Is this pinging I'm hearing?

Hey Guys,

Just picked up my first VW about a month ago and think I've found my new life-long hobbie! She's a 1980 Westfalia, Air-cooled, 2.0L fuel injected (2000cc I believe).

My problem is this:

I've done a ton of reading all over the net but I can't quite confirm if the noise I'm hearing is pinging or not.

From all of the posts I've read I'm thinking that pinging only

(usually) occurs when the engine is at a higher RPM with a load on the engine. The sound I'm hearing can be described just as pinging is generally described - "metalic tinging sound - similar the a bee-bee in a glass jar" coming from the rear end.

The reason I'm not sure if it's in fact pinging or not is because the sound happens as long as the van is in motion. Let me explain further

- I'll be clipping along in town at about 60 km/h in 4th gear - the engine is pinging away - I press the clutch in to take load off of the engine (at least I think that would take the load off - I'm a newbie) and the pinging continues as I coast ... when I hit about 20 km/h the sound seems to have completely faded away. There is never any clunking or hard knocking that I read goes hand in hand with the pinging noise.

I know pinging can be attributed to over heating and timing - The engine runs like a champ (although I've got to replace the push rod tubes and seals as she's leaving quite the mark wherever I park) - I don't have a CHT guage in it at the moment but plan on installing one very soon as I'd like to take her up north in a few weeks (about 9hrs each way so I need to narrow down if this is pinging or something else

- cuz if it's pinging I'll have to take another vehicle :-( ). I did the dipstick test tonight after running the van around town for about

20 minutes and the stick was quite warm - though, not too hot that I had to let go of the stick but if it was 20% warmer I'm not sure I could have held on to it.

That's about it ... Sorry for being so long winded - just wanted to be sure to get everything across.

Thanks in advance for any advice/knowledge you pros' can lay down for me.

Jon

Reply to
jon.feduk
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Not pinging.

Ping only occurs under load.

I would look at the CV joints or maybe stub axle bearings/drums/brakes.

You might get some ideas by jacking each rear wheel and spinning by hand.

Speedy Jim

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Reply to
Speedy Jim

Thanks for the reply Jim. Good to hear you don't think it's pinging. I'll jack her up tomorrow after work and see what I can find..

Jon

Reply to
jon.feduk

Just on a side note

aircooled's dont like to be loaded at low revs...

I'd be in 3rd gear at 60k !

The engine wont have to work as hard.

Rich

Reply to
tricky

Thanks for the note Rich. I must say though, at 60 km I've just shifted into fourth - As I said, I'm new to these VWs so I'll see how she feels in third. Going by the sound of the engine (no tac) she sounds like she's ready for 4th right at about 55-60 - here I thought I was giong easy on it by having it in a bit higher gear than required!

Jon

Reply to
jon.feduk

For one hot second I was wondering why you'd drive that poor bug like you stole it, Rich.

The next second it occurred to me that it is 60 Kilometers/h, not 60 Miles/h..... :)

Reply to
Remco

I'm thinking CVs too.

Reply to
David Gravereaux

Hi Remco - How ya doing ?

It's a bus , not a bus, but still ...

Any who... My new toy is an oldmobile toronado 1967

425 ci 385 Hp 435Ft lb torque and I drive it like I stole it :-)

Great fun eating up the ricers !!!!

Rich

Reply to
tricky

now i'm all confused....LOL

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

Was thinking that perhaps a tornado is a different car over there - but a bus with that much HP would be a monster :)

Rich, you were torn between a bus and a tornado?

Cool!! A friend of mine here had one of those - actually ran NOX as well. Not sure what was up with that, because it had plenty of OOOOMPH all by itself.

Reply to
Remco

That's my Toronado... (not Tornado)

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I am quite in to american V8's at the moment :-)

And , as I guess you have all figured, I meant to type

"It's a bus , not a bug"

Rich

Reply to
tricky

hehe...yeah i knew that....but i had to say something.... was bored i guess...

Reply to
Joey Tribiani

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