Colin spends another day with me Yea!
Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:42 am
I suppose I should start with saying this was our fourth visit together! With a second vehicle this time:) I have a yellow Westy with a Camper Special engine kit from Jake Raby that has weber carbs. And a 1973 blue beetle which Colin hinted one time that it would look good with white interior so I thought about it and agreed that the black had to go, it looks soooo much better with the white interior. Oh we did not do the interior together for the visit but we did spend the day mostly on the bug.
Let me quickly recap the other visits. First visit with Colin was within the first three thousand miles on my new engine and so we went over all the stuff you do in your first experience with Colin. As well as Colin learning you and your VW. Mostly I remember valve adjustment, checking those honking 44 Kadron carbs I had on then wow they sucked gas. Stuff like that. Second visit was mixed and not doing what I thought we would do but that happens. I was having trouble with starting the bus, I thought that we would be putting in a new starter and or hot start relay. As soon as Colin listened to it running he was like what is the sound your alternator bearings sound like crap. I was like really! So off we went to my local vw shop Peek Performance to pick up an alternator. so the day was R&R the alternator then when we dug in a bit I have been irritated with an oil leak and we decided it could be coming from the rear seal so we replaced that as well. I think that was the day. Then the third visit was just something I had been wanting to correct to make another part of my bus better than before and that was to replace the heater controls and have them all work well and proper. I believe that took a lot of time but we also tweaked my sliding door so it closes very nice now:)
Well on to Colin’s visit yesterday. The DC area has had some outstanding weather lately and yesterday was no exception. Yes the morning was chilly but we stayed inside to chat for a bit. Discuss my concerns with the new ’73 beetle and yes I had my list of concerns. Gas smell, tune up, shifting hard, pulling to the left.....
The gas smell....first thing Colin did was remove the sending unit to see the gasket, ugh. Cleaned the area then used some fix a gasket etc. still gas smell so we went over the gas venting system to make sure it was free. It seems that one of the vent lines was replaced by a braided vacuum line and the cloth was soaking up the gas. which had to mean a crack and that is not good. So we replaced it with a plastic tube from the aquarium for an experiment and until I get to the store for the correct piece. Hey Colin it seems that there is gas about an inch up the tube but I will see later today if the smell has gone. Of course upon inspection of the engine there were multiple things that the knucklehead P.O had removed etc. Then we started it and Colin said this thing is not running on all cylinders! Let’s figure out what is going on...So by pulling the starter wire from the coil he could tell by if the sound it made as it tried to start. If it had a sort of distinct uptick was good that it still had some compression, phew it did. So then we determined it was #2 that was the missing link. Then checked the valves and not good news #2 exhaust was not closing completely (I think that was it) oh and the valve guide is moving! It came back to life after the adjustment so I am to check it again soon. I really wanted Colin to be here for the first analysis of the bug. The oil was like black paint and the oil bath was icky too. A very neglected bug until now. Checked and adjusted the timing I forgot but maybe we should have looked at the spark plugs too oh well another day... The shifter had a short shift kit which none of us like so out that came because it makes it so tight and not that much fun to drive that way. Oh by the way Colin- Leigh loves the different feel of the shifter yippieeee. Also I suspected a problem with my flappers and thermostat in the westy so he tweaked that and I will do further observation and report back to Colin.
Then off to a brewpub down the street for beer and food before he departed down the road to spread the love.
Colin you know how much I appreciate you and everything we do together, thanks.
Peace,
Meg
Let me quickly recap the other visits. First visit with Colin was within the first three thousand miles on my new engine and so we went over all the stuff you do in your first experience with Colin. As well as Colin learning you and your VW. Mostly I remember valve adjustment, checking those honking 44 Kadron carbs I had on then wow they sucked gas. Stuff like that. Second visit was mixed and not doing what I thought we would do but that happens. I was having trouble with starting the bus, I thought that we would be putting in a new starter and or hot start relay. As soon as Colin listened to it running he was like what is the sound your alternator bearings sound like crap. I was like really! So off we went to my local vw shop Peek Performance to pick up an alternator. so the day was R&R the alternator then when we dug in a bit I have been irritated with an oil leak and we decided it could be coming from the rear seal so we replaced that as well. I think that was the day. Then the third visit was just something I had been wanting to correct to make another part of my bus better than before and that was to replace the heater controls and have them all work well and proper. I believe that took a lot of time but we also tweaked my sliding door so it closes very nice now:)
Well on to Colin’s visit yesterday. The DC area has had some outstanding weather lately and yesterday was no exception. Yes the morning was chilly but we stayed inside to chat for a bit. Discuss my concerns with the new ’73 beetle and yes I had my list of concerns. Gas smell, tune up, shifting hard, pulling to the left.....
The gas smell....first thing Colin did was remove the sending unit to see the gasket, ugh. Cleaned the area then used some fix a gasket etc. still gas smell so we went over the gas venting system to make sure it was free. It seems that one of the vent lines was replaced by a braided vacuum line and the cloth was soaking up the gas. which had to mean a crack and that is not good. So we replaced it with a plastic tube from the aquarium for an experiment and until I get to the store for the correct piece. Hey Colin it seems that there is gas about an inch up the tube but I will see later today if the smell has gone. Of course upon inspection of the engine there were multiple things that the knucklehead P.O had removed etc. Then we started it and Colin said this thing is not running on all cylinders! Let’s figure out what is going on...So by pulling the starter wire from the coil he could tell by if the sound it made as it tried to start. If it had a sort of distinct uptick was good that it still had some compression, phew it did. So then we determined it was #2 that was the missing link. Then checked the valves and not good news #2 exhaust was not closing completely (I think that was it) oh and the valve guide is moving! It came back to life after the adjustment so I am to check it again soon. I really wanted Colin to be here for the first analysis of the bug. The oil was like black paint and the oil bath was icky too. A very neglected bug until now. Checked and adjusted the timing I forgot but maybe we should have looked at the spark plugs too oh well another day... The shifter had a short shift kit which none of us like so out that came because it makes it so tight and not that much fun to drive that way. Oh by the way Colin- Leigh loves the different feel of the shifter yippieeee. Also I suspected a problem with my flappers and thermostat in the westy so he tweaked that and I will do further observation and report back to Colin.
Then off to a brewpub down the street for beer and food before he departed down the road to spread the love.
Colin you know how much I appreciate you and everything we do together, thanks.
Peace,
Meg