At 06:58 PM 7/5/2015, Marc Perdue wrote:
>the testing, discover there was water in my gas. I've put some Heet in
>the tank to absorb the water and am going to replace the fuel filter
>after the drier gas has had a chance to work through the system.

That shouldn't take long.  The fuel pump cycles at least one full
tank through the system every hour of operation.

>In the meantime, I was taking the van out for a test run and I'm
>hearing two distinct new noises. The first is a fairly loud thunking
>sound when going around corners, like some large object is loose and
>banging against sheet metal. Driving it today, I only turned right,
>going around the block, but it did it when I came home, turning left,
>after the first test drive. I've looked all over the engine
>compartment and can't find anything loose. I initially expected that I
>had not installed the air filter correctly, but that's not the case.

If you can't find anything underneath get someone to drive while you
poke around and listen.  Try with the engine cover off.  Don't forget
your closet and cupboards in a Westy.

>The second noise is a fairly loud clatter that seems to be coming from
>the driver's side of the engine and sounds like heat plates rattling
>against something. Again, I can't find anything obvious. Would the
>lifters make this kind of clattering noise after sitting for a while?
>I'm frankly a bit nervous about taking it for a long drive because I'm
>afraid I'll destroy the engine or something else.

If you've never heard lifter clatter before it's terrifying.  Twenty
minutes driving should make it go away.  When the engine stops at
least one lifter is compressed and gradually collapses as it's
supposed to.  If it doesn't immediately fill up on starting it
advertises, loudly.  Theres only a very light spring plus pressure in
the oil galleries to make the lifter expand, and the piston is an
extraordinarily close fit in the bore

>I know this is some fairly general information and hardly actionable,

It's ok, I'm nog going to sue you -- as you say it's hardly actionable. ;)

Yrs,
d