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DurocShark Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2004 Posts: 6624 Location: Crappy town in a crappy state. But the beach is nearby, so I have that going for me.
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 8:59 am Post subject: Painter's Grinding - Denver, CO |
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I was hoping not to have to post this...
On Tuesday I went to Painter's Grinding in Denver, CO for a gasket set for my 73 bus with a 1700 (stock). The set they gave me had this label:
01-23455-05
VOLKSWAGEN
2,0 LTR. 70 PS (51,5 KW) TYP 2 TRANSPORTER 1976/
1,8 LTR. 68 PS (50 KW) TYP 2 TRANSPORTER 1973/
75 PS (55 KW) TYP 4 412-L 1973/74
85 PS (62,5 KW) TYP4 412 S/LS 1973/74
914 - 1.8 85 PS (62,5 KW) 1,8 LTR. 1973/
I read all that 1.8 stuff on there and asked if it is correct for my bus. "Oh, yeah. That set has both sizes of head gaskets in there." Ok. I head back to work (30 miles round trip BTW) and not feeling really comfortable I asked here on the Bay Window board and on the Type 2 list. I got a solid response on the Type 2 list:
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The 1.8 was introduced on the Transporter and the Type 4 (412) in Europe. It didn't make it to the USA until the 1974 model year. 1.7's were used on 72-73 USA Market Transporters. Do not open the gasket set. It is of no use to you. The proper Reinz Number is 01-21925-03 (VW 021-198-009B) for the 1700 engine. |
So I go back on Friday with the unopened set. I show that text (I printed it out) and two different counter guys were emphatic about it being correct and having the right head gaskets. One offered to order the listed part number instead of the one he gave me, but I couldn't be back there before Sunday. "We can leave it outside somewhere.." WTF? Um, no. One of the counter guys opened the set to show me there were slight differences between the gaskets (or shims?) in the kit.
They were so sure it was correct I left.
So yesterday afternoon we start tearing our engines apart to get ready to drop them. When the other bus we were working came out (a 2.0) I checked the gaskets to his heads. Perfect fit. !@#$%#$^$& I put them to my "new" 1.7 head and found they were too big for me. Big surprise.
Now the @!#$%#^ store is closed for Labor Day and I have to get my bus together for work tomorrow. That means I don't get to put new gaskets on my heads. In fact, I probably won't pull my engine at all since the whole point was to swap heads to repair a sunk valve seat.
I told them repeatedly that this HAD to be done this holiday weekend. Now I'm screwed. Nobody else that is open will have the head gaskets.
I got wonderful comments about this place before I went there. Maybe it's the mechanics that are great, because the counter guys were fscking worthless in my situation. _________________ No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow. |
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jbbugs Samba Member
Joined: September 16, 2002 Posts: 2152 Location: Behind the wheel
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lonslo Samba Member
Joined: December 17, 2003 Posts: 1110 Location: Osideornoside
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 8:12 pm Post subject: |
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Figuring since you live down the street from a shop it would be easier than online. |
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lonslo Samba Member
Joined: December 17, 2003 Posts: 1110 Location: Osideornoside
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Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2005 8:15 pm Post subject: Re: Painter's Grinding - Denver, CO |
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DurocShark wrote: |
I got wonderful comments about this place before I went there. Maybe it's the mechanics that are great, because the counter guys were fscking worthless in my situation. |
Sometimes the mechanics are counter guys. Makes you wonder. |
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DurocShark Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2004 Posts: 6624 Location: Crappy town in a crappy state. But the beach is nearby, so I have that going for me.
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Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2005 5:29 am Post subject: |
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And that's half what I paid too.. My set was $68 + tax.
Yeah, I should have ordered the set from one of the various good vendors online. But I liked supporting a local shop and I liked knowing I had the set in my hands before starting.
Silly me. _________________ No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow. |
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DurocShark Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2004 Posts: 6624 Location: Crappy town in a crappy state. But the beach is nearby, so I have that going for me.
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Posted: Wed Sep 21, 2005 5:45 am Post subject: |
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Update: Another buddy of mine in the area (who kept insisting they were fine) went in for a rear main seal.
What did they give him? Front main seal (flywheel end).
Dorks. _________________ No boom today. Boom tomorrow. There's always a boom tomorrow. |
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kevinrco Samba Member
Joined: August 17, 2006 Posts: 212 Location: Fort Collins, CO
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Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 9:10 am Post subject: They took me for 420 cash |
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Took my bus in for a torque seal gasket and they failed to remove the old seal. This was a 400 dollar job and 2 weeks later im dripping tranny fluid. 5 months later it fails again. They seem to think that there are supposed to be 2 seals on the thing, but in my invoice they only put that they replaced 1. My mechanic says there should be one seal.. (Vrbas Parts) he has been working on bus's forever and knows his stuff. THEN, they say that its an alignment issue. NOPE Once the tranny and motor together you can count that out. THEN they say I need a new motor and tranny!! WTF They think that I'm an idiot who will believe just about anything. My motor only has 12k since a rebuild.
Not happy with them at all. They are snotty and do bad work. |
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70FastyGuy Samba Member
Joined: August 11, 2010 Posts: 3 Location: Boulder, CO.
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Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2011 8:59 pm Post subject: Painter's Grinding Denver |
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I have had nothing but incredibly positive experiences with this auto shop. They have an amazing breadth of expertise and real-world practical knowledge of VWs- and unlike so many other similar shops- these guys don't play games. They hear your problems and freely tell you all about it. Every repair I have ever had was always cheaper than I expected it to be, and done both fast and well. If you have problems, realize that VWs are old machines, and that it pays to be polite with the ones who fix your car, no matter where you go. |
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velo96 Samba Member
Joined: May 04, 2009 Posts: 70 Location: Lebanon,Ohio
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Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2011 5:07 pm Post subject: Painters |
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Years ago I had them build me a long block for an 80 vanagon. Two weeks after installing the engine a case plug fell out and all of the oil ran out. Luckily i saw the pressure light and pulled over. I called and told them what had happened and all they could tell me was that my engine was almost 30 years old and that they were not responsible. After arguing with them for ever,I had my van towed 200 miles back to the shop. Less than a day later they call and tell me it's fixed. After getting the van back i look and see they have globbed JB weld over the plug and it was still leaking. It must have been too hard to fix it right! The long block was 1400.00 and the tow was 150.00. The engine never quit leaking and they refused to do anything about it. It's been 10 years and I'm still pissed. GO PAINTERS!! |
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muggermackaye Samba Member
Joined: June 29, 2020 Posts: 87 Location: CO
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2021 9:23 pm Post subject: Re: Painter's Grinding - Denver, CO |
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Well. reading this post makes me wonder a little but...
My experience, so far, has been great. I only have 44 miles on my car so i guess that could change. My throttle is not fully returning, which was not an issue i had before. Linkage is clear, cable is lubed, and I can feel some friction somewhere... If it continues, I am expecting they'll do something about it.
Anyway, working with painters has been great. They have been friendly and knowledgeable group of guys. Easy to talk to, didn't talk down to me, craftsman with a passion. I feel that Ross is a gifted builder. I couldn't have asked for a better experience. |
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