Date:         Thu, 17 Feb 2000 09:06:51 MST
Reply-To:     Sean Garrett <seangar@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Sean Garrett <seangar@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Story (lite vngn cntnt)
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed

Pulling these bolts is easy, I think to myself. Here I am outside in the
carport trying to remove all the bolts to split my case on my 2.0 liter. I
think about how cold it is in the rest of the country and tap myself on the
back for picking Phoenix to live in. I think that I have removed them all so
I pop inside the 10x4 foot closet storage room (workshop) and look at my
Haynes and Bently to confirm that I have removed all the bolts. I spot a few
more in the diagram and go back out to attack them. I was really impressed
by the tightness of the through bolts next to the cylinders. Shit they were
tight. I look at my grease covered case for any missed bolts, nope don't see
any. Grabbing a wood block and hammer I start tapping. Nothing! The book
says the case should just come apart. I get my flashlight and start rotating
the case around, a little scrapping with a screwdriver and there is another
bolt. Hammer and block again. Nothing. Rotate and look. Shit, another bolt I
missed. Hammer and block again. Nothing. Rotate and scrape. Another bolt!
Remove it and look again for more bolts. Another one I missed. There is so
much caked on grease that identifying bolts from crud is difficult. Hammer
and block again... it split just a hair and the sound was a little hollow.
Tap tap tap... now time to try to pull the oil pump. Came right off. More
tapping and the case starts to yield and open its inner self to me. I am so
elated. I succeeded and am overwhelmed that I am learning again. Rebuilding
my 1st engine. The last time I felt like this was when I started learning
DOS and BASIC in 1985. I can now finally get my cam, crank, and rods down to
the machine shop for inspection and balancing. I check my watch, its 10pm. I
should wrap things up. Entering the house I get rid of my greasy clothes,
check on my wife and kids. Everyone's asleep. I lay down and begin to doze
off with a sense of relaxed excitement knowing that I will be able to
restore this vehicle after all! And maybe some day give it to my boy Cole
when he reaches 16. He will at that age have someplace to store his Kayak
:-)
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