Lots of Work on the VW
March 23rd, 2007 @ 9.54 pm
While Beverly’s been getting a tan in sunny Daytona for spring break, I’ve been stealing away to my parents house nearly every day/ night for the past week to do something on the VW. First, I replaced an oil line that didn’t seal that well (ie, leaked). Then I replaced a cracking fuel line, added air to the tires, adjusted the brakes, and stopped some rust under the battery tray. I thought that was enough work done to the car, and so on Wednesday after getting back from New Jersey, I went and got the car and brought it back to my place.
Thursday morning I drove it to work, but the brakes were rather squishy and felt like there was lots of air in them. And I locked the doors with the key in the ignition. So, Dad came to the rescue at 5pm and filled the empty brake fluid reservoir. Magically, the brakes were now very solid! Still not satisfied, I took the car home and attempted a repair of the rubber grommet that holds the line between the brake fluid reservoir and the master cylinder (Repair status is pending). Even though it was raining at that point, I felt the weather would dry out on Friday, so I drove in the rain back to the condo.
On the way back, I hit a bump, and heard the bolt that holds the top of the front passenger side shock on. Luckily the car is easily drivable in that condition, and Ace Hardware is on the way and open till 9pm. I pulled into Ace Hardware, removed the remaining bolt on the other side of the car and purchased a replacement and installed it right there in the parking lot. On to Friday (today), and luckily nothing broke while driving the car, but it hasn’t stopped raining either, and it doesn’t look like it will for another day or two. So, I reluctantly drove the VW back to my parents house (it’s now covered in road grime, yuck!), and traded for the truck before racing down to Severna Park to go bowling with my Small Group Bible Study.
Since I lost that one bolt, I think I’m going to check how tight lots of other bolts are now, and probably go through a bunch of Loctite making sure bolts are where they should be. I’ll also want to wash and wax the car, and I might as well try to tweak the engine and get it running cooler… It’s a never ending vicious cycle.