The past week in Car repair

[sixsracing]

Strange..... What is this "warm weather" you speak of?

[gull]

Since you're in Maine, I think it corresponds to about two weeks of rough sledding in July.

[bbrown]

Since you're in Maine, I think it corresponds to about two weeks of rough sledding in July.

Haha. I like that one. Hay six, how come we haven't seen any pics of the Cabrio? And how about a certain Dodge Neon? Not asking for picks of the Neon as I already know that car, just wondering how the repairs went.

[sixsracing]

The green Cabrio that we just purchased? Sitting in the front
yard on 3 flat tires, bone stock. Not really much to see.

Repairs go well all the time. Which car? Just finished a 2000
Corolla 1.8 VVT-i engine job. Only thing left in the block was the
crank. That was interesting. Car came in for an engine skip.
$1,500.00 later it runs puuuurfect. Ouch!

Buster, your sister and my oldest daughter know each other from
UMO. Small world. Yes, I'm that old.

[bbrown]

Buster, your sister and my oldest daughter know each other from
UMO. Small world. Yes, I'm that old.

She seems to know everyone. If your that "old" then that must make my parents old... I don't know how I feel about that.

My repairs for the week were pretty simple: Reinstalled my Hurst shifter in the Ranger with lock washers to prevent the bolts from backing out. Cleaned my battery post terminals as they were getting a little dirty. Evicted the dirt dobbers that moved in since last time I opened the hood (which was only a week ago ). I think I need to replace the MAF since the darned thing idles like poo. I replaced the idle air control valve last semester (I know the old one was toast), but it only mildly improved things. Oh well, the thing gets me from point A to point B, which is usually just across campus when its raining Horses and Cows (everything really is bigger in Texas).

[gull]

This weekend I need to take the electric cooling fan out of the Saab so I can send it back to Jegs for an exchange. It refused to spin the other day and the stupid thing is only three months old. Hopefully I can pull it without taking out the rad, 'cause re-assembling the front clip was a real struggle last time. The car's front end was "modified" by a fender-bender some time in the past and nothing really lines up like it should.

[vw_nick]

got both left and right rear wheel bearings cleaned and repacked, (had to replace one due to a fractured race though) and installed my type 3 rear drum brakes on the rail buggy, got the front wheels cleaned up and repainted - need to get inner tubes for the tires... currently also have the front drums / bearings off for cleaning and repacking as well. It's funny, the front wheel bearings are actually ball bearings that run on tapered, dished races - not rollers or needles like we're used to. (it's a kingpin, linkpin front end, so it's old stuff)

[Briano1234]

Well the week before last the Alternator belt shredded... no worry's Pull the alternator, loose the a/c...
Monday the new belt snapped...... get free replacement... find the Alternator bearings are now toast, funny they weren't a week ago.
Today driving home, the new Belt snapped again and this time took the Water Pump belt with it.... Needless to say 3 blocks from home, I drove it...
About the same time my voltage stabilizer went south... cant see the water gauge but the oil temp and pressure looks good....

Radiator Jug was "full" and the hoses were a little tight....


Go get another new belt... The Alternator bottom bolt wasn't tight... Replace it again,

When watching the engine run after (no intermix of oil/af).. no leaks so far.... notices that the Plug wires were arcing to the head....
Run back to Pepboys to get free replacements..... Love them warranties..

run to the "yard" to get a few voltage stabilizers..
Now taking the dash out to clean the grounds and replace the VS.

Gee this is how I am spending my week end.

[sixsracing]

Replaced the right front axle in mine just now, fourth
one in as many years. Still have the wrong inside joint
on them so I swapped my old... again. Got that done
and decided I wanted a working emergency brake so
took the lever apart and repaired the ratchet mechanism.
Tried it and snapped the left cable. Sigh. $35.00 at
VW and it will be here Friday. Oh joy.

[Briano1234]

Tried it and snapped the left cable. Sigh. $35.00 at
VW and it will be here Friday. Oh joy.

I have done that too, as a matter of fact I ordered 3 cables the last time, I have one for spare.

[sixsracing]

The one that snapped was never right from the
time I installed it. I have wanted to replace it
since the first, but it worked so I left it. I almost
cheered when it went.

[Calimus]

Sorry I've been so quiet, here is why.

So, we picked up a New Beetle Turbo S a few weeks back. Car has been excellent. This past week, Cristine and I have been off as Wed the 14th was our anniversary. The Sunday before the weather was nice so we took the Beetle up to the Dragon and the Cherohala Skyway. Was a fantasic day. Monday we took our dog to the vet as she was having osme hair loss issues. Well, there went the top money for the cabriolet

So we said hell with it and we started working back on the jetta that had snapped the lower timing chain (vr6) New chains on, new tensioners, new guidrails. Got the engine side overs back on, put the flywheel back on, new clutch & pressure plate. Got the tranny in, hooked the clutch slave cyl back in alon with the shifter. Put the starter back in and hook some of the electrical back up so I could do a compression test. Wouldn't ya know it, 4 cyl's no compression and 2 others that were so low it's not even funny. So now I have to pull the head and redo the valves.

I've also replaced the plugs, cap & rotor on Cristines rocco as it was acting up a bit, but I think that did the trick. Was due anyway. So, needless to say, I've worked my ass off on this vacation, but it's worth it. When the jetta is finished, all repairs will cost me just under 1k. I checked to see what it would have cost if taken to a dealer/shop.....well over 3k. So all the work is well worth it.

[sixsracing]

Congatulations on the Beetle! I suppose on the anniversary too. Our 24th is Monday.

Could have bet on the valves being bent on the VR6, almost a given with that motor.

[vw_nick]

removed front wheels, removed tires from wheels, removed loose paint from exterior, removed rust from interior, painted interior and exterior, reinstalled tires with tubes to prevent bead seating issues when wheels get bent to hell off road... removed front brake drums & bearings, removed front brake packing plates. cleaned and repacked front wheel bearings (round balls on tapered races, not rollers... 60s stuff - weird) Installed new seals on drums, reassembled and adjusted front bearings & drums sans backing plates. (no front brakes for now, possibly in the future but it will require installing brake differential valve, and rear wheel cylinders in the front (currently have 24mm piston super beetle front wheel cylinders in the rear) However, on a lightweight buggy the front brakes aren't really useful, especially when you need to be steering.

Cool on the turbo beetle! Must be neat. Bummer on the Jetta... but looks like it'll "be ok" in the long run.

[Calimus]

You've definitly been busy Nick.

Yea, the Jetta will live again and by the time I'm done with it, should be good for another 120k. I'll have to get some pics of this mess posted up for amusement.

As for the Beetle, it's a blast. Here's a pic that Killboy got of us.



As you can see, Cristine was sure to wave with only one finger. Oddly enough, that got out pic on his front page for that week. That little turbo is fun to drive but will be more fun when I can make 2 improvements. I'll be swapping the diverter valve for one from the B5.5 A6 and replacing the stock n75 valve with the J-spec race version. Should add a few extra ponies and give the throttle responce we really want without having to get the car chipped. Also lets us keep the groovy fuel milage.

Can't wait to get the Jetta back on the road though. Getting cold down here and while the rocco's are fun, the jetta has heated seats