Update on Mk1 or Why I didn't Cincy this year was: Heard fromTosha...

[T Berk <tberk@mindspring.com>]

At 7:57 PM -0700 5/30/01, Daun Yeagley wrote:
>...and the news is not good.
>
>He's somewhere in Nevada, car started running a little hot.
>  After checking things out, he's not sure the head gasket
>is gonna survive - oil was looking a little foamy.

I stopped in Reno to check and tighten everything and found my axle 
bolt wasn't tight enough so I tourqued it until I sheared the 30mm w/ 
1/2" drive to 1/2" - 3/4" adapter to [now broken] 3/4"" - 1/2" 
adapter to 1/2" breaker bar right off. (What I need is a 1/2" 
extension, 2" in length).

At this time I thought to get an alignment because as I was powering 
through the Sierras I noticed things were not optimal. Right before 
the trip I had swapped out the crappy mix n' match suspension for 
some used progressive springs & Yellow Konis. (No time to install the 
new H&Rs. Drat)

Checking the phonebook I found the BMW tuner as well as the Porsche 
guys sent me to Action Alignment (or is is Muffler) on Virginia st. 
Best place in Reno so I hear. Checked all out four corners:

LF:	Min	Max	Init	Final
Caster	+1.32	+2.32	+1.48	+1.48
Camber	-0.16	+0.84	-2.36	+0.36
Toe	-3/32	0	+3/8	-1/16

RF:
Caster	+1.32	+2.32	+1.68	+1.68
Camber	-0.16	+0.84	-0.16	+0.24
Toe	-3/32	0	+5/32	+1/16

LR:
Camber	-1.76	-0.76	-1.56	-1.56
Toe	-1/32	+3/16	+1/8	+3/32

RR:
Camber	-1.76	-0.76	-1.40	-1.40
Toe	-1/32	+3/16	+1/16	+1/16
======================================
Total Toe
Front	Min	max	Init	Final
	-7/32	-1/32	+17/32	0
Rear	Min	max	Init	Final
	-3/32	+13/32	+3/16	+5/32

Setback - This is Zero Allowable, mine was found N/M for all 4 corners.

Thrust Angle - Rear
Min	Max	Init	Final
0.00	0.00	+0.04	+0.04

Well, I'm no expert but life did improve after the guy was done.

>Sooo....    he was gonna limp it back to CA.  8 hours back
>vs. 30 here.  Probably a wise choice.

So, after I left Reno I decided to press on and see what happened. 
(Wise? Who me?) I figured I could install a new head gasket if it 
came to the worse. But I was behind time now so once out in the 
desert I put one eye on the road & the other split time between my 
Oil Temp & my Water Gauge and I opened her up.

Some what proud to report lil' bucket was real happy after 80 mph so 
I cranked it up some more- soon I was humming along the flat ground 
at 95 mph. This was right where you feel the second butterfly valve 
opening. I didn't want to press too hard but, damn it felt real good.

Temps went up correspondingly from just under 100c to between 115 & 
120c. Stayed rock solid too. Water temp kept lock step with the oil 
temp.

After the fact I can see how a thermostatically controlled oil cooler 
would come in handy. (I have half such a setup already, but not 
installed)

I am running Mobil One 15w50 so I didn't fret too much about 
sustained 120c, seems like a real nice temp to me. Outside temp was 
somewhere around 85-90F, low humidity.

>
>I'm disappointed that he can't make it, but if your car sez
>no, what can you do?
>=====
>Daun Yeagley - Wilmington Ohio


Well, it wasn't the car that said NO, it was the Nevada Highway 
Patrol. Radar caught me at 97 mph too close to town and I was hauled 
in, car towed, and a night in the pokey (How embarrassing at the 
time). Seems my registration and licence weren't quite up to snuff 
(Whoops!, surprise awaits me back in California! Thought I'd taken 
care of everything too. Damn Computers.).

Since the FINE & Tow Charge bit into my emergency fund I was now at 
the point of pressing on or turning back; so I turned around. The oil 
in the coolant may just have been a high pressure burp from over 
filling but I didn't want to press my luck too far. (Besides I _was_ 
speeding). [btw- Hasn't been any trouble on the way back nor around 
town. Still, I'm pulling the JH for a rebuild anyway.]

Apologies to the Salty One for my lack of "caravan-mens'ship" and 
what a drag to miss out on Mr. Potter popping out of a cake, and 
_still_ to this day you guys don't _really_ know if Scott Williams 
and I are the same guy, or not.  B])

Anyway, this week I spent around the house, milling about and moping 
for 24 hours or so. Since then I have had some fun, gone to the DMV 
and started parting out the A2 GTI in the back yard. (Hmmm, where is 
it's motor going? I wonder?)

TBerk
Still a Survivor, only Slightly Wiser.





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