Date: Sun, 26 Feb 2006 11:44:19 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Brake Problem may "NOT" be resolved?
In-Reply-To: <039101c63af5$47e7a600$c70f4ed8@workshop32>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
I vote with the Racingcajun! He is dead on the target.
One add. Go to the first guy, tell him what you think (per Racingcajun),
tell him what you are going to do, then take it to the other guy just
like you tell it.
A little aside, but similar. I took my Cessna 195 airplane to THE shop
for a nose cone replacement. Had lots of oil leaking. You don't want oil
leaks in and airplane. Bad fire hazard among other things. I asked
specifically if they know how to do a hot valve timing check on my
particular engine, an old 300 HP Jacobs radial. "Oh, yeah, sure, we work
on radials. We know all about them" Well, they had the rep for being THE
radial engine folks, so I left it. The long and short of it was, when
they installed the new nose case, they got the cam out of time because
they didn't know squat about the hot valve timing on a cold Jacobs
engine. Irony was, it ran beautifully on the ground, when it didn't need
to pull full power. But when I took off, it would not develop full
power. I damn near flew the thing into trees at the end of the runway.
Not enough power to climb fast enough to get safe altitude. I was PO'ed.
I know exactly what was wrong. Get the cam out of time so the vales open
late and close early - it will run nice - but no power. I went back
there with blood in my eye. The gave me every run around in the book.
They didn't want to go back into that engine. They would lose money on
the labor plus shop supplies. I finally told them I was taking it to
another guy, and the FAA would be notified. Well, the next guy did a hot
valve timing check first thing, and sure enough, the cam was out of
time. Since the first bunched had signed the machine of as airworthy -
The FAA went over and shut them down for three months by pulling their
repair station certificate, and then put them under sanction for 6
additional months during which and FAA inspector visited several hours a
week, every "i" was dotted and every "t" was crossed, and every first
piece of tissue on the toilet roll was folded back to a point once the
paperwork was done.
Sometimes, you just got'ta take it to the mat.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Raceingcajun wrote:
> WARNING - WARNING, DANGER, NEW MECHANIC NEEDED!
>
>
>
>>He is a great mechanic but
>>is was quitting time....I sat and watched the 3 hour job.
>>
>>
>
>
>
>>PS I test drove it when he was doen and said I still had the pedal to the
>>floor problem and he said give it a few days.
>>
>>
>
>
>Hi Tim,
>
> Not trying to be a smart a** , just being silly to make a point. Think
>about this for a minute. You sat for three hours, waiting on a brake repair.
>A job that ultimately requires that you place the safety of you and your
>family.
> You and your family don't have a few days to wait on his Half ass job to
>fix its self!
> Not to mention everyone that you meet on the highways you travel.
> The technician lets you leave with a brake peddle that "goes" to the
>floor? I would never have let that car leave my shop. We would have got you
>a rental, loaned you a car, taken you home, etc. That kind of work is simply
>not acceptable in any way.
> "I have to have my car". "I have to pick up the kids". "My wife is
>waiting". These things are nothing in comparison to running over a bus load
>of Nuns on their way to a United Way, Crippled Children's Rally.
> Bleeding and adjusting the brakes is Basic Brakes 101. No second chances
>here. Take your bus somewhere else, and have everything he done checked, get
>paper work and ask him for a refund.
> Next time take it to someone who knows what their doing. DIY, ask the
>list for advice, get a Bentley and learn to do it yourself! No one should
>ever take a job like brake repair for granted.
> Possible causes, air in the lines, leak in the system, bad master
>cylinder, rear brakes far out of adjustment, low on fluid, wrong parts, etc.
>Oh and one other possibility, DUMN ASS TECHNICIAN. Sorry to call him that,
>it gives real technicians a bad name. And yes that happens all the time! The
>bad apples and so on.
> Ok, I'm through ranting. Let us know how this works out, but please get
>it fixed right before you drive it. BTW, which way do drive home? I'd like
>to make sure I take another way. Remember, the life you save may be mine!
>:-)
> Just kidding Tim, be safe
>
>
>Howard
>
>
>Two wrongs don't make a right,
>But three lefts do
>
>
>
>>Subject: Brake Problem may "NOT" be resolved?<
>>
>>
>
>
>
>>the pedal was going to the floor...even when pumping).....unfortunately I
>>had a leaking right cylinder in the rear....so I had my mechanic change
>>
>>
>the
>
>
>>2 rear cylinders and shoes in both rear brakes.
>>
>>Now the pedal still goes to the floor but when I pump it it does feel very
>>good and pedal does not go to floor.
>>
>>
>
> Should the mechanoc flushed all
>
>
>>fluids and make sure no air was in the lines?
>>
>>
>
> He is a great mechanic but
>
>
>>is was quitting time....I sat and watched the 3 hour job.
>>
>>
>
>
>
>>PS I test drove it when he was doen and said I still had the pedal to the
>>floor problem and he said give it a few days.
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
| 
