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Date:         Fri, 28 Dec 2001 15:55:31 -0600
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: If it's not broken don't fix it? Odometer & CV joints
Comments: To: developtrust@HOME.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Looking at two things, my odometer which was malfunctioning and my CV joints which are OK but 140,000 miles old. Reply: You don't know how old they are until you look at them after cleaning. Clean them and lube them. If you're ever going to have a problem on the road try to keep the problem limited to fixes with fuses, hoses, clamps or ignition. You're not replacing them just servicing them. If you find one to be bad you'll have done the right thing in finding the bad CV before it found you. If they're OK then you've done the right thing by servicing them. Get out there and get greasy......... it's now or later and I'd rather choose my time than have it chosen for me. If you're new to this vehicle you're getting everything in order for a nice camping trip to some remote location so if you don't service them now we'll harass you until you do.

Stan Wilder

On Fri, 28 Dec 2001 12:54:12 -0800 developtrust <developtrust@HOME.COM> writes: > If it's not broken, don't fix it? invite opinions from the > collective > wisdom of the group. > > Looking at two things, my odometer which was malfunctioning and my > CV joints > which are OK but 140,000 miles old. > > My CV joints are not a problem. No bumps or noises, just boots > without > clamps at the small end on the tranny side. After 140,000 miles > they > probably could benefit from a replacement. But, considering the old > adage > "If it aint broken, don't fix it" I wonder if this improvement is > worth > doing at this time. Looking at $200 or so in parts if I do it myself > and > $240 extra in labor at my VW dealer if I hire them, the question is > this: > "Is there any real benefit from CV replacement now?" I invite your > advice. > > As for my malfunctioning odometer which caused me to think my MPG > had gone > from about 15 MPG mixed driving to 11 then to 6 on my last > calculations > after installing Bosch quad plugs which I thought was the culprit, I > found > the solution. Even the 15 MPG could have been incorrect if the > odometer was > starting to fail. > > Thanks to the help of Stan Wilder, Mark Drillock and Ben McCafferty > among > others and a search on the archives I tracked down the problem to > the round > gear which interfaces the screw type gear near the 30 on the dial. I > pushed > it in on its shaft about 1/32 to 1/16 inch to fit the screw gear > better. I > guess over 140,000 miles the gear edges wore down just enough to > become > unreliable when off from original positions. > > The odometer is working like a charm now. I am eager to see if this > was the > cause of inaccurate mileage recorded and thus wrong MPG > calculations. > > So the odometer was "broken" and I fixed it with the help of this > list and > the archives. My CV joints are not a problem (yet) but they have > 140,000 > miles on them. Should I just replace them now or wait until problems > dictate > needed repairs. I plan to keep the vehicle. The "needle fix" may > give them > more life, but what to do to be wise and prudent? So let me know > your > opinions please. > > William Polowniak > http://members.home.net/holisticdream/vanagon1989.htm > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.


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