can anyone tell me the proper valve adjustment procedure with hydraulic lifters? Do you also need to fill each lifter with oil and bench bleed before installing them? Any advice appreciated. Thanx L

I have the same questions...

And adding, "How often do you need to adjust valves with hydraulic lifters?"

Yes, fill with oil before you install. Initial clearance varies, but consensus is that you run them for at least a little while and then set them to the "final" clearance.

Opinions on that clearance vary, but a popular one seems to be zero lash, plus tighten 1/2 turn.

Check 'em every year, or every 10K miles.

Or throw 'em out and put in solids, because hydros kinda suck in a 914... (Only partly kidding.)

--DD

VW added hydraulic lifters to the VW Bus beginning with the 1978 model. The same exact lifter used in the 1978 Bus was used in all Vanagons (both air and water-cooled engines).

so the best answer is - get a Vanagon repair manual and follow the instructions in it

or search The SAMBA - lots of excellent info there

or - just Google > vw type 4 hydraulic lifters < - 47,700 results - that will keep ya busy tonite

.

"How to Rebuild Your Volkswagen Air-Cooled Engine" by Tom Wilson, pages 135 - 136.

I've also heard there are several different manufacturers of the hydraulic lifters matching camshaft and push rods and each manufacturer may have different adjustments specs. Anyone with an idea of which brand I may have?

If you have a pic of one of the lifters someone might be able to identify it.

I adjust mine to 1.5 turns in from zero lash. YMMV.

Some great info posted a while back by Jim Kelly
http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?sho...mp;hl=hydraulic

and

http://www.itinerant-air-cooled.com/viewto...=46&t=11408