A tapping lifter is no big deal if the sound goes away after the engine
warms up a bit. Had your van been sitting for several days? Often the fluid
will leak out of the lifter if the engine isn't run for a while. Like I
said, no big deal unless the tapping doesn't eventually subside.

As far as getting the GUNK out, I don't know what to tell you.

-Mark McCulley

At 04:42 PM 5/24/98 -0500, michael@HSDESIGN.COM wrote:
>Dear Volks,
>
>The story so far:
>
>I start my engine this morning and I hear for the first time the
>unmistakable, loud "tap, tap, tap" of a valve, rocker or lifter. Drats!
>I've been having overheating problems recently and I immediately thought
>I had overheated my baby, causing all sorts of damage to her innards.
>Checked the oil -- drats! 1/4 quart low. Now I am REALLY thinking of the
>worst scenario -- rebuilt heads, or worse.
>
>On a lark I added another 1/2 quart -- noise still there: tap, tap, tap.
>On another lark, I added a can of Gunk "Valve Medic" and voil� -- after
>five minutes the noise is gone. So far so good! I checked the
>compression and recorded reasonably good readings (for a 90k engine)
>between 130 and 145 in all cylinders. Spark plugs look good too. So, now
>I'm reasonably optimistic -- or am I fooling myself?
>
>Thus, dear listees, what do I do next? Did I cause this by running 1/4
>quart low of oil in combination with coolant overheating? or is this
>just a random coincidnece? Should I leave the Gunk in for a while?
>(Note: the can doesn't say to change the oil afterwards) or should I
>change the oil ASAP? (I just changed it 45 days ago). Or worse, do I
>really have to take her in and have 'em look it over?
>
>Waiting on pins and needles, I remain
>Sincerely
>
>Michael J. Sullivan
>