Date:         Wed, 4 Jun 1997 12:17:31 -0800 (AKDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Chris Wyatt <cwyatt@gi.alaska.edu>
Subject:      Redline MTL... I dig it! (long)


Volks,

I finally got the Redline MTL into the transmissin and front differential 
in my '87 Syncro GL last weekend.  It took just about the entire weekend, 
what with me being slow, inexperienced, and toolbox impaired.  

I had to order the synthetic lubricant from Redline in California, as 
there are no retailers for it in Alaska.  Seven quarts at $7.50, plus a 
bottle of Water Wetter for kicks, plus shipping.... $80 or so.

I had no 17 mm hex wrench to pull the plugs, so I bought a big socket to 
match the 3/8 swivel driver I found someplace.  It worked great on three 
of the four plugs (I made sure before draining anything).  But could not 
access the tranny drain plug due to the skid plate and the exhaust pipe 
nearby.  Actually, at the front diff. fill plug, I had to turn the hex 
socket with an adjustable wrench.  But that worked.

So I went to the store and got a short bolt with a 17mm head on it, and 
two nuts to fit it, to try to drive it out with that set up.  These were 
free (counter guy didn't feel like ringing up a 50 cent charge), and he 
gave me a girlie-tool calendar to boot!  YEE HA!

Went home, and had a hard time getting the nuts to lock against each 
other so as to drive the bolt and therewith the drain plug.  Snuck into 
my neighbor's garage to use his vise to smash the outer threads and lock 
them down good and tight.  Then promptly rounded off the nut I was using 
to drive it.  ViseGrips didn't help.

So, back to the store for another bolt and nuts and to Sears for a 
genuine 17 mm wrench.  Came home, crawled back under the van (have I 
mentioned the hordes of mosquitoes?) and immediately snapped the bolt in 
half.  Grrrr.

Plan J: saw off the end of the $18 allen socket to make it fit between 
the drain plug and skid plate and exhaust pipe.  Sneak back into my 
neighbor's garage, find his hack saw, put the socket into the vise and 
have at it.  Soon decide that I will grow old long before I saw through 
this bit of super metal.  

Called my former landlord / FLAPS guy.  "Can I come over and use your 
knowledge and tool shop to shorten an allen wrench?"  Sure, tomorrow.  

Sunday... sleep late, go to the Lost World matinee (check out the brush 
bars on the Benz 4x4s!  Oh, and there were some dinosaurs, too).  Head 
out to his place, show him what I've got.  He scratched his head, 
disappears into his garage and comes back with an actual 17mm allen 
wrench.  "This is made for Volkswagen tranny drain plugs.  Fits all of 
them, even the old ones.  Too bad you ruined that socket, or I'd give you 
your money back.  Take this wrench, this breaker bar, this propane 
torch.  Heat up the wrench, and stick it in the drain plug.  Repeat a few 
times.  Then remove it.  Don't set your van on fire."

Go home, heat up the wrench.  Nope, won't fit in there with the skid 
plate.  Look around, decide I can take the skid plate off without making 
the van implode.  Remove the two rear bolts, hope it will sag enough to 
make room for the wrench.  Not quite.  Place scissors jack beneath middle 
two bolts, and remove them and the front two.  Hey, look at that, it 
balances!  Drag it out of the way.  Try the wrench again, and it fits!  
Try the breaker bar... it's too long!  Back the van onto some ramps, saw 
off some breaker bar (Sunday morning I had a dream that my personal hack 
saw was adjustable, and the blade was NOT too long... got up, went to the 
shed in my pajamas, and sure enough...)  Finally, breaker bar plus big 
allen wrench loosens the drain plug.  I'm home free.  

Pumping the oil in was a breeze.  I had a pump from Kmart, and it worked 
great.  Not quite two quarts up front, not quite four in the back.  
Rolled it off the ramps to level it for refilling.  
Cleaned off the fill plugs before removing.  Didn't put anything on the 
threads of the drain plugs (should I?), but no leaks so far.  The skid 
plate is still in the yard.  The fluid looks like cherry syrup.  The 
Mobil1 that I paid the dealer to install a while back looked like liquid 
graphite.  There were not too many filings on the magnetic drain plugs.  
Enjoyed zapping the mosquitoes with the torch.  My SO had surrounded the 
van with those burning bug coils.  It looked like some voodoo ritual, 
with my van as the focus.  Stayed up till 2 a.m. finishing up.  You can 
do that at this latitude in June.  

Any how, I am VERY impressed with the Redline MTL.  The hard shift into 
2nd us much easier, and acceleration is better just because I can shift 
more quickly.  And I can downshift into 2nd and 1st without much 
grindage.  I will probably be even more pleased in November when it gets 
a little colder.  

I could do the job again in an hour or so.  Total cost of getting the 
right (and wrong) tools, the imported fluid, and the pump:  >$120, and 
one weekend.  I declare it to be worth it.

And now, back to my thesis...

Chris Wyatt
'87 Syncro GL
Fairbanks, Alaska