Re: Replacing gasket and sensors

["Greg Davis" <scirocco@iglou.com>]

Scott vanderValk <Scottii@netscape.net> wrote:
>    I'm leakin a little (try a lot) of oil and it's all coming out through
my
> head gasket, great, well I don't won't to pay VW or anyone else to do
that. 
> SO while I'm at it I think I'll replace the Oxygen sensor on the side of
the
> engine.  Now while I may sound like I know what I'm thinking of doing to
my
> car, truth is I have not a clue besides what I've read and saw in my goo
old
> Haynes manualll.  So I'm just waiting for somebody who's done this before
to
> say "hey kiddie, this is harrder than it looks!!"  So go ahead, make my
day!!

Let me say any idiot can replace the head gasket with a few tools and time.
Oh wait!  I take offense at that!  ;)  

I had another car to drive,  a garage, and 30 days (month of September), so
I said "what the hell! It's now or never for me to replace the head
gasket."     I figured worse case scenario was that I had to have the car
towed and pay someone to put it back together.  I sat down with my Bentley
AND Haynes manuals, figured out what parts I'd need and went to town.  I
took my time doing it too.

Of course no project stays simple and small working on a Scirocco, so I
went ahead and put in a G-grind cam, euro distributor (Thanks Potterman!),
dual outlet manifold/downpipe, all new engine mounts (wow!  Well worth the
$$$), belts, gaskets, valve job, A2 throttlebody, etc...    ALL those
little pieces add up, so plan for it.    My attitude was replace as much as
possible while the head was off.  $1000 later and I'm thinking "what's
next?" (2L block... but not til it's needed!)