Oh, just more progress

[roccit_53 at scirocco.cs.uoguelph.ca (C Boyko)]

Well, it was a typical day around here yesterday. I was sick of Klaus'
little "incontinence problem", as he'd been leaking oil. A lot of it. This
time it was from under the flange for the oil cooler, it's a nice little
job. Once again, "I'll take VW engineers I'd like to slap for $500, Jim."
They always bury bolts in clear sight, but not in easy reach. In this case
three buckets, requiring the removal of the oil filter, oil cooler, the
threaded rod it's on, and the sensor on the top. Then finally the offending
flange. Of course the threaded rod wouldn't come off, so I ended up
draining the coolant to get the cooler off. And I'd managed to bite into
the threaded rod with the channel locks, so had to do the same on the parts
Passat to source a new version. I do love how interchangeable the parts are
on these cars, the Passat's a 91 and Klaus is a 79. Of course his oil
cooler's from an 84. Anyway, that was the morning. 

On a side note, the disastrous Waterfest adventure helped the project a
lot. New tools from that trip? 

1. The fancy schmancy hose clamp tool, I'd been dying to use it anyway, and
it rocks. I OWN spring clamps now. They bow before me. Shoulda bought that
sucker ages ago.

2. Offset slipjoint pliers, for clamps that are easier to get at with
pliers. 

3. Super short construction hammer, for driving them Allen bits home in
tight quarters.

Moral of the story? If you see an oddball tool that you're not sure about?
Buy it, you'll likely use it.

Lessee, what else? Oh helping the kid bleed brakes on the 2L Rabbit. (I
find this job goes much better with some Fireball on ice, we have it down
to a science) Typical, he'd nearly extracted a rotor from the rusty 80
parts car, since he'd "looked" and couldn't figure out where the original
one was. It was hidden in plain sight, right on the shelf. And again, parts
from the Passat came in handy. A steering wheel nut. Same for both cars.
And clutch cable attachment hardware from who knows what. He'd lost that
too.

The Cabby's back on the road, after I threw in the towel and had it towed. 

And the POS Jetta's been measured for new ground cables, the kid's too lazy
to be bothered I guess. And I have to get the correct starter bolt into the
16V today too, and a fuel filter for Klaus, none are big jobs. 

They really keep me hopping eh? 

That's it for now, maybe I'll relax and wash some of them today. And go for
a drive ;)

Cathy