A typical wrenching day....
02-06-2006, 12:46 AM
#1
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A typical wrenching day....
Objective was to install a pair of good front struts from a 85.5 parts car. Struts are already cleaned with springs installed. It should (in theory) be a breeze! I figured it'd take one hour max, right?
So I removed the old worn out struts w/o a problem, and go on to install the replacement. But the friggin thing won't bolt up! The bolt holes won't line up. Strange... So I searched Rennlist and sure enough: early struts and later struts have different bolt spacings -- it won't bolt up w/o cutting a hole wider.
Fine, so I had a beer. 
Fortunately, I had a second set of struts from a late year Turbo -- stiffer springs than I'd like them, but they fit. Good thing I have plenty of spare parts...
Of course, I go to take off the other strut and the stupid eccentric bolt wont come out. It turns out that the eccentric washer on the other side is completely fused onto the bolt. Who the heck designed this washer? It's bound to get all fused up when torqued to 74ft/lb. Sheesh... so I had another beer.
My solution was to cut the bolt - out came the Dremel. I went though all my cutting wheels, and after the bolt was cut, I had to cut the washer.
Very slow progress, but it all worked out in the end.
All in all, what should have taken one hour, took the whole day. Just another typical wrenching experience..... Time for a beer.
So I removed the old worn out struts w/o a problem, and go on to install the replacement. But the friggin thing won't bolt up! The bolt holes won't line up. Strange... So I searched Rennlist and sure enough: early struts and later struts have different bolt spacings -- it won't bolt up w/o cutting a hole wider.
Fine, so I had a beer. Fortunately, I had a second set of struts from a late year Turbo -- stiffer springs than I'd like them, but they fit. Good thing I have plenty of spare parts...
Of course, I go to take off the other strut and the stupid eccentric bolt wont come out. It turns out that the eccentric washer on the other side is completely fused onto the bolt. Who the heck designed this washer? It's bound to get all fused up when torqued to 74ft/lb. Sheesh... so I had another beer.
My solution was to cut the bolt - out came the Dremel. I went though all my cutting wheels, and after the bolt was cut, I had to cut the washer.
Very slow progress, but it all worked out in the end.
All in all, what should have taken one hour, took the whole day. Just another typical wrenching experience..... Time for a beer.
02-06-2006, 01:14 AM
#2
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Some times a little brute force and ignorance is what is required... Get a cutoff tool from harbor freight. That thing can cut through torsion bars so the little bolt will be pretty easy with that piece. Late (87+) struts are different from early ones from what I understand. They are the same as the turbo of the early years as far as I know. 83-86 n/a use the same struts. If you are around S. ca, we got enough tools to make the car disintegrate in a day with 3 guys working on it.
02-06-2006, 01:38 AM
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At least you applied the appropriate treatment when confronted with such problems (beer). 
My evening consisted of (in addition to beer) cleaning up and diagnosing a fuel delivery system, replacing some hood shocks and some other little stuff. . . It never ends.
My evening consisted of (in addition to beer) cleaning up and diagnosing a fuel delivery system, replacing some hood shocks and some other little stuff. . . It never ends.
02-06-2006, 03:04 AM
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Will you be in the Bay Area next weekend Joe? You're welcome to come to my place next Saturday and work on your car here. Chris will be here putting in new torsion bars and i'll be working on my damn electrical system..... Depending on how things go, we might be wrenching Sunday too. Lemme know!
Depending on how things go, we might be wrenching Sunday too. Lemme know!
02-06-2006, 03:18 AM
#5
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Yesterday, my wrenching session involved punching myself in the face, becoming oily, loosing skin from the knuckles, and having a friend miss the oil fill tube with about 1/4 quart... which landed in my hair as I was bolting up the under tray...
But, timing belt tensioned, and oil changed, my car runs smooth as silk about now.
But, timing belt tensioned, and oil changed, my car runs smooth as silk about now.
02-06-2006, 03:19 AM
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I'm still very nomadic. I was in SoCal during the week, but in NorCal this weekend. I'll be heading down to SoCal middle of the week, and over to Boston for next weekend. I head back to SoCal for the following week, before heading back up to NorCal mid-week. I get dizzy just thinking about it. And then a bunch of my friends want to head to Tahoe for Presidents weekend, but I don't think I can be bothered....
02-06-2006, 03:37 AM
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Yikes! Sounds fun. Next time you're in the Bay Area on a weekend and want to wrench or just have a beer w/ Chris and such at my place, lemme know!
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02-06-2006, 04:17 AM
#8
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Joe, that happens to me all too often - I try a job for the first time and it ends up taking me 7 times as long as the suggested time. My wrenching experience: Today I almost conquered the 968 timing belt and variocam job. My wrench slipped only once, and only one finger got smashed. Still have to get 20 new cam bolts (m8 x 40) and a couple other things.
Ckathens, we gotta hang out some time. I probably live 5 minutes away from you.
Ckathens, we gotta hang out some time. I probably live 5 minutes away from you.
02-06-2006, 04:45 AM
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Arash, give a hollar if you need any tools -- you just need to catch me when I'm actually in town. I guess you're covered on the flywheel lock, but I also have a P9201 if you want to use it. Also have some spare parts if you forget something.
02-06-2006, 04:44 PM
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Right on, man. I don't think I'll need the P9201, unless I'm supposed to check the tension on an auto-tensioned belt. And I always just use the kricket on the BS belt. Maybe when mom's 944 needs a belt job...