Hey guys.. flummoxed. How do you/ would you know if your type 1 is equipped with hydraulic valves? When adjusting (or attempting to) valves, get movement on pushrods like it’s spring loaded or quash feeling 1/4 inch thereabouts. First adjustment go round with .006 increased valve noise. Did vintage offer this as option or so equip their cars with hydro lifters? Any external giveaway to know for sure if so equipped? Thanks in advance for sharing your knowledge/experience. Keith
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Hydraulic lifters are rare in the air-cooled VW world but not unheard of. But I don't think it's likely you got them and no one told you.
In your case I'd look at the rockers, make sure everything's tight. Maybe check valve spring pressure. A quarter inch "quash" is more than half your valve lift. It's a lot.
Thanks for weighing in Ed. I am able to push bottom of rocker arm against pushrod and plunger the rod back and forth slightly. Can’t imagine this possible with solid cam follower/lifter. That said , I’m a poser when it comes to mechanical ability😊
Wasn't Vintage using so-called "Mexi-Crate" engines for a while? Those supposedly came from VW of Mexico and were, I believe, hydraulic valve engines.
Be that as it may, my only experience with adjusting hydraulic valves is on GM 350 V8 engines, and I adjusted them while it was running because I'm very old school.
If you think you have hydraulic valves on your VW engine (a distinct possibility, especially in California) then this is probably the best I could find on how they work (always important to know) and, more importantly, how the hell do you adjust them?
It's way easier than you think and VERY forgiving if done even remotely right.
Here you go:
This is definitely a Mexican motor
The later Wasserboxer Vanagon motors had hydraulic lifters. I'm pretty sure that they can be retro-fitted to type1 motors, as a LOT of similarities exist between the two.
Bubba, do you have the build sheet or any info or is this a used car/motor?
I believe the Vanagon Bentley manual has the procedure to set the valve clearance.
Thanks guys. Have no documentation on the car, but makes sense now why adjusting valves to .006 made things worse. Mexican motor. Found an older thread claiming vintage offered hydraulic valves as option. Adjusted them 1.5 turns in from contact as if motor equipped with hydraulic valves and motor seems happy.
If they're hydraulic then get them to zero and then tighten the adjusters 1.5 turns.
Done! More betta now! Happy holidays and thanks guys