mazdeuce wrote: I also spent $40 on special zip ties.
Because of this project, my 318ti now has sweet wire harness anchors that will take a new zip tie without being completely replaced.
mazdeuce wrote: I also spent $40 on special zip ties.
Because of this project, my 318ti now has sweet wire harness anchors that will take a new zip tie without being completely replaced.
mazdeuce wrote:Crackers wrote: While I think your van is awesome, $50 for a small parts envelope full of what amounts to "o-rings" is why I don't envy you. LOL$50 for eight tiny rubber doughnuts is painful, but for some reason I'm all committed to doing this as right as possible. Maybe I'm hoping the gods of automotive luck smile upon my flaming pyre of cash? I also spent $40 on special zip ties. A bunch of each of the three sizes. The car only uses two sizes and I think I only need three of them total, but I much as well buy a bunch for other projects. At least I'll have a part number for you guys for the proper part in a couple of days.
I understand. I spent $40 on 2 feet of submersible fuel line for my infiniti G20 project. The old stuff had deteriorated and filled the tank with goo, so I wanted to do the repair right. I think the head bolts you ordered are worth as much as my whole car..
In reply to mazdeuce:
I'd do the same, it's just one of those instances that reminds me it's OK I don't have a 500hp German car. 
In reply to Jerry From LA:
While I'd totally agree with you, we're talking about valve cover seals that by all rights should have been part of the valve cover set. Adding $50 to the parts list is just adding insult to injury IMO.
I went to test drive Priuses today. Random used car lot I found online that had a couple of generations of them I could drive back to back. Pulled in and saw this. 
If anyone else wants to make their own cripplingly bad decision, have at it.
In reply to mazdeuce:
I'm pretty sure it parked its self there waiting for you. It already knows about you and has seeked you out to be its next owner and caretaker. It's destiny.
Edit: And you should have walked in while pointing at it & saying "Have you guys seen the story..." 
Say what you will, but it's nice of the owner to go ahead and familiarize the next owner with that $57k figure. First class move, if you ask me.
(By the way, you can count me among that number of brand-new readers who found this place because of your project. As others have said, thanks for taking us along on the journey. And as Dr. Rumack said, "We're all counting on you." 
)
Well, these had the 5.5 biturbo, otherwise I would have gone all head bolt on them.
At this point I'd much rather know the guy who buys it than be the guy who buys it. One of you need to step up.
In reply to mazdeuce:
If you can convince them to trade it outright for a motorhome I'll be there in a week
In reply to ¯_(ツ)_/¯:
The motorhome is bigger, has a bigger motor, AND has more tires. Slam dunk.
Crackers wrote: In reply to Jerry From LA: While I'd totally agree with you, we're talking about valve cover seals that by all rights should have been part of the valve cover set. Adding $50 to the parts list is just adding insult to injury IMO.
On other cars I've seen them sold both as a set and separately. They might be found in the aftermarket like that. Is Mercedes Benz taking advantage of the owner? I have this problem with the way most German cars are priced. How you can sell a car for $60,000 that seems to have $60,000,000 worth of parts in it is beyond me. Nevertheless, they should be done.
In reply to ElGuapo:
Glad you found us and are enjoying the ride.
In regards to the seals, yes, I found some kits that have them (yesterday) but you're not really saving money. Parts are expensive. German parts more so. Injector O-rings are on the way too.
In reply to mazdeuce:
My original post on this subject confused plug seals with injector seals but vacuum leaks are vacuum leaks no matter how you look at it. Your stuff has to be tight for both air and oil so why take a chance? Besides, this is no sedan we're talking about. It's essentially a minivan with all the clearance and access problems that implies.
Yes, you can pull the valve covers and intake with the engine in the car, but I'd rather spend several hundred dollars on seals than have to do it.
mazdeuce wrote: Yes, you can pull the valve covers and intake with the engine in the car, but I'd rather spend several hundred dollars on seals than have to do it.
You and me both. There's working on my car and there's working on my car because I am an idiot.
MazD, have you checked the status of the 'Ucorns' batteries lately?
The main battery died flat while waiting to get pushed into the Grosh. It will be getting a new fresh one. I still need to figure out if I can get to it with the van on the lift. I don't think I can.
I leave for One Lap a week from today and the intake welder had emergency wisdom tooth surgery which has delayed it's completion. I'd love to have the engine in place before I go but we'll see. Still waiting on idiotically expensive rubber circles.
Good luck on One Lap !
pull the dead batt and check the electrolyte level....fill if required. charge the E36M3 out of it, check each cell with hydrometer for deadness......if all pass pull charge down and repeat 3 times
mazdeuce wrote: Still waiting on idiotically expensive rubber circles.
Every time I repaired a VW, I'd go see the same parts guy at the same dealer. Every time I'd show my dismay at some spectacular part price, he'd say, "Yeah, they're pretty proud of those."
Ronnie has been sending me progress pictures of the manifold and I've been holding them close. I didn't want to get too excited until I saw the finished result. Well, he just brought it over and here is it is!
We told the welder that he didn't have to make it look pretty, but this is what he did. Just amazing. More pictures to come, the shop, the welder, all of it, but for now I'm scrubbing parts and getting them ready for reassembly.
There is no way I can possibly thank Ronnie enough. He and his wife have been incredibly generous to run around like crazy and help me with this part of the project.
mazdeuce wrote: In reply to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯: The motorhome is bigger, has a bigger motor, AND has more tires. Slam dunk.
Is this how they teach math in Texas?
That looks GREAT! A little "cast alum" colored paint and you would never even see it.
This place is amazing.
Paint the whole intake cast coat aluminum. Nobody will ever be able to tell
excellent job ........Memorial day the 'Corn' leaves the grosh?
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