couple of issues on new cabby, not too familiar? it whines??

[yotadriver7]

hey everyone! first off awesome site! 4 days ago i just picked up a 1990 cabby.. heres the history as far as i know of the car, body has 165k on it, not sure of tranny, cluster was replaced in 1997 and read 93k, i believe engine was replaced with it since certain things dont add up *(ex: car has cruise control [doesnt work] but i see no cruise control regulator type thing) so anyways, i have been searching and searching and cant find any info... car runs fine, no issues really...cept for after it warms up idles or drive for about 30 mins, it starts to "whine" the whine increases or decreases depending on rpm, it does it in gear, in neutral or with clutch engaged. if i let the car cool down for an hour or so it doesnt whine till its running for another 30 mins or so... any ideas? sounds like its coming directly from engine... more so over near the timing belt, but no teeth skipped and all belts are good, pullys seem decent as well. idle stays just under 1000rpm, but while driving and i push the clutch in it drops then fluxuates before it stays steady just under 1000 again, vacuum leak maybe but it evens out. the whine is my biggest issue right now, no lights on, oil pressure is good. since im not sure if the engine was replaced or not i dont know too much about it, other then its the 1.8L 8v sohc.... i have one pic of the car i will try to post and more i will post tomorrow.... ive got some other questions but i really need to put the pictures up to describe.... OH!!! ONE MORE THING!! i know for most vw's the white gunk on the oil cap is normal, had it when i bought it but no more on oil cap or valve cover sicne driving it, but i get LOTS of that milky white stuff in that big round black thing going from the valve cover into the intake hose, it goes up through there, it goes into the hose and i see a trail of it entering the larger of the two throttle body flaps... what is this?? is it bad? let me know! Thanks for all you help!!!

P.S.: in 2001 it was totalled in a rear end collision, it was repaired and has no rust or anything, but does have a salvage title :/ bought it for $1,300 tho at a dealer!

[Briano1234]

First, a little pagination goes a long way. A lot of us older types can't read, or choose
not to read the congealed verbage.

Good sites that you need to get familiar with:
mk1vw.info
www.cabby-info.com

after it warms up idles or drive for about 30 mins,
it starts to "whine" the whine increases or decreases
depending on rpm, it does it in gear, in neutral or with
clutch engaged. if i let the car cool down for an hour or
so it doesnt whine till its running for another 30 mins or so
... any ideas? sounds like its coming directly from engine...

If the whine is from the passenger side rear wheel it is usually a sign that the
in-tank fuel pump is toast, letting it run this way will take out your main pump.

How to change it?
http://www.the152.com/modules.php?name= ... 4364#54364

Replace all your vacuum hoses, change the o-ring on the throttle bypass screw and wrap with teflon tape.

i know for most vw's the white gunk on the oil cap
is normal, had it when i bought it but no more on oil
cap or valve cover sicne driving it, but i get LOTS o
f that milky white stuff in that big round black thing
going from the valve cover into the intake hose,
it goes up through there, it goes into the hose and
i see a trail of it entering the larger of the two
throttle body flaps... what is this?? is it bad?
let me know! Thanks for all you help!!!

If the car has been sitting then that may be moisture in the oil that will burn off while driving. Take off the hoses and clean them out with brake clean.... if it returns, then that isn't normal.. Pictures would help


Are you loosing anti-freeze?

That is a sign that the head gasket is gone.

Take the reservoir cap off and tie a latex glove around the hole, start the car, of the glove inflates in 2 minutes and gives
you the finger... Bad Gasket.
If you are adding anto-freeze to the car every day.... Bad Gasket.
If the Exhaust is sweet smelling,,,,, Bar Gasket.
If the Radiator Hoses are looking like balloons and are very hard to compress when the engine is warm...Bad Gasket


Here is the cruise control actuator to the left of the throttle cable on the valve cover.

[yotadriver7]

Thanks for the quick response. It is not losing any coolant as far as i can tell, but I will try the thing with the glove. The whine is not coming from the rear of the vehicle, it sounds like it is coming directly from the engine. No smoke from the exhaust, however while it sits in one spot and idles, it gets a big wet spot on the road from the exhaust. Now I'm not sure if it isjust condensation, or fuel. I does not overheat, the coolant is still bright green (no miscoloration), and all the hoses seem fine. I did take off the hoses and clean them, I cleaned that big black round valve looking thing, I cleaned the insde and outside of the valve cover while replacing the gasket, and I even cleaned that mesh screen in the valve cover. The white goo is there again though. I will try to get some pictures up today or tomorrow to show you what I am talking about. How can I tell where all of the vaccum hoses are and which ones? Is there a diagram that you know of? Thanks again!
-Pete

[gull]

A small amount of white goo is sometimes normal, especially if the car is driven on a lot of short trips -- it comes from condensation. A lot of it can mean head gasket problems.

Your whining sound could be the timing belt (they tighten up as the engine warms up, and will "sing" if they're too tight) or perhaps the power steering pump or alternator. Noises in that area can be really tough to track down. I have an intermittent rattling noise there that I never have been able to find...