[Vwdiesel] RE:82 diesel vanagon passed the diesel emissions test...

[jon.sykes at ps.ge.com]

Thanks to everybody who took the time to comment and respond to my post.
It's great to know such a great bunch of helpful people who have a common
interest.

I took the van to the local car wash pressure washer yesterday.  I used some
diluted driveway cleaner and the tire cleaner (I think it's basically the
same as engine cleaner) all over the engine and engine bay.  I covered the
alternator with a plastic bag and put up some plastic to protect the
interior and cabinets as much as I could.  Then I let rip.  It actually did
a pretty good job, getting rid of a lot of crud - especially what had
accumulated on the metal cover below the engine.

After cleaning everything off and finishing up I sat down and went to drive
off.  Turned the key...nothing.  Turned again...nothing.  Starting to worry
now.  'Oh No.  What have I done.'  Should've kept a dirty engine that would
start.  Turned again...started.  Joy.  I'm wondering what might have got wet
that prevented it starting and why it dried so quick to start 3rd time.  If
this happens again I'd like to know where to start troubleshooting.

A couple of times over the last week I've also heard a buzzing kind of noise
when I turn the key one position before actually starting the engine.  At
first I thought it was the fuel pump, but the fact that it doesn't do it
everytime probobly means it can't be.  The noise would continue for a few
moments after the engine started too.  I noticed it first with the engine
cover off but could also detect it with the cover back on.  It's a high
pitch kind of buzzing noise.  Anyone know what that might be?  These
intermittant problems are the worst kind to try and troubleshoot.
Basically, I just want to be sure that I've covered the bases to make sure
the van starts when I'm on a trip.  I don't have the owners manual for my
van and find the Bentley kind of overwhelming.

Another question concerns kinds of engine noises.  I know diesels are quite
a bit louder mechanically than their gas counterparts, but I find myself
wondering what the different noises are.  I was just looking at the engine
yesterday, listening and heard this new sound.  It's a metallic kind of
pingy sound - fast ping, ping, ping, ping.  I notice it at idle and it
increases with revs then goes away as the revs climb.  If you had a metal
rod and banged it on something hard the resonating noise is a similar kind
of sound.  I'm wondering what that might be.  I could do with a list of
engine noises and what they all mean.  I was also wondering how noisy the
valves should be?  I'm guessing a normal or slightly loose valve clearance
is noisier than a tight one?

Questions, questions....