More mechanic frustration.

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Nate Nagel - 21 Jan 2007 16:44 GMT

I'm still working on the Corrado... trying to remove the supercharger,
STILL. Apparently whoever had it out last did not believe in either
anti-seize paste or torque wrenches. I still have one more bolt to
remove, which I can't get out with a box wrench and I don't have access
to it with a socket without removing the oil filter. So I had to go out
and buy a drain pan this AM, since the garage isn't quite fully
operational yet. Grr.

One of the long standing complaints the girlie has had with the car is
that the battery goes dead if the car sits for more than a couple of
days. Since I had the alternator out in an attempt to remove the
supercharger without removing the problematic bracket mentioned above, I
figured since I had to go to the parts store anyway I'd just take the
alternator and have it spun up on the tester. The guy informed me that
the alternator had a bad diode.

Apparently TWO mechanics have looked at this car for this issue as well,
and apparently never bothered to actually check the alternator.

Now the girlie is all pissed off at the car, and wants a new car (that
she really can't afford.) Her point is that she's put all this money
into it over the last couple years and now I'm telling her about all
these issues that need to be fixed, which will cost her even more money.
But if she'd been taking it to a decent mechanic to begin with all of
these issues would have been fixed and then she wouldn't be spending any
money at all right now! The problem is that she's been taking the car
to what is a highly regarded local VW specialty shop, so this is hardly
her fault.

nate

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Nate Nagel - 21 Jan 2007 18:05 GMT

> I'm still working on the Corrado... trying to remove the supercharger,
> STILL. Apparently whoever had it out last did not believe in either
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>
> nate

Follow up: I'm rapidly passing through the "frustration" stage and
going rapidly towards "near homicidal rage." I removed the oil filter,
offending bracket, and supercharger. I've found, in addition to the
issues already mentioned, the "sandwich" oil cooler retaining nut barely
hand tight, and one of the supercharger's mounting bolt holes stripped
out because the last person to have it out used a bolt that was 10mm
shorter than spec.

nate

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Brent P - 21 Jan 2007 18:50 GMT

> Follow up: I'm rapidly passing through the "frustration" stage and
> going rapidly towards "near homicidal rage." I removed the oil filter,
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> out because the last person to have it out used a bolt that was 10mm
> shorter than spec.

Probably all the work of professional mechanics. You would think that a
well regarded VW place would have proper VW fasteners laying about. I've
had to do hardware store replacement of bolts before, but there is no
excuse for 10mm shorter. 1mm longer or shorter or using washers when the
original had a flange head sure... There's a bolt that's the right length
and with a washer to make a flange head on my mustang's water pump right
now. (I have since grabbed a proper ford 4.6L water pump bolt from a junk
yard crown vic to replace it next time I'm in there)

I've come to the conclusion that often 'well regarded' comes from people
who just don't know any better, especially VWs. For some reason VWs are a
trendy car amoung people under 35 living on chicago's north side. At my
previous employer I would hear these VW owners on the phone with their
mechanics and the various problems they were having. I could only
conclude the cars were either crap, the mechanics idiots, or both. (I
don't know which particular models or factory of origin)

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Nate Nagel - 21 Jan 2007 18:59 GMT

>>Follow up: I'm rapidly passing through the "frustration" stage and
>>going rapidly towards "near homicidal rage." I removed the oil filter,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
> Probably all the work of professional mechanics.

I know it was, the question is which shop. I know which shop replaced
the supercharger with a rebuilt one, but a different shop resuscitated
the A/C a couple years ago and I don't know if that shop had to R&R the
SC or not.

> You would think that a
> well regarded VW place would have proper VW fasteners laying about. I've
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> now. (I have since grabbed a proper ford 4.6L water pump bolt from a junk
> yard crown vic to replace it next time I'm in there)

I wouldn't even be that anal retentive. I've got a baggie ready to go
of 12.9 grade fasteners all within a few MM of spec to replace the
factory SC mount bolts (all of them) and corresponding flat washers. I
don't ever anticipate replacing them with factory ones, they will be
fine. I've also procured a helicoil kit for the stripped hole. It is
GOOD to have an excellent hardware supply place semi-locally.
(Chesapeake Marine Fasteners, in Annapolis, MD)

> I've come to the conclusion that often 'well regarded' comes from people
> who just don't know any better, especially VWs. For some reason VWs are a
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> conclude the cars were either crap, the mechanics idiots, or both. (I
> don't know which particular models or factory of origin)

My experience is that VWs are generally very robust with a few known
problems (the G60 supercharger being one of them.) If you're methodical
and put everything back exactly where it came from everything is
generally fine. The current issues I don't see as a reflection on VW at
all, the problem is a marginal rebuild of the G-lader ending in a blown
seal which I'm sure the shop that rebuilt it would have made right given
the chance - the issue was just never identified. There's also a bad
diode in the alternator (also missed by shop) and a dry rotted CV boot
(which looks like a fairly fresh issue,) that's it. Also an exhaust
leak up front that she was told would be too expensive to fix, well if I
end up putting this car back on the road I will have a look at it and
see if I can fix it myself. But right now I'm faced with a big cleanup
job and then a bunch of reassembly that I should not have to do, all
because someone skimped on some O-rings and hardware and was in a hurry
to get the car back together.

nate

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Scott en Aztlán - 21 Jan 2007 19:03 GMT

Nate Nagel <njnagel@flycast.net> said in rec.autos.driving:

>Follow up: I'm rapidly passing through the "frustration" stage and
>going rapidly towards "near homicidal rage." I removed the oil filter,
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>out because the last person to have it out used a bolt that was 10mm
>shorter than spec.

Definitely time for a new car.

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Matthew T. Russotto - 21 Jan 2007 20:04 GMT

>Follow up: I'm rapidly passing through the "frustration" stage and
>going rapidly towards "near homicidal rage." I removed the oil filter,
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>out because the last person to have it out used a bolt that was 10mm
>shorter than spec.

Well, look on the bright side... that means you've got 10mm of good
thread, right? :-)

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Matthew T. Russotto - 21 Jan 2007 19:48 GMT

>One of the long standing complaints the girlie has had with the car is
>that the battery goes dead if the car sits for more than a couple of
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>alternator and have it spun up on the tester. The guy informed me that
>the alternator had a bad diode.

>Apparently TWO mechanics have looked at this car for this issue as well,
>and apparently never bothered to actually check the alternator.

Since it happens with the car sitting, Wouldn't the problem show up on
a simple test of dark current draw? Then it's just a matter of pulling
fuses until it goes away; if it doesn't, that leaves the alternator
and a few other less likely items. Sheesh, this is electrical 101... I hate
incompetent mechanics.

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result in a fully-depreciated one.

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Nate Nagel - 21 Jan 2007 19:45 GMT

>>One of the long standing complaints the girlie has had with the car is
>>that the battery goes dead if the car sits for more than a couple of
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> and a few other less likely items. Sheesh, this is electrical 101... I hate
> incompetent mechanics.

Probably, it would have been as simple as removing one wire. I just
never had the ability to work on it until recently; I hadn't gotten to
the issue yet as I'd started off replacing the headlights with E-codes
and then proceeded on to troubleshooting "why is there a terminal
sounding noise coming from some rotating accessory" :( I was planning
on looking at it next, but since I already had the alternator out I
figured I'd get the free test.

nate

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