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Date:         Tue, 1 May 2007 11:25:42 -0400
Reply-To:     Geza Polony <gezapolony@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Geza Polony <gezapolony@SBCGLOBAL.NET>
Subject:      Re: backfiring?
Comments: To: Craig Cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM>

You do know how to talk to the ladies, don't you, young man? I guess "explanations" go over better when you're not sitting on the side of the road...I like the philosophical content of your talk with her, too...call it Rust Entropy...

Well, now I feel guilty because I told you it was so easy to do. What happened, was one bolt stuck in there and you cranked it too hard?

It does seem like the solution would be to pull the water pump (no fun) and remove the bolts, either by putting a vice grip on them or by drilling them out, as you say.

You might possibly have some luck by pulling the oil filter and getting in there with vice grips to turn the busted bolt, but it sounds unlikely. Not enough clearance to do much if the bolt is really stuck.

I'm not understanding how the cover won't come off if the bolt head is gone. Is part of it left? If so, maybe you can get a drill + extension in there to eliminate what's left of the bolt head, pull the cover, and then use vice grips or another more suitable tool to twist out the shaft of the bad bolt.

Is it leaking? If not, and you can get one bolt back on, you might just run it as is to get you through the Big Day, unless you have time to mess with doing it right. Maybe a bottle of Subaru coolant conditioner to stop any small leaks.

And remember, no grease under the fingernails on Prom Night. List orders.

Good luck,

Geza

On Mon, 30 Apr 2007 22:18:23 -0400, craig cowan <phishman068@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

>In the process of replacing the thermostat today, one of the two bolts >holding it inplace has lost its head and rendered me in quite a predicament. >Does anyone have any great ideas in how to remove the lower thermostat >hosing that is now secured with a headless bolt, or if i have to remove the >entire assembly including the waterpump and drill it out or replace it, >where i can find a replacement lower portion of the thermostat housing (and >the tin that surrounds it which also broke) (Is this tin important? I'm >assuming it is since it was on there......but where can i get one?). > >I told my date to prom this year (who exects to show up in a VW bus....) >that "Building and maintaining a functional bus is an art that i have not >yet mastered, and a series of lessons learned through trial, but mostly >error. Over the course of time, replacing a thermostat tends to mean you >broke an exaust manifold that was rusty, therefore, you get a new exaust >manifold. Throughouth the course of the adventure, every piece seems to >inadvertantly break in the most obscure ways and at the oddest times >resulting in a new car. The problem is, this process takes place over such a >long period of time generally, that that exaust pipe that rusted out 10 >years ago might be ready to do so again! Truth be told, its PROBABLY not at >the reliable stage where taking it to prom is a great idea yet, but i would >LOVE it, so want to help me get it there?" >She has agreed and now we will be working on replacing and tuning this bad >boy up over the course of the next few weeks to procure an epic senior prom. >Any advice would be greatly useful! > >-Craig Cowan >'85GL >(amongst the youngest on the list)


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