The past week in Car repair

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.

Moderators: kamzcab86, CalAltaDubber

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eric4321
Posts: 143
Joined: Wed Mar 31, 2010 11:14 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1993
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Atlanta, GA

Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by eric4321 »

I was tight on cash at emission test time this year. All I did to mine was retard base timing to about 5 deg after tdc. My nox was high everything else was ok. The car ran like junk but she fast passed. Drove around the corner set timing back to spec and I am good for a year. Once I get the money I am going to replace the o2 sensor and see if she will pass next year.
My Rabbit Rescue and Recovery Ranch
93 Cabriolet red. 5 speed
81 Rabbit 4 door auto bronze (project)
77 Rabbit 4 dr 4spd diesel
(Project next in line)
1987 Cabriolet parts car(may one day bring her back)
1993 Suburban green(used for Rabbit rescue)
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kamzcab86
Queen and Popette of Cabbydom
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by kamzcab86 »

Ironically, I had to emissions test my car too. The web site said that the wait time was about 9 minutes... I think a doctor's office visit would've been faster! I get there and naturally pull into the shortest line (2 cars waiting in front of me, 1 getting tested) and, naturally, it's slowest freakin' line! I finally get into the test bay, get out and stand in the wait booth... and I wait, and wait, and wait, and wait. Their stupid test system went down (in AZ, the government runs the testing facilities). In the meantime, the male tester goes to put the hood up and can't figure out the simple procedure of pushing the latch in and then lifting up. :roll: The equipment, 15 minutes later, is back to working and the female tester gets in my Cab to drive it on the rollers. Now, keep in mind, I have the golf ball shift knob in my car (no shift pattern); but, every two years, I swap the OEM knob (with shift pattern) back in just for this annoying task. You probably know where this is going... Attempt #1: She stalls it. Attempt #2: She thinks it's in reverse because "this shift pattern is weird". Attempt #3: She bunny-hops it getting out of first. With that, she gave up and called the much younger male tester over. He gets in and drives the car to the test's conclusion without a single problem. Normally I condemn the old adage of "chicks can't drive stick", but in this case... :lol:

I left my house at about 3:15pm; I arrived home at around 4:40... 9 minutes my ass!! :rmad:

Long story short, the 'ole girl passed but: from two years ago the NOx doubled (another .20 and she would've failed), the HC went up slightly, and the CO went down quite a bit. The car hasn't been driven but maybe 3000 miles in the past two years; the only thing changed on it: spark plugs, from single coppers to triples.
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Briano1234
Whats that smell?
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by Briano1234 »

Well, I opened the hood checked the oil and fluid, and slammed it down, and the Fan started running, and wouldn't stop.

Pulled the After Run Fan relay, nada.
Pulled the Fan connector whoopie it stopped.

Well that lead to a new switch, so drain the radiator.
Replace the switch, while the radiator is out change the water pump.
While the water pump is out take the compressor off, drain the oil, then remove the Drier and replace it vac it charge it,
Ta-da..

Had to go to the Junk Yard, I got the newer style a/c bracket with the adjuster screw, then Had to dun to 3 different stores to get hoses, pump and what nots.

Did manage to flush and back flush the cooling system and radiator, did my CLR trick and you wouldn't believe what crud got out of there.

Well everything is back together and the car is running a whole lot cooler.... But what a pain in the ass.
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
Grand High PooBah
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Location: Cartersville, Ga

Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by Calimus »

Hrm, drain and vac the A/C system, I think I need to do that to a few of my rides. Where is a good place to pick up the vac that you are using. I saw one once at Harbor Frieght, would that do?
16' Challenger ScatPack
05' Yamaha FJR1300
02' Honda VTX 1800C
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Briano1234
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by Briano1234 »

Calimus wrote:Hrm, drain and vac the A/C system, I think I need to do that to a few of my rides. Where is a good place to pick up the vac that you are using. I saw one once at Harbor Frieght, would that do?
If you have a a/c compressor they have one for 12 bucks.
If you don't they have a single stage pump there too. Either way you will probably need a set of Manifold hoses.

