Canada eh?

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

> First off - 52hp (or whatever a 1.6NA diesel is rated at) is a bit on
> the small side to motivate even one VW Caddy to highway speeds,
> nevermind two.  

Back when I bought my first VW (now known as the Valdez, an 87 TD Jetta) I
test drove a NA diesel out onto the road in front of the dealership and
directly back in, too sluggish to get out of its own way. I can't imagine a
double rig like that.
>

>
> Breakdowns were the order of the day on Tuesday though.  A non-working
> battery/alt. idiot light failed to warn me that the alternator belt
> had disintegrated.  Being a diesel, it just kept chugging along
> oblivious - that is, until I stalled it on an off ramp during a fuel
> stop (where I also learned that first gear is sometimes third due to a
> sloppy shift linkage).  After 20 minutes of assessing the situation
> and hoping someone would stop and offer a boost I realized I'd have to
> unhook the dolly and bumpstart it myself.  After getting it started I
> drove to the gas station and got out my tools.   Damn A/C system - the
> belt must be removed to replace the alt. belt.  The lower alt. bolt
> was severely rusted and felt like it was about to snap, so I removed
> the lower A/C compressor bracket bolt to try and get enough slack in
> the belt.  No dice, so I was forced to remove the rusty alt. bolt to
> gain access to the A/C compressor's belt tension adjustment bolts.  As
> luck would have it, this time (for some reason) I threw a can of
> Thrust penetrating oil in my toolbox, which did the trick...  Getting
> that damn bottom A/C compressor bracket bolt back in wasn't fun
> though...
>

Welcome to hell. We hope you enjoy your stay. Remind me to show you the
post I got from my son in North Bay after the POS (NA diesel Jetta) threw
it's twentieth belt at a "comfortable" ambient temp of about -20C. I think
it's a VW engineering's "cruel joke" on anyone thinking those can actually
spare enough juice to run AC.


 Judging by the white smoke coming from the tailpipe a
> couple times when I topped up the rad, I'm guessing it's the head
> gasket or a crack in the head...  That would explain the
> hissing/vacuum-leak-sounding-noise on shutdown we heard eh Al?

If you intend to keep it as an oil burner, LMK, the guy we got the TD from
for the POS may have another one, it was only $300 with the tranny, the
"dirty drop" version with all the belt driven shit still on. (Or talk to
Drew about what he did to Carrots...not as cheap but much more satisfying)


>
> The rest of the trip went smoothly, except I had a couple issues at
> the border - and for a change it was on the Canadian side...  Seems
> they didn't like the fact that we had assigned a  value to the
> vehicles on the receipt (since no money had changed hands - it was a
> trade).  I asked them what they would have wanted me to do then, and
> nobody had an answer.  82 Rabbit trucks aren't in their "blue book"
> either, so in the end I was finally able to persuade them that I
> wasn't trying to avoid duty charges and that the prices on the receipt
> were representative of typical prices for these vehicles.   After all
> the paperwork was done, and duty paid, some young prick of a customs
> officer took issue w/ my nice set of wheels in the bed that weren't
> part of the trade.  I tried to explain that they were the only decent
> set of tires I had to get the car down to GA, but he was intent on
> placing a value on them and charging me duty/tax since I "had imported
> the car to the U.S. as a whole and bringing the wheels back is
> dutiable".  I couldn't believe how much of a big deal he was making
> about it, but his partner (who didn't look me once in the eyes)
> convinced him to drop it while they were out inspecting the trucks.  I
> can't stand "authority" figures who try to compensate for their small
> dicks by unjustifiably wielding their power...

Gotta love the wild card, Customs seems to know when you just want to get
the hell home and in bed. Always a pleasure to deal with them. Some of the
time.
>
>
> Back to list hibernation,

Don't forget I have some stuff for you before you hit the cave for that nap
eh? 
Cathy