January 30, 2007

• Van Update

  Adjusted valve rocker arms. Also cleaned the gunk out from inside the valve covers. Replaced the valve cover gaskets (again).

  Adjusting the valves is soooooo easy, it's a shame I didn't do it earlier.

  The Vanagon engine is an oppositional 4 cylinder, which means two cylinders point off to the right, and two cylinders point off to the left. The colloquial for these engines in VWs is 'Wasserboxer,' which means 'water boxer.' The cylinders are 'boxing,' and it's a water-cooled engine.

  I bring this up because it has two sets of valve rocker assemblies, one on each side. I started with the one for cylinders 1 and 2. In order to get easy access to the adjusting screws, you have to take off the fuel injectors. No problem.

  I adjusted 1 and 2, put it all back together, and started the van. Such a beautiful sound. No doubt I've been wasting horsepower (and fuel) to a poorly-adjusted valve or two. It spat a little steam out the exhaust, which was interesting because I had recently driven it, and it didn't seem like there'd be that much condensation in the cool-down period. But apparently there was, because the steam stopped after a while.

  So yay, right?

  I thought to myself that this might be a good point to stop. Cylinders 1 and 2 done. Go get a bite to eat, see how this new adjustment works on the road, right? Work on 3 and 4 tomorrow.

  But it was still light. Just enough time to do the other side, especially now that I had some confidence about it. So I started, even as the day grew dim.

  I got it all done, and it was time to replace the fuel injectors. They're held on by a single bolt. Which broke under my weight.

  Crap.

  So now I have a chunk of bolt stuck into the intake manifold, and it's dark.

  So no driving tonight. I'll hacksaw a groove into the bolt and use a screwdriver to get it out. But that's tomorrow.

  • 8:42 pm
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