I hate Plastic Parts......

Have you done so much to the car today that it just doesn't fit into one section, or are you too damn lazy to split it all up? Either way, this is the section for you.

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Briano1234
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I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

Yesterday, I had a blinking low coolant level indicator, ok, I didn't look at the engine for a week..
But I popped the top on that.

There was my water jug, about 1/3 full.
Remove the Radiator Cap, and drive home.

Getting it home I couldn't see a leak or residue any where.
I got out my black light, and damned if I could see any florescence.

Getting out my trouble light and going over ever hose and part I found the leak.

The drivers side water outlet flange, it didn't seem to be cracked, so I removed it, and while it didn't crack per-say, it elongated, and distorted. The o-ring had turned to goo, and doubled was totally distorted.

Image

Crappy lighting. But the inside instead of being round was almost elliptical.

I had taken a metal one off of a Diesel, and cleaned it up a bit to install...Dangblastedcostreduced parts... I won't be having that issue on the new one..

But I wish that NLS would look in to making outlet flanges for the water pump and both head pieces as well.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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Calimus
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Calimus »

wow, that's odd. As far as NLS, I'm sure they would make them if someone would put the bug in their ear.
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Briano1234
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

Well, I really really hate plastic parts with a passion.
I am going to replace all of them I can with metal.

Today @ 3:30 my son was driving the Green Car on 285 (interstate), when with out warning the heater hose to by-pass hose joint failed. It wasn't a clamp issue as there are spring clamps on both sides, it was the plastic connector pipe failed...... Don't know if there was more damage as he had to cross a few lanes to get to the shoulder/exit. But it was pretty obvious once I started to fill it.....:)

And to think I have some brass hose joints that will just work.... So replace that with a metal or brass hose connector.

I have seen metal heater valves, metal t-stat covers, and the 3 way water outlet flange in aluminum.... This is my new mission.....
FARGIN PLASTIC CRAPPY PARTS......

UPDATE: The heater hose connector Plastic hose splice has totally disintegrated. When I pulled out the broken side internally, it has a spiral crack. The other side that still had the hose stop Broke in the same place when removing it. So I had 3 pieces of failed plastic, that have been replaced by Brass.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
jerriccava
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by jerriccava »

Well, not all can be replaced with metal. Anything that prevents conduction must be plastic. :)
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Briano1234
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

Well, I still hate plastic parts, as I have had to replace yet another outlet flange on my car......Good thing I buy spares....

But wait there is more.
From a thread that Ron did many years ago I remembered it and finally started to investigate.
It is now safe to say that I have gotten rid of the farging fecking(irish) plastic outlet flanges on my Digifant car.

I don't have pics of it but I can tell you what I did.
I came to the conclusion that the vibration of the upper radiator hose over time weakened the plastic mount ears, lets face it, the dam thing is under engine torque vibration all the frigging time. It is an accident waiting to happen a plastic time bomb.

I ordered 2 of the new improved metal t-stat covers.
Image

I replaced the drivers side outlet flanges ages ago, got them off a old Diesel Rabbit. The front upper radiator outlet flange stumped me....
Image

Now I have the answer Thanks Ron......
From this:
Image

To this
Image
Image

There are 2 styles of flanges that I found at the "yard" one was off a 87 FOX with no drilled bung for a thermo run switch, and the other off a 89
Cabriolet that had the drilled bung for a thermo run. Look for the ones that don't have the oil cooler connection, or you will need to plug that one off too.

You will need a new o-ring.
You will need an oil pressure/coolant temp sender.
Image
You will need a CTS sensor off a 16V golf engine.
Image

This CTS sensor is the same electrically as the blue CTS sensor, so it will perform the same, and the connector end will be there.

After you connect the new flange to the engine do not fully tighten you will have to modify the coolant temp sender (black) to single pin.
You cut off the old connector, and replace the yellow/red wire with a male spad connector. You will take the brown ground wire, and place a
ring connector on it that will fit on the flange bolt (ring or open end spad will work).
Attach the ring connector over the bolt and fully tighten the flange bolts to 87 in/lbs.
Connect your Blue CTS connector to the new CTS switch.... and presto.

Along with the heater hose brass barbed fitting, you have replaced most of all the farging feckin plastic parts on a digi that are prone to breakage.

Hope this helps folks in the future.

Now, they make a metal heater valve and it is available at Summit racing.. So you can eliminate 75 percent of all plastic parts with only the Radiator, Heater core, and Expansion jug left.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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Briano1234
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

Found this on ebay, but it was the last of them. I am hoping to get the manufacturer name and pn off the part when it arrives.
The one I got from summit, while well made is total soldered together, so modifying it will be a pain in the arse.

This one however looks to be the cat's pajamas.
Image

SummitRacing has one but they want 50 dollars for it.... So I am awaiting on this beasty.... it was only 30.
That will be the last of my plastic frigging parts.......
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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Calimus
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Calimus »

Keep us posted on how well it works. Now that I'm gearing up to start refreshing the cabby, I just can't wait to see how many plastic parts fail after her multi-year slumber.
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Briano1234
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

I got the valve in but it is 180 out from the "normal" operation. I can make it work, the hose flanges are the same as the old one.
But I have to get it installed, as it is the last of the critters.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
84Vert
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by 84Vert »

Brian, I know how often you use NAPA, yesterday I got some coupons in the mail, $10 off any purchase of $30 or more!
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Briano1234
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

84Vert wrote:Brian, I know how often you use NAPA, yesterday I got some coupons in the mail, $10 off any purchase of $30 or more!
I still get my sons discount there....
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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kamzcab86
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by kamzcab86 »

Briano1234 wrote:That will be the last of my plastic frigging parts.......
What about the coolant expansion tank? :wink:

I only bring it up 'cuz the relatively new one in my van just went bust... 1" crack near the top. :rmad: A company makes a stainless version (for the vans), but it's megabucks, and you can't just look in and see where the level is.
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Briano1234
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

Ya know I got a brandy spanking new one from parts4vw.com, and it burst in 2 days on the seam.

I would be a good thing to find one that had a sightbar....
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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Calimus
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Calimus »

Man I'm getting a little concerned here. I'm just a couple of weeks out from starting project crabby cabby resurrection and all I read are plastic parts going boom. I feel a nervous twitch coming on.
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Briano1234
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

Briano1234 wrote:Found this on ebay, but it was the last of them. I am hoping to get the manufacturer name and pn off the part when it arrives.
The one I got from summit, while well made is total soldered together, so modifying it will be a pain in the arse.

This one however looks to be the cat's pajamas.
Image

SummitRacing has one but they want 50 dollars for it.... So I am awaiting on this beasty.... it was only 30.
That will be the last of my plastic frigging parts.......
Guess which part started to leak yesterday.... That is right the metal heater valve.
DAMN.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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Briano1234
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Re: I hate Plastic Parts......

Post by Briano1234 »

Well it wasn't the heater valve, It was the expansion hose, it had a pin hole that sprayed on to the heater valve.
I had my son start the car, and I started to look for the leak, didn't see that dripping at all. Once I had him rev the engine it was a fine mist, that was fan driven to hit that and drip....... Dam hose....
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
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