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Fuel Injector (or wiring) Question: Deceleration, Fuel
> Shutoff Mode
>
> the issues are a surge decelerating from 2500 and surge accelerating
> from lower rpm.
>
> compression ranges from 120 - 140 so that's good. engine power is good.

--
Neil n

65 kb image Myford Ready For Assembly  http://tinyurl.com/64sx4rp

'88 Slate Blue Westy to be named.

'81 VanaJetta 2.0 "Jaco"  http://tubaneil.googlepages.com/

Vanagon VAG Gas I4/VR Swap Google Group:

http://groups.google.com/group/vanagons-with-vw-inline-4-cylinder-gas-engine
s