Date:         Tue, 31 Jan 2006 15:27:46 -0500
Reply-To:     Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kenneth Wilford <kenwilfy@COMCAST.NET>
Subject:      Re: cracked right side case...i'm in TROUBLE! (was crank pulley
              bolt...argh!)
Comments: To: Mike Williams <westyvanagon@YAHOO.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <20060131193644.49987.qmail@web53714.mail.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

I don't know about the case being able to be welded, but I do know that you
should never mis-match case halves.  In other words if you find out you need
a case you should get both halves.  They are a set.  Just FYI.

Thanks,
Ken Wilford
John 3:16
http://www.vanagain.com
http://www.strictlyvwauctions.com
http://www.eurovan.org
http://www.vwcabrio.org
Phone: (856)-327-4936
Fax: (856)-327-2242 

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Mike Williams
Sent: Tuesday, January 31, 2006 2:37 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: cracked right side case...i'm in TROUBLE! (was crank pulley
bolt...argh!)


and such is life...my luck with vanagons hasn't yet
changed.  i was working on trying to get the crank
pulley bolt off last night...using my gentle
persuasion methods (a breaker bar with a pipe over the
end of it to give more leverage)...i still couldn't
seem to get the bolt off.  at the moment i gave up
hope, my mothers boyfriend showed up and started
hitting the head of the bolt with a sledge-hammer and
then when that didn't work he took the sledge to the
end of the breaker bar...all the while there was a
wrench jammed in the hole on the pulley to keep it
from moving.

somewhere in the mix...a small chunk of the right side
of the case cracked and fell off (the small piece
which supports the housing for the front crank seal).
i could've cried...but i don't cry...i get pissed.  my
mothers boyfriend is now trying to convince me that
the case can be welded...and i don't know if i should
accept this or not.

so my question(s) is/are...can these block be welded
and still be considered structurally sound...and if
not...does anyone in massachusetts or new england have
a spare right side case hanging out in thier garage.
keep in mind i'm pinching pennies now, because i just
spent a fortune in all the parts for my
rebuild...anyone have any ideas before i find a cliff
and jump?

ugh...i hate to say it...but why is it ALWAYS
difficult...just once i could use some freedom from
failure...

thanks for the help...
mike

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