Hello, Vanagonians:

Some of you may know we're living full-time in our '84 Westy, our
first, and today marks the end of Month 2. Been lucky so far, I've
put nearly 5,000 miles on it sans any meltdowns... beyond little
things I can handle.

A couple days ago a sound emerged in the left rear. This has happened
twice now, both times under load climbing extreme hills in Death
Valley (though only in the 80s, temp-wise). Coolant temp is normal
when this happens, convinced it's not an engine issue. It comes and
goes, and for lack of a better descriptor sounds like a card in the
spokes of a kid's bike... clicking at a consistent rate that might
add up to maybe 200 clicks per minute. Since I'm going about 32 mph
when it happens, if a rotational issue I'd expect it to be much
faster when considering tire circumference and distance covered at 32
vs. the clicking speed if the clicks were once per rotation. It lasts
maybe 5-20 seconds each time then stops, braking has no effect on it
and I suspect it's a CV joint... the right joint has maybe a
sixteenth of an inch slop, the left side maybe an eighth-inch.
There's no grinding noise of any kind. (yet???)

We'll be in this area for likely a few months so might use the shop
in Bishop, California. He did some minor things on my Jetta a decade
ago and I left feeling like they were good and trustworthy. If anyone
here wants the work, please PM me... no cell signal here but do
respond to all emails.

OT... does anyone know how Terry K is doing? He's a lovely guy and
helped me greatly early on so when I read he was ill I've been
bumming for him.

Thanks,
E1