|
|
 |
*** READ THIS *** Ok. We're back home after nearly 3 weeks away, and it's time to finish reassembling this guy and see if he runs. I'll be putting the finishing touches on this section of my site over the next several days. Today, we have a heat index of 108, and I'm not going to do anything until maybe this evening, so please be patient. Meanwhile, you can browse the pages below and catch up on what has transpired to date. Dave Links to Pages (enabling you to jump directly to where you want to go, thus minimizing those pesky pop up ads. Yes, there's no free lunch, I'm afraid. It doesn't cost me anything for this web hosting service, but we pay for it with those annoying pop up ads that keep wanting us to spend our hard earned dollars on online gambling. Don't they know we gamble every time we turn the ignition switch on our vintage VWs?) Link to Page 2 May 29, 2002 Link to Page 3 May 30, 2002 Link to Page 4 June 1, 2002 Link to Page 5 June 4, 2002 Link to Page 6 June 5, 2002 Link to Page 7 June 6, 2002 Link to Page 8 June 9, 2002 Link to Page 9 June 10, 2002 Link to Page 10 June 14, 2002 - Reassembly Begins! Link to Page 11 June 18, 2002 Link to Page 12 July 11, 2002 - Up & Running (mostly) May 27, 2002 Day 1: One Step Forward; Two Backwards In the grand tradition that is implied by the title of this section, I began the day by putting the VW on the ramps on the driveway. I decided to work there after all... I'll be closer to my tools and won't be as messy during the rains we're expecting this week. I began by warming up the engine to prepare for the compression tests. I noticed a steady drip... almost a stream of coolant coming from the passenger side head. Also, when the exhaust pipes became heated, a lot of smoke came off the cross pipe. I couldn't see any coolant dripping on it, and it didn't appear to have any holes in it, so I don't know what this is. After a while, it dissipated. I see a lot of oil on the bottom of the front of the engine where it bolts onto the transmission. hmmm... After warming up the engine, I attempted to remove plugs 3 and 4 on the driver's side. Those plug wires are really on! Had to use pliers to get them loosened enough that I could pull them off. They have big metal sleeves that fit entirely over the top of the plug. While working on the wire on plug #3, I snapped a totally worn out piece of coolant hose (small diameter) running from the top of the coolant reservoir to a big cross pipe. That started a steady stream of coolant dripping onto the top of the engine. Jean had a piece of hose in the garage that she was using for her pond pumps that I was able to snug around the fitting with a hose clamp. I stuck the other end into an empty gallon jug. By that time, it had stopped dripping.
May 28, 2002, Day 2: We Spend Some Money and We Try Again Went to the local NAPA store to find replacement coolant hose. No dice. Didn't even have it in their catalog. Picked up a 13/16 spark plug socket for $6 and change. Checked out their metric calipers. Cheapest one was $36. I'll pass. Time to work on my metric conversions. Drove to the local Porsche shop. What luck. He just happened to have a 2 foot length of the hose I needed. Sold it to me for $10. Not bad. Bus Depot lists this replacement for $6.95 (I think). I'll have enough for this and the piece between the expansion tank and the overflow/fill tank. The coolant hose went onto the near nipple with no problem. I had to use vaseline to get it to go onto the far one near the firewall. But it's on, and seems solid enough. I warmed up the engine again, and was able to pull the plugs and install my compression gauge. With the help of my wife who was running the ignition switch and pushing the accelerator, I recorded the following data: Passenger side head (this is the one that leaks) -- #1 - 150 psi; #2 150 psi Driver's side -- #3 - 160 psi; #4 - 165 psi Bentley says the nominal value should be between 145 and 189 psi, so I think I'm ok. Plugs looked good, too (see photos below). Tomorrow, I drain fluids and yank that head clean off!
|
|
||||||
