Date:         Mon, 4 May 1998 23:18:02 -0400
Reply-To:     Steve Caslowitz <scaslowitz@BERKSHIRESCHOOL.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Caslowitz <scaslowitz@BERKSHIRESCHOOL.ORG>
Subject:      small jobs - 88 westy GL
Comments: To: vanagon@vanagon.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Hi - I recently purchased an '88 westy GL which I had a VW dealer check out
for me before hand.  They said it was in surprisingly good shape.  They
also said it only needed new belts and there seemed to be a small leak by
the oil cooler.  However, because their emissions testing machine was down
they were unable to check that out.  My luck it did not pass the emission
test for MA inspection.  I noticed that the O2 sensor on the exhaust pipe
just prior to the CAT had one wire broken off.  So I ordered an O2 sensor,
an oil cooler seal, plugs, belts and airfilter thinking all of that will
get me up to snuff. Well, the plugs and the filter were a snatch but I was
unable to complete the other jobs. Its been a few years since I've worked
on cars and so I have a few brief questions:

1. I was able to easily loosen the alternator and the power steering units
so that they could pivot for belt replacement.  However the
air-conditioning unit seems frozen hard.  It seems to have two allen bolts
holding it to the pivoting portion of its mount.  Trying to loosen them, I
stripped what obviously seemed to be a cheap allen wrench and never
finished the job.  Am I missing something here?

2. The O2 sensor is frozen damn hard too and I began to strip it in spite
of several thorough soakings with WD40.  I didn't seem to have a good angle
on it, so is it necesary to take this portion of the exhaust off for better
access in order to replace a sensor?

thanks for any help/thoughts - Steve