Big red bus

[isham-research.freeserve.co.uk at pop.pol.net.uk]

> I can imagine the flurry of activity after the post to list that the Big red
> bus had spewed its coolant. So did the bus make it to the Father land ?

No, but it will go in the next few weeks - while I was in Germany I met
an old friend who shares my passion for photography.  He had a darkroom
in Berlin, but lost it during a divorce and gave the equipment to his
son.  I have a complete darkroom packed in boxes, and nowhere in my
flat to erect it.  So he's getting it.

The logic is that I won't get a fraction of its value by selling it,
it's pointless me 'possessing' something I can't use, he needs a
darkroom and I'll get my equipment reassembled, checked over and
maintained.  Once or twice a year I'll go over for sessions ...

The Bus (Puff the Magic Wagon) is in bits - the head came off to find
the problem (more below) and the driveshaft came out for the CV joint
boot to be replaced.  I couldn't shift the CV joint out of the circlip,
so I sent it to our friendly local light engineering outfit, Rugby Motor
Engineering Services.  They returned it with the circlip broken, the CV
joint removed from the driveshaft, and the inner ball retainer
shattered.  If you want a job done properly, do it yourself.  Both Audi
and the independents are talking TEN WORKING DAYS for a replacement CV
joint - how's that for owner-friendly spares holdings?

The original problem?  Promise you won't breathe a word to a soul?  The
inlet and exhaust valves in #1 were in the wrong holes.  It's down to me
- I rebuilt the head after changing the valve stem oil seals.  I was
either tired, pissed (UK meaning) or both when I did it - I'm just
amazed that I didn't catch it when fitting the head.

--
 Phil Payne
 UK Audi quattro Owners Club
 Phone +44 7785 302803   Fax: +44 7785 309674