Look in road and track, or hot rod mag, as they have a 20 percent off on one item coupon 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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Briano1234
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by Briano1234 »

NOT A DAM THING THIS WEEK. Next week is a Pissan Nathfinder Water Pump.
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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gull
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by gull »

Finally got a chance to troubleshoot my idle problem, today. It turned out to be ridiculously simple. The symptom was the car wouldn't idle on its own until it had run for a few minutes -- this made me think it must something throwing off the base mixture, since it would start running OK about the time the O2 sensor system would go into closed loop mode. So, I went looking for vacuum leaks. Sure enough, the hose from the idle control valves to the throttle body had fallen off. I suspect it got loosened up during the clutch job. Popped it back on and the car's running great again.
VW fan who fell to the Honda side of the force
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Briano1234
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by Briano1234 »

Going to change the wasser pumpping on my Pissan Nathfinder, and Hurrah, it isn't the water pump that is squealing. Taking all the fans and belt off save for the wasser pumpen, and it isn't making the squeal. It was the idler pulley on the a/c belt.... it is surrounded by Tin, and the bearing going out was causing it to vibrate or squeal. BAD News or the Luck-O'daIrish, I broke the upper nipple off the radiator.

If it ain't one thing it's another.
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:
CalAltaDubber
Frozen Guy in the Northern Country
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by CalAltaDubber »

Well I felt is was time to do some stem cleaning. So I rented the steam cleaner and did the carpets in the house.

With that complete, it was time to do the cars.

I had left Topless Bunny outside while I toiled away on Posh Bunny's interior (And it really needed it too!).

Well I look up to find that it is raining merrily outside and, yes, the tops are down.

After a quick shuffle, I get both cars into the garage and back to work. I wasn't too worried about the interior of Topless Bunny I had to clean it anyway. I guess it just got a pre-soak.
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
'88 Cabriolet, "Posh Bunny"
'04 Golf
'12 Golf Wagon TDI
'69 Manx type Dune Buggy (New Toy)

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Briano1234
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by Briano1234 »

Crap happens....
Green Cabby the Intake tube got a hole in it at the PVC junction to the main body. (repaired with Radiator hose tie-wrap and silicone) (new is 256.00 1stvwparts)...choke..gasp swallow..........

blue cabby ignition switch failed..... gotta replace on WED. Love dropping that knee bar, and pulling steering wheels (NOT).
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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bbrown
Posts: 191
Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:44 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Location: Longview, TX or Exeter, ME

Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by bbrown »

Briano1234 wrote:Crap happens....
Green Cabby the Intake tube got a hole in it at the PVC junction to the main body. (repaired with Radiator hose tie-wrap and silicone) (new is 256.00 1stvwparts)...choke..gasp swallow..........
What about the ABD one? http://abdracingwerks.com/Merchant2/mer ... ode=70.900

Only $80, but that's not including shipping. Not to terrible if it provides any "performance" gains. I think they look pretty decent and look like they might be a little less restrictive than the original intake tube, but they may blow your OEM+ look.
~Buster

1986 VW Cabriolet 1.8 5 spd.


~__|__\__
[(O)__(O)]
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gull
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by gull »

I wouldn't expect any performance improvement. I think the AFM and the throttle body are the main restrictions, not the tube!
VW fan who fell to the Honda side of the force
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bbrown
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by bbrown »

gull wrote:I wouldn't expect any performance improvement. I think the AFM and the throttle body are the main restrictions, not the tube!
You're probably right, but it can't be any worse and for the price it might just be the ticket. Plus it should be a little tougher than the plastic tube.
~Buster

1986 VW Cabriolet 1.8 5 spd.


~__|__\__
[(O)__(O)]
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gull
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by gull »

Definitely. It's a good replacement, I just wouldn't expect any performance improvement, except maybe from the weight removed from your wallet. :)
VW fan who fell to the Honda side of the force
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Briano1234
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Re: The past week in Car repiar

Post by Briano1234 »

Well after getting 2 bad switches, Thank God, I tried them out before putting in the car, and then reassembling the POS, and VW added a tranny interlock to the Ignition switch on the 93 that is not on the 92, collapsing the shaft and having to pry it back out. reassembling the Knee-bar, and Dash I got-r-done, only to discover that the new switch "key in igniton" is on constantly.....ARGHHHHHHHHh....

On a side note the following voltage stabilizer fixed my intermittent gauges.

Ka7810aetu from mouser @.78 cents each.
I tried the LM7810AC and it made my fuel guage and water gauge read high... where I would of had to calibrate the gauges. So, the KA7810aetu is good for you.
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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