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SOT: Since it's slow...



Since it's so frikking slow, here is a tale of three VWs for you. We'll
refer to them as A1, A2, and A3 for ease. All screwed up stories.

Let's start with A3 (as in my nephew's '95 GTI). 2.0+ L bored over, high
compression pistons, more money than anyone in the family wants to think
about in the engine. Out goes the brave little car, and the big mean old
GTec says 18.slow for the quarter mile. So brave little GTI acquires itself
the beautiful piece of jewellery known as the Autotech adjustable cam gear.
(This is such a pretty thing). On it goes, and it lives happily ever after,
spinning away merrily on the overpriced ABA. Until it grinds itself to
death a few days later on the adjacent hunk of valve cover, hits one of the
adjustment bolts, and slams *some* of the moving parts to a rapid halt. The
word "kiss" should never apply to pistons and valves, in this case it was
two cylinder's worth. Sounds like Autotech may have sent the wrong gear,
and should cover it. It's back together now, with a TT gear, and is fast as
greased lightning, by all accounts.

So this morning, car A2 (87 Jetta). Well, actually last night, at 8:50pm or
so the kid discovers the Valdez's new axle (I'll call it axle B) has ball
bearing rolling around in the box. Gotta love CTC remans. But Adam eats
axles for breakfast, and so far the last ten or so have been free.
"Lifetime warrantee".  He couldn't find the paperwork for axle A, so paid
with his card for axle B. I head in this morning with the two dead axles,
and try to explain the "warrantee" paperwork applies to both of them, as A
is a replacement for B, but it is also defective. ANd I need a refund for
B. By this time I have three axles sitting on the counter, and "young guy
who doesn't shave yet" at the counter scratches his head, hands me a bunch
of paper, and takes the two dead axles. I still owe $63. And I don't even
get a box.
Nope. Not sitting right with me. Fifteen layers of managers later, I emerge
with axles B and C, and no money out of my pocket. The son will have to get
the refund for axle B. I stuff the haul into car A1.

Car A1, (79 Rocco) has decided that it really doesn't ever need to close
it's auxilliary air valve, so is idling at like 2000 rpm, and that's
pissing me off, since the valve works, and is recent. Obviously the wiring
is at fault. I get home, pull out faithful multimeter to check voltage at
the AAV plug, and the car stops dead. And will not start. Even with the
booster pack. A quick check of the meter reveals that I hadn't checked the
leads, and though the dial was on volts, the red lead was in the amps hole.
Replaced the fuel pump relay fuse and all's well, well, except for that
wiring. (Obviously SOME electrons made it through that wire...) 

I honestly don't recall how I passed the time before I had these cars, they
keep me so busy....

Cathy