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Wed Jul 02, 2003 9:40 pm

This morning I went out to start my "new" '77 van. It back fired and it took me a while to figure out why it wouldn't run. I noticed one of the hoses came off the FI, re-installed hose, ran, but not that great. Found another vacuum leak. Fixed that. Runs a lot better. Tried to clean up interior, and paint some parts to make look better, Primer and paint don't mix, looks like crap... UPS came with cv joints and boot kits. Decided to replace the cv joints that had bad boots and didn't know how long they had been bad (just got it, mind you) Installed cv joints w/ new boots. something not right, but figured it was just NEW cv joints. Intalled on van, no play in axles. Tried to take joints off axles to see what was wrong, won't come off. BEAT the poop out of them to get cvs off axle, broke cage. Wasted $50 plus shipping for 1 cv. No place in town to buy a cv joint, unless "have to order, be in Tuesday"... The other had to be beat off, too, but maybe salvageable. Smacked fingers TOO many times to count, bandaged leg where cage broke and hit me... "I'm hooked on Band-aids, cause Band-aids hooked on me". Wife won't talk to me because I don't want to talk to her about it and she's mad, she'll get over it. End of the day, Posting my bad day to a bunch of folks that I'm sure have had bad days, too. I just hope not this bad though. Looks like the Regina VW show will be viewed via the Ford. Uhhhggg!!! Anyone else have a day like this? You know its bad when you think about selling the new '77 van AND the '57 oval project...

Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:07 am

Yesterday my new van started popping like a hot air popper after I changed the exhaust. It worked fine before I changed the exhaust (there wasn't anything wrong with the old one, but I don't like those Monza 4 tips).
I bolt on the stock system and fire it up. Pop, pop, pop. I check for leaks and find a little air coming out of between the gaskets, but not enough to cause popping (so I thought).
Instantly, my temper flares up. It was like watching cartoons when the character gets redder and redder then blows up- that was me. I'm out there swearing at the thing- which my neighbors probably really appreciated, and then my wife comes out to help. Because I'm mad, anyone around me is now the enemy, so I snap at her and she tells me where to go and walks off ( I could have used her help).
There is nothing I hate more than when a vehicle all of the sudden doesn't work right. If I know what's wrong, it's one thing, but when I don't- grrrrrr.

Thu Jul 03, 2003 7:17 am

pardon this--- but hahaharharharharharharhar!!!!! thats hilarious. i get the same way after abuot 49 tries and something still wont work. good luck bud.

Thu Jul 03, 2003 9:18 am

Sometimes when I'm having "one of those days" it helps to put the tools down and just walk away. Alot of times a good nights sleep or someone elses insight into a problem is the best aproach. I've had days when I made up my own swear words because I ran out of the ones I knew! Remember, this is supposed to be FUN! Good luck, milotype2

Thu Jul 03, 2003 9:19 am

approach,duh

Thu Jul 03, 2003 10:59 am

Walking away is something I only learned with time. I still have the scar on my right arm where, in a fit of rage that a bolt wouldn't come off the engine on my 71, I swung a ratchet at the bus (yeah, I know.....but I was young). Since the bumper was off and there was a nice rusty bracket there, guess what I hit instead?

A lesson (painfully) learned. It's forums like this one that has helped me stay sane.

-=Rob
'77 Westy

Thu Jul 03, 2003 1:38 pm

I always start swearing at the idiot engineer, who obviously never had to work on a car, who put that thing where it is, usually at just the wrong angle to get a wrench on it! Jeremy

Sat Jul 05, 2003 8:20 am

I don't know who I hate more? Current Japaneese engineers who design subarus or old german engineers that designed my 68 bus.

Sat Jul 05, 2003 8:32 am

"Ever had one of those days"? Hell, I've had one of those LIVES.

Sat Jul 05, 2003 9:51 am

LOL bljones. I'm with ya on that one.