More snow....

[mwilson]

For everyone getting more snow today...

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Almost 90 flipping degrees here today. Set record heat temps yesterday also. California just doesn't have winter anymore. More water rationing on the way.

 

[TFucili]

Yeah, I just got done loading box upon box of books in my box trailer for the local book fair that my wife runs. I was sweating my butt off. I didn't help last year and they overloaded my trailer so bad I thought it was going to break, so this year I am the loadmaster.

It's gotta let up at some point, Mike! BTW, had a guy in the store from Madawaska yesterday. I think half the state of Maine resides here in the Winter.

 

[mwilson]

Yeah, I just got done loading box upon box of books in my box trailer for the local book fair that my wife runs. I was sweating my butt off. I didn't help last year and they overloaded my trailer so bad I thought it was going to break, so this year I am the loadmaster.

It's gotta let up at some point, Mike! BTW, had a guy in the store from Madawaska yesterday. I think half the state of Maine resides here in the Winter.

That would be one of the "Smarter Mainahs"........

 

[mwilson]

Figured if it was going to snow all day anyways that this would be a wicked good time to change Hoopty's water pump.

Well, that wasn't such a good idea. What an absolute PITA. Have to remove a lot of stuff to get the water manifold out.

I've done pumps on pre 2006 Northstar engine, even have the special socket. Unknown to me they changed the design so now the water manifold has to be removed....Oh Goody......they even did away with a radiator drain so you put the biggest drain pan you own under there and hope for the best while popping off the lower radiator hose. Kinda' looks like a cow peeing on a flat rock. Now I get to clean the garage floor as well.......

One of those jobs where you have a telescopic magnet in one hand the whole time to retrieve stuff that falls.

 

[mwilson]

What it looks like right now..

 

[mwilson]

The bloody knuckle project...

 

[TFucili]

Might as well put a Duramax in Hoopty if you want to spend all day changing a water pump.

 

[mwilson]

I don't think it could be any worse for sure.

 

[fest3er]

Might as well put a Duramax in Hoopty if you want to spend all day changing a water pump.

Don't give Mike any ideas. Ayuh, them Down Easters don't think like the rest of us.

 

[GCroyle]

75 Degrees on my outdoor thermo. Campfire in the backyard, clear skies, no coat, some folks in shorts at Lowes, well that really ain't news that happens even when cold here. My knuckles project was yesterday, pulled the variable turbo actuator thingy off the TDI to check it and adjust it. You can't even see the thingy with the hood open. Last tank was 45.5 MPG.

Didn't Mikey thumb his nostrils at the snowman a while back?

 

[JR]

I've never wrenched on a modern hoopty (owned a few carb'd big blocks and a 95ish) but I concur on the aggravation on working on a TDI Beetle. Just to get the alternator out the passenger side tire and fender skirt has to come off, passenger side electric rad. Fan, a/c compressor unbolted and swung aside as far as possible and tied off, and belt tensioner removed. Then your ready for some good ol fashioned contorsionism to unbolt and remove the altenator. The only thing that was wrong with it was the outboard bearing so I sourced the bearings thru my local auto parts guru. While I had it out I replaced the VR and one way pulley doohickey. Even including a few specialty tools I had to buy (thanks VW) I still saved a couple hundred bucks over buying a good quality alt. I refuse to buy the junk most auto parts stores are selling these days.

Hey Gary, 75 and shorts? It hit the mid 40s here last week and you wouldn't believe the number of white legs running around

 

[BIGNASTY]

Wish I could help ya out Mike!! but 50* and a mist of rain.

 

[DavidC]

Been reading up on changing the Timing Belt on the Wife's Toyota Sienna, what a pain in the a**. Then they say to replace the water pump also because it is behind the timing belt and back shroud, what a novel idea. So if the water pump goes out you need to remove the timing belt and shroud after you remove Passenger side wheel, wheel well, power steering pump, harmonic balancer and on and on. Some real nifty engineering going on these days.

Dave

 

[mwilson]

One bolt left. Then it's out...

Coffee break and fill the stove. If it goes back together as hard as it has come apart the '97 will be taking me to work tomorrow and I'll have to finish as I get time. When I have to switch between all 4 of the 13mm wrenches that I own several times per bolt it makes for a loooong process.

There would appear to be a good foot of snow in the drive right now and the wind has picked up. Oh Spring, where art thou?

 

[mwilson]

Been reading up on changing the Timing Belt on the Wife's Toyota Sienna, what a pain in the a**. Then they say to replace the water pump also because it is behind the timing belt and back shroud, what a novel idea. So if the water pump goes out you need to remove the timing belt and shroud after you remove Passenger side wheel, wheel well, power steering pump, harmonic balancer and on and on. Some real nifty engineering going on these days.

Dave

The VW TDI's are the same way, in theory the water pump will last for the duration of the timing belt. Change the belt per the schedule, plus all of the idler pulleys and the water pump at the same time.

 

[mwilson]

75 Degrees on my outdoor thermo. Campfire in the backyard, clear skies, no coat, some folks in shorts at Lowes, well that really ain't news that happens even when cold here. My knuckles project was yesterday, pulled the variable turbo actuator thingy off the TDI to check it and adjust it. You can't even see the thingy with the hood open. Last tank was 45.5 MPG.

Didn't Mikey thumb his nostrils at the snowman a while back?

Shorts? Wow....the only time that my lily white legs are exposed right now is while running from the shower to the bed.....and I don't waste any time doing it either......

 

[BIGNASTY]

Some of the NEW ideas are actually better, The cars of today get more fuel mileage, better performance HP vs displacement. and the mileage that can be had with just the minimum amount of maintenance is remarkable.

Yes they are a PITA to work on but how many times do you change the WP, Timing belt. I think that where things have gone Terribly wrong is all the BS that is added to save the environment the same type thing that needs a College Degree to work on with tools not often found in an average wrench's tool box just a few years ago, and if the truth be known really doesn't do that much better than non controlled cars.

 

[GCroyle]

VW TDI, I did the timing belt and it took me a weekend, 1st time for me. Maybe about $800 plus parts for TB job, extra hoses and the SPECIAL tools to do the job. So next time, have the tools, should go lots quicker. When I bought the car a new TB was in the deal, VW charged about $1000 for the job and the IP timing was later proven to be off and I found the cam was about 4 deg retarded when I did it.

Mikey, sitting on back porch watching Nascar, smelling some ribs cooking on the grill, big buds on the hickories and dogwoods are gonna bust soon. Then we get the pine and oak pollen.

 

[MMeier]

What it looks like right now..


View attachment 91222


View attachment 91223

Awwwwww... ain't that just pretty !!!!