Hot Rod Forum banner

The "What Did You Work On Today" thread

3M views 36K replies 388 participants last post by  cerial 
#1 ·
4 hour work day for me at the shop. Used the time to do a valve body swap on a '01 Jetta 1.8t auto .... I successfully installed a transbrake on the car .... that however wasn't my intention.

Its in 2 gears at once in park, all other gears (R/N/D/2/1) are forward gears.... they all seam to be first gear.

I have it torn back down most of the way. Tuesday I'll actually get the VB back out and see whats up.... but part of me wants to take it out for a test drive the way it is just for the fun of it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: drive til its broke
#3,501 ·
I cleaned the roadster up and got it ready to go to The GoodGuy's tomorrow. I am puzzled by my experimentation with the chevy distributor in it. Even at 20 degrees advanced it wants to ping with 92 octane in it. I am beginning to think it is running more compression than it can stand. I have been driving it for 5 years now so I guess I will go ahead and back it off until it no longer pings. If it wasn't so much trouble I would love to throw the steel heads back on it and see what it does. Oh well, not todays problem.

John L
You might want to think about a vacumn advance,port or spark advance .makes a big difference. Just a thought,i had to change mine on my z28 from spark to port ,with port you have no advance to make it start easy ,then when it starts you have advance for low end ,and at cruise it retards timing for fuel mileage and good cruise manners no ping ,runs much cooler,or at least on my small block just over 400 hp, but a Flattie may be different I am not familar with these ,if you need it I have a NEW Mallory dist with no advance point type (small cap )and a MSD small cap electronic dist with advance compatable with electronic adjustable advance.if you need either let me know,you can take either try them if you can make it work.:D Also as you know a lean condition will have same affects.
 
#3,502 ·
Well I finally got the bed and radiator and supports mounted,,The cardboard is to protect me from My self,try not to bend fins, mounted the S/S chains and tailgate hinges ,now I need tail lights any one have any suggestions of what kind of light might look good on here.:confused::confused:and whwre would you mount them.
 

Attachments

#3,503 ·
I cleaned the roadster up and got it ready to go to The GoodGuy's tomorrow. I am puzzled by my experimentation with the chevy distributor in it. Even at 20 degrees advanced it wants to ping with 92 octane in it. I am beginning to think it is running more compression than it can stand. I have been driving it for 5 years now so I guess I will go ahead and back it off until it no longer pings. If it wasn't so much trouble I would love to throw the steel heads back on it and see what it does. Oh well, not todays problem.

John L
Is this the roadster in the picture ..LOL.. John have a good trip,:thumbup::thumbup:
 
#3,504 ·
I thought the headlights changed around 2000. Yours looks identical to my '92.
The A/C condensor on mine is only about 8" tall and at the very bottom of the rad. That shouldn't be blocking enough air to cause overheating. Have you used an air hose and blown out the rad from the backside ?? I would be thinking about the thermostat. If the temp climbs quickly from a cold start, it could be the stat is stuck.
Another possibility is the fan clutch not turning on. I had the terminals corrode on the clutch stat and not engage the fan.
The air to air stuck out too far prior to 1996 to allow mounting an ac condenser so it was mounted under the air to air. My condenser is much larger and in front of the air to air. I'm not certain but I wonder if R-134a had something to do with going to a larger condenser.



The picture is a 1994 that I used to drive, it had the smaller condenser but as I remember the air worked ok.

It also had the big round lights but those are not the ones it had on it originally. The light thing is a little hazy but I remember those new style lights appearing around 2007 or 8. But I have seen the style of lights that are on mine in newer trucks also. Whether you can order those styles when you buy a new truck or you just put them on because you don't like the new ones, I don't know. I know I didn't like the new style.

My truck fairly recently had a new radiator. The fan was replaced this winter when the air compressor threw a rod and the mechanic discovered the bearings were going out of the fan in the process of fixing the compressor.

I had blown the radiator out when I got back to the shop last night but I didn't get a whole lot out. We spent some time straightening the fins this morning. Old rotten looking fins. I didn't have any trouble with it today but it was a lot cooler out. I'm betting the next really hot day I'll have problems with it. I think it's time for a new condenser.
 
#3,507 ·
The air to air stuck out too far prior to 1996 to allow mounting an ac condenser so it was mounted under the air to air. My condenser is much larger and in front of the air to air. I'm not certain but I wonder if R-134a had something to do with going to a larger condenser.

The picture is a 1994 that I used to drive, it had the smaller condenser but as I remember the air worked ok.

It also had the big round lights but those are not the ones it had on it originally. The light thing is a little hazy but I remember those new style lights appearing around 2007 or 8. But I have seen the style of lights that are on mine in newer trucks also. Whether you can order those styles when you buy a new truck or you just put them on because you don't like the new ones, I don't know. I know I didn't like the new style.

My truck fairly recently had a new radiator. The fan was replaced this winter when the air compressor threw a rod and the mechanic discovered the bearings were going out of the fan in the process of fixing the compressor.

I had blown the radiator out when I got back to the shop last night but I didn't get a whole lot out. We spent some time straightening the fins this morning. Old rotten looking fins. I didn't have any trouble with it today but it was a lot cooler out. I'm betting the next really hot day I'll have problems with it. I think it's time for a new condenser.
Yeah, if the condensor is that big, it would affect airflow a lot more than my '92. That's crazy that they stack all three in-line. The most important part of cooling is the rad and it's last to get air ...:confused: I'm still using R12 and when I have the ducts pointed towards me, my hands get too cold on the wheel....:D The condensor should be less expensive than the rad.

