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On 13 Dec 2002 at 23:25, Andrew van der Stock wrote: > Beyond being a bugger to start sometimes, the engine is excellent - it > has plenty of power, is pretty frugal and goes nicely. The only problem > is that one of the cylinder heads has a stripped spark plug stuck in it, > so to get rid of that will entail either helicoiling it out, or outright > head replacement. It blows a tiny bit of smoke, but doesn't use oil, so > basically I think the valves need re-adjusting. I'll simply do a short > block rebuild, replacing the worn and cleaning and checking everything > else as I go. I have the John Muir book (edition 20, perfect bound) and > I've always found it to be excellent (I have a c.1988 vintage copy as > well, spiral bound). I will add the Bentley manual to my library - > excellent suggestion. Don't just replace the bottom end thinking that you'll be improving things. You'll be losing your original case and parts and replacing them with parts that someone else wanted to get rid of. Don't rely too heavily on the Muir book; I love its karma, but use the Bentley for REAL type 3 info. If your OE engine is really that good, just strip it down enough to get the valves done and get that SP hole Helicoiled. > The clutch and gearbox are buggered and need replacing or something. > Don't be surprised if the list gets a few questions when I do this, as > the gate is so sloppy and the clutch in dire need of new bits. For > example, if I roll to a stop in 2nd, 3rd, or 4th gears with the clutch > in, I can't get it out of gear, causing the car to stall. I have to open > the door and rock the car with my foot to disengage the gear. Neutral > and reverse can be hard to find, if you can believe it. This is the > highest priority mechanical fix. This may be a good thing to get fixed at the same time you have the engine out. First things to check are the shift rod bushing and coupling. Then check inside the tranny nose cone for a problem with the shift rod (hockey stick.) Your clutch may be dragging also, so take a good look at those parts Don't forget the throwout bearing and its fork. > The brakes, although allegedly completely restored as part of the rego, > are simply not good enough. I'm not sure but I'd like to take advice on > getting rid of the wooden feeling and getting some bite back in the > pedal. I have new pads on all wheels, new brake lines, the front disks > were machined and look shiny, replaced master cylinder and fresh brake > fluid. You haven't mentioned the calipers, which is where the problems usually are. Don't just go for the shotgun replacing parts route. This is usually the max cost/min benefit approach. The alternative is to think, ask questions and understand what you're trying to do until you can narrow down on the actual culprit. Once you've done that, then think about whether it can be FIXED or does it really need to be replaced. Always keep in mind that the replacement parts you buy today will often be of inferior quality to the originals you already have. -- Jim Adney jadney@vwtype3.org Madison, WI 53711-3054 USA ------------------------------------------------ To unsubscribe, E-mail to: <type3-off@vwtype3.org> For more help, see http://vwtype3.org/list/