Happy V-day to me

First, an update on the RIBE:
The RIBE bit arrived yesterday, and it was NOT the right bit. Now, I'm looking at a 6M triple-square (aka XZN) from Sears.com for $8 plus shipping. Unfortunately, they don't stock them in stores. Too bad, as I was in there last night buying a welder. As the guys behind the tools counter said "your wife must really love you" to spend Valentine's Day buying a welder at Sears. Yeah, they nailed that. Its really an early birthday present, and with 2 young kids, opportunities to shop for anything as a couple is near impossible. She wasn't too hip on buying something like that without me there, so it worked out.

Anyway, I have the welder (the Clark 120V Arc-welder) that I've pined for since November, so the engine mounts, radiator mounts & cowling, even the exhaust can and probably will be built by me. This will slow the process down, but so it goes.

Dozen RIBEs, no sauce

After spending most of my spare time over the last few weeks trying to figure something out, I think I finally know how to get the pressure plate off the new-to-me TDI engine. First, there were the hours of google searches and forum trolling. Then, I downloaded 3 different versions of the ETKA before getting one that I could actually install. More time trolling the boards to figure out how to get it to speak English, and finally some digging to find my TDI engine details. There, in big letters, it said what I'd been claiming for weeks: the pressure plate can be connected to the flywheel by one of 3 different kinds of fasteners. Mine was connected with a dozen "multi-faceted female bolts". Yeah, that's helpful. At least it backed up what I was finding. About the same time, I found a guy who was unable to get his oil pan off because he had the same bolts. He was in europe and called the multi-faceted heads "RIBE". Huh. Search the net with that and there's a guy on eBay selling a 6mm socket (I needed M6, so it was what I needed) for $3. Its in the mail.

Oher than trying to figure out how to get that cursed pressure plate off my engine, I've had some progress. The guy that has helped me keep the Jetta running has offered to replace the timing belt on Hapy's new engine for a small sum in a couple of months. As a part of the effort, we'll get all of the other acecssories back on the engine with new accessory belt, etc. I'll be replacing the glow plugs and the glowplug harness as well as the vacuum pump during this mini-project too. That should round-out the engine work until final assembly. At that time, I'll have to figure out an air intake, exhaust, etc, but that's for later. I still haven't found a guy to fab my mounts, so I'm going to have to make my own. Its my birthday in about 10 days, so I'm hoping for a welder. I may have to buy myself one instead.

I'll talk on the radiator stuff next time.