If that is you that dropped the reefer, it doesn't look like you were having a good day...:(
 
#3,509 ·
Yeah, if the condensor is that big, it would affect airflow a lot more than my '92. That's crazy that they stack all three in-line. The most important part of cooling is the rad and it's last to get air ...:confused: I'm still using R12 and when I have the ducts pointed towards me, my hands get too cold on the wheel....:D The condensor should be less expensive than the rad.

If that is you that dropped the reefer, it doesn't look like you were having a good day...:(
That guy hooked up to the trailer beside me. He didn't bother to check if it was hooked. When he pulled out it fell off. :D The first thing he did was try to crank up the landing gear which promptly stripped the gears. They brought out a forklift, it wouldn't lift it. Out came an even bigger forklift with the same results. It was kind of funny, kind of makes you remember to check your trailer every time you hook up. It took a couple of hours to get it hooked back up. It didn't matter to me since I was at that dock for over 8 hours, packing plants just aren't noted for speedy loading. :mad:
 
#3,510 ·
Well I finally got the bed and radiator and supports mounted,,The cardboard is to protect me from My self,try not to bend fins, mounted the S/S chains and tailgate hinges ,now I need tail lights any one have any suggestions of what kind of light might look good on here.:confused::confused:and whwre would you mount them.
Looks fantastic! I like the idea of covering the radiator, as I've dinged fins myself before! Are you planning on any covers or something to protect the paint from those chains possibly rubbing the adjacent area?
 
#3,511 ·
Looks fantastic! I like the idea of covering the radiator, as I've dinged fins myself before! Are you planning on any covers or something to protect the paint from those chains possibly rubbing the adjacent area?
I have clear covers for the chains and smaller ones for the hooks ,I just loose fit to make sure they fit properly and for picture,i will put covers on when I install tailgate and tail lights,thinking about flush mount LED lights or some thing else ,don't know what lights yet,
 
#3,512 ·
Well I finally got the bed and radiator and supports mounted,,The cardboard is to protect me from My self,try not to bend fins, mounted the S/S chains and tailgate hinges ,now I need tail lights any one have any suggestions of what kind of light might look good on here.:confused::confused:and whwre would you mount them.
Speedway.com has several different types of taillights to choose from. I have the '50 Pontiac taillights on my T-bucket and they even have the glass lenses like the originals. There is an elongated taillight that might look better on your application, also.
 

Attachments

#3,514 ·
Pulled out my interior (again) today, to begin removing and installing the new headliner. Cut the old headliner between bows to vacuum as I went. The mice had moved into this old Falcon when it was stored in a barn, and I needed to vacuum a lot of nests out. I also got a surprise when something stuck on the end of the nozzle, and I pulled out a dead mouse skeleton!
Got the new headliner mostly in and the trim painted and installed, but now comes the hard part when doing a headliner with the windshield and rear window in; tucking the edge into the rubber trim.
 
#3,515 ·
Never tried to install a headliner ,but I guess I will try on my truck ,if I mess up I will have to pay some one to fix my mistakes..PETA will be knocking on your door LOL

The lights look great in the Austin great fit between hinges and edge and correct size for the panel,I think the problem I am going to have is my panel below tailgate is where I would like to have the lights is only about 6 in tall but it has a lip top and bottom that turns in ,then the tailgate covers about 3 in of that at top,dont leave much room for lights ,,nay be strip LED but then I would have to repaint rear panel again Thanks for the input I will look up sight you posted see what they offer,:thumbup:
 
#3,518 ·
With the Monroe (Wa) swap meet happening this weekend, I spent the day "de-winterizing" my travel trailer in prep for attendance. Flushing out water lines (flush the pink RV anti-freeze out) re-install battery, flush, drain, flush, drain, flush, drain (etc) the water tank, test propane stuff (one tank has a leaky valve dammit - and it's a full tank, too!) :pain:

Test all the electric stuff (lights, brakes, charging system etc)

Repack wheel bearings and adjust brakes

Adjust tension on coupler

Test the A/C (won't need it this weekend, but that's a part of my spring maint routine)

Tomorrow: Wash the trailer and it's ready to go! Hope to be on the road by lunch time.
 
#3,520 ·
Never tried to install a headliner ,but I guess I will try on my truck ,if I mess up I will have to pay some one to fix my mistakes..PETA will be knocking on your door LOL

The lights look great in the Austin great fit between hinges and edge and correct size for the panel,I think the problem I am going to have is my panel below tailgate is where I would like to have the lights is only about 6 in tall but it has a lip top and bottom that turns in ,then the tailgate covers about 3 in of that at top,dont leave much room for lights ,,nay be strip LED but then I would have to repaint rear panel again Thanks for the input I will look up sight you posted see what they offer,:thumbup:
As you can see that panel area on the trunk drop is very small also! These lights being under 3" round just fit in there.
I have done three headliners, and mainly because I'm cheap. A headliner is usually about $50 for a nice one, but if you have them installed the price is around $400. Most of that cost is labor, and that involves pulling the windshiled and rear window most the time. If they can be installed without pulling the glass the cost goes down a couple hundred. When I did the headliner in my '71 Camaro I had shops tell me it waas impossible to do without pulling the glass. They were wrong, as I figured out a way, and it was pretty easy. I glued the edges with contact cement, and clipped them in place with large paper clips, then carefully tucked the material under the rubber trim with a dulled putty knife. I'm doing the same on the Falcon, but because of the odd angles I'll have to make a tool to tuck the material that is 90 degrees and can get into the odd angles.
I built the nerf bars on the Austin. Fronts are smaller and curved, and rears larger to have more of a push bar look. Here's the front bars that are 1/2" rod. Rears are 1" heavy wall tube, with plugs welded in the ends.
 
Top