Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2000 10:24:16 -0800
Reply-To: Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Doktor Tim <doktortim@ROCKISLAND.COM>
Subject: $600!!!! was Re: Problem with Throttle Valve
In-Reply-To: <v03007800b4ca4f5ad031@[207.7.93.30]>
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At 06:49 PM 02/11/2000 -0500, you wrote:
>Ken,
The way I understand
>it, there are several different types with subtle differences. 1st time I
>bought one for $25.00 and "modified" to accomplish the task. Guess What? I
>did it over with the right part. Problem solved.
>BTW- If you go the new route, get ready--$600.00 US at the dealer. I mean
>look at that thing! What costs $600.00?!?!?!?
>Rant off.
Rant on.
I realize I am shocked at an apparent comfortable margin for some or sundry
in that price quote, since I have yet to replace a Bosch alloy throttle
body and wasn't aware of the price. I have cleaned a many on
VW/BMW/Volvo/Saab yada/yada t-bodies to restore function nominal results.
Very simple device of universal application with a few subtle variations.
Not 10% the complexity of design or manufacture of the simplest Zenith ever
conceived.
Helping a friend with a Mazda 2000 pickup, it took 5 minutes to identify
his problem as super heavy throttle springs wearing the shaft and body to
variable false air leaks. $750 for a new carb, and that sucker had more
hoses hooked to it than Howard Hughes, not to mention as many springs,
levers and circlips as a Dakar Daimler. It looked like $750 worth of
fussing for feedback to a comprehensive system of vacuum and electronic
interfaces. With pot metal bores ala Solexes, but at least twice the spring
tension. Design flaw cum laude, IMBAAO. (In My Biased And Arrogant Opinion)
The Mazda had about 60k on it. $1 per 80 miles for carburator cost, plus a
bit for labor. $0.0125 per mile. Compared to $600 to wear out the VW unit
in how many miles??? (Need more data).
Rant off.
It may well be a much better value than the YamaKawaHonZuki approach, but I
suggest the demand for Bosch replacements to be very low, therefore the
production numbers low, therefore cost to manufacture out of proportion
with higher volume parts. Boy, am I reserving judgement on the plastic
fiber stuff in current production. When I've seen several in nominal
functional order after 200k, I'll be a believer. Until then, I don't even
want to know what they cost. It wouldn't suprize me if the cost was more
pennies per mile for continued use than any Bosch system alloy t-body.
It also remains to be seen how many of these new age recyclable parts
actually get recycled as contemplated. But what makes more sence to recycle
than aluminum? Mucho big electrons are needed for new. Considerable less to
melt and repour. Shreading, remelting and reforming plastic sounds good
only if it is actually done and actually works economically, which is what
I suggests remains to be seen.
Judgement must be held while this experiment is being run until meaningful
data is created at some point in future, IMBAAO. Till then, clean the
t-body periodically and put a drop of oil at the shaft bores at every
lubrication inspection for much longer life, plastic or alloy, bushed,
bearinged or not, either carbed or fuel injected.
T.P. Stephens aka Doktor Tim
San Juan Island, WA
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