Ok my bug has been running like a chaff cutter I just bought another manifold because the heatrisers in my other one were clogged and the carb was icing up on cool days...

Thought I had solved the problem until I checked the valve clearances... No.1 Cylinder valves (the one closest to the front of the car) inlet or outlet not sure but, when I loosened off the lock nut and adjustment screw I could'nt get any clearance or gap between the tappet and valve.

What does this mean? I'm sure it's not going to be good but, is it easy to fix or a headache? Is it going to cost me alot of $$$$

Thanks guys

Normally., in the 50s and 60s

this meant You had a stretched valve....

and the head was going to break off... [the valve]

or at least thats what would happen....

try another screw and nut to see if it IS a BIG Problem..

back in the 50s and 60s it was usually number 3 cylinder
that dropped the valve due to the oil cooler being over Number 3 cylinder....

LEE

Hi Lee,

I removed the adjustment screw and all appeared to be ok and I even removed the actual set of rockers from the head and all appears ok with that as well... Just the valve appears to be the problem. If it has dropped the valve is this a huge job to fix?

Cheers

Greg

Once its dropped a valve it will damage the piston/head and probably the cylinder....

but all these can be gotten 2nd hand or new etc...

its usually the exhaust valve that goes...
the outside ones are exhaust valves...
inner ones are inlet...

You will need to take the engine out to undo the head on that side... undo the exhaust and inlet manifold..
take the head off - maybe throw it away and replace with another good one... the piston will also be damaged..
sometimed the cylinder is also damaged...

BUT

Maybe your Valve has been open all the time....
due to being stretched... and riding on the tappet all the time... which will make a VW engine misfire etc...

So, Your engine maybe OK, at the moment...

the valve stem has stretched which is a telltale sign...
when the head of the valve will come off is anyone's guess...

If the valve head has seperated and is sitting in the head, it would be making a terrible noise.... I would think...

the valve being Open all the time, would make the engine run on 3 cylinders..

LEE

I would say valve seat recession due mostly to unleaded fuels wit no lube to the valves,the valve obviously sits higher with the rocker gear removed. The easy fix is to replace the heads with a pair of new ones.