DIY Repair is like marriage
 

Well, I just finished my first significant DIY repair on my 1982 300sd. I replaced my alternator. DIY is like marriage. I have been married to my wife five years and I still don't have her figured out yet. Some days, she will get upset about something and act all emotional and it will be a week later before she really tells me factually what she was thinking or feeling.

The more I DIY on my old car, the more I get to know her. I took off the air cleaner housing to study the turbo and try and figure out where my oil leak is coming from on that side of the engine. I cleaned and degreased, replaced my alternator. Had fun and went and bought my first floor jack. Sams club - 7000lb Michelin brand floor jack $65. Went and bought an air wratchet $29. I love the sound that thing makes. Bought a new set of large metric sockets.

Looks like that darn return line to the oil pan from the filter housing leaks. Turbo drain only leaks where it goes into the oil pan. But there is always lots of oil sitting in the top of that engine shock mount. Looked like the air tube between filter housing and turbo was cracked where it tightens onto turbo. It had some oil in it. Maybe that's my culprit.

Anyway, I now feel like I know my engine. It is becoming an old friend. I am not as afraid of working on it myself any more. I learn more each time. Some days it still has PMS(the car). And my wife still complains that I spend too much money on the old car. Go figure. DIY is a lot like marriage - for better or for worse - but I still love ya.

You sick, sick man...
 

Welcome to the club. :D
The more you do, the more you want to do. :D :love:

Both are good if you find the right one (car and wife). But can be really bad if you find the wrong one (car and wife).

Yes, but the car will appreciate you more and cost you less.... RT

Sometimes my wife comes outside and asks when I'll be done doing whatever it is I'm doing- when honey? I'll never be done, you know that.
is the standard response

When you get to know your engine even better your will realize that "the air tube" is actually an oil line.

Satisfaction
 

Maintenance is all important. Divorce, or getting someone else to repair your car car, is always an option.

We must remember the three "Fs" of good business: :confused:

If it Flies,
if it Floats,
if it F**ks:

Lease it. :D

Nothing is more fun than working on cars with the female friends.
Its wierd how my last girlfriend owned a BMW..we worked on it all the time
This time (an old best friend) has a 67 Type III VW Squareback that we are doing a restore on. Also work on a friends 79 Rabbit. She loves that car. Its odd how none of them have american cars :D

It couldn't POSSIBLY be my persuasion to go german ;)

ROFLMAO! If that's the case, then I must be a Mormon (see sig).

:laugh3: :laugh4: :huepfenic :vbac47679

Great One! I nearly fell out of my chair laughing! :D :D :D

Yeah, in many ways working on cars is better. Polygamy's just one of the many bonus points. Freedom to tweak is another... Can you say ALDA?

Speaking of oil leaks... I too have got one on that side of the engine (as well as on the other side... and in the back... and ATF's leaking too...). I blamed the turbo oil return line first, but that wasn't it, or at that least wasn't all of it. Then one day I was taking off the air filter canister, and noticed a small round hole in the bottom of it. The hole looks neat enough to be made intentionally. Anyone knows whether that hole is supposed to be there?.

Now, my engine's got a very impressive amount of blowby, so a lot of oil ends up in the air filter; the oil separator probably catches some of it, but definitely not all of it. What it doesn't catch leaks out of that small round hole on whatever is beneath it. I don't think it necessarily gets on the engine shock, but who knows, this thing vibrates a lot. Now that is a good design: an oil leak built in. If I ever take care of all other oil leaks, I'll probably do something about that hole, too.

Hey tango fox
 

I think you are wrong here. Under the turbo there is the oil return line to the oil pain. I know what that is, thanks. There is also an oil return from the air filter housing - a hard metal line to the oil pan. I know what that is too.

I believe I was referring to the black air supply tube that goes from the filter housing to the turbo air intake impeller. There is some oil in that tube, but it is not an oil line. It's main function is to supply filtered air to the turbo. With any car there is a little oil in that tube. There are two o rings, one at each end of the curved tube, one of mine is cracked and can be replaced. I still have a lot to learn, but I think I am pretty clear on this one.

Rurik - I didn't notice that on mine, but I don't get too much oil in the air filter. Only a little over time. But my leak may be the same place. I just see a lot of oil that side of the engine, but every time I degrease it, it does not seem to be the turbo oil return line. My return line leaks where it goes into the pan but not at the turbo or at the joint.

This describes my car exactly, doesn't seem to be comming from the oil return line, and the black air supply tube has oil on it. Definetely would like to know if anyone clearly knows where this damn oils comming from. :confused:

If DIY Repair was like marriage, you'd spend a lot of $$$ on accessories, and still not get the motor running... :D

- Patrick