That brought back some warm memories. Saturday afternoon.... changing all three quarts oil, adjusting the valves, setting the points, and adjusting the drum brakes on my trusty VW bug.

Lemur - I feel your pain.

I worked as a machininst after HS for a year. Once I left a chuck key in a Bridgeport mill that was at about face level. Needless to say, I never made that mistake again.

Id like to think the more us newbies work on our cars, the more we can sense 'I really shouldnt do this ' and then obey that urge and stop and take a few steps back. But theres only one way to learn...

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

Heh, or getting 3 of your buddies to lift the car over the engine when it came time to rebuild? Or better yet explaining to the office even though you are sitting on a mil crate that you ARE buckled up. Ah those were the days.

Bug was the only car that ever got me laid and the only car that would consistently get waves and thumbs up.

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http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42

I hear you. It's like driving a Ford Model A years ago, everyone knew someone who had one, and they bring back great memories.

I remember going over to a friends apartment once, and with the help of four others, turing his bug sideways in his parking space. I can still remember him yelling out of the front door: Get away from my bug.

I'm married now, but I remember how dudettes used to really dig air cooled VW's.

I also remember having the fan come apart one day, and while I was on the side of the road, a dreadlocked Rastafari looking dude pulled up and said he had a spare generator and fan at home I could have for twenty bucks. I rode a couple of miles up to his house in his VW bus that smelled like a Cheech and Chong movie, gave him the last $20.00 I had, and changed it on the side of the road after he gave me a ride back. Those were the days....

Been there done all that.

One of the things I love about my 123 wagons is the similarity to the old VWs. They were designed to be maintained and repaired, not thrown away.

FWIW, I still have my 1956 Beetle and 1958 Bus. They are both potential show cars, but I never drive either of them. My current employment status does not permit me the luxury of "pleasure cars" but my wife won't let me get rid of them.

If you ever think your diesel MB is slow and the lights aren't bright , try driving a 34 hp 6V "car". Top rated speed when new was 68 mph.

When doing this, wire the "stop lever" in the stop postition. This cuts off the fuel to the injectors and will prevent the engine from starting.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Glad to hear you still have the '56 and the '58 Bus. They have a pretty good following nowadays, though I imagine getting NOS parts and parts not made in Mexico or Brazil is quite a challenge.

I guess I'm waxing nostalgic today because my dad found the rear axle nut removal tool that you hit with a sledgehammer the other day in his garage. I remember buying it to do the rear brakes twenty years ago.

PC rings? Where are these, exactly? I don't have a bench grinder, but I have a good dremel--would that work? How would I make a home made tool? I suppose I could buy a cheap Harbor Freight bench grinder if I had to.

I've had more than one of these moments lately. In addition to the fiasco described in this thread: I forgot to reinstall the oil pressure line to the back of the instrument cluster and had oil squirt all over me and the interior when I started the car; When I yanked one of the injector return lines off, I splashed diesel in my eye.

By the way, I'd still like to know how much it costs to have the injectors serviced--does anyone know?

Thanks, that's a good idea. I'll do that next time...

I used to drive a '78 super beetle, but I never attempted to work on it. Honestly, I just kind of ran it into the ground. I left it parked in front of my house for a while and I guess one of the neighbors called the city to tow it away. The car needed so much work, I just let the city keep it. I really wish I hadn't done that.

Lemur,

I just got my injectors serviced for $30 a piece. That does not include the nozzles I gave them.

dd

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'85 300D, 'Lance',250k, ... winter beater (100k on franken-Frybrid 3 Valve Kit)
'82 300D, 'Tex', 228k body / 170k engine ... summer car
'83 300TD Cali Wagon 210k, wife's car

when you remove the injectors, the part of the head that they were screwed into are the Prechamber Rings. they are installed with a tool that equates to a HUGE screwdriver. a cheap 25 or 30mm socket with two sides ground off, so the middle part would fit into the slots of the PC rings would work. not sure if it could be done with a dremel tool, but I don't see why not.
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 560SL convertible
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
2005 Dodge Sprinter 2500 158"WB
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

Ok, not too bad. So, I suppose this included ultra sonic cleaning, balancing, shimming, and pop testing? Did you put Bosio nozzles in them, by chance?

Ok, I'll look into that. Thanks for the info.