bomb replacement ramblings

[Keith Lawyer]

Did my first bomb replacement yesterday.  I know this has been covered
ad nauseum on the list, so delete now if you're tired of hearing about
bomb replacement.

My observations:

This is a job which is theoretically plug 'n play but due to limited
access becomes a minor PITA.  Certainly not a difficult job, but I found
that I needed large amounts of patience.  Then again, everything I do is
what we call a "Keith Project" in my house, meaning even the most simple
of tasks will somehow find a way to delay me substantially.  IOW, "if it
can, it will."

First off, jack the car as high as you safely can, and consider a
quality creeper a must (unless of course you're using a lift).  I need
an adjustable headrest creeper for my poor neck, but I then found my
forehead grazing the sway bar each time I'd get in position, wishing I'd
lifted the car higher.

I started by trying to remove the hose clamp at the rear of the bomb
for the line which runs to the bottom of the reservoir.  You really need
a stubby screwdriver for this (or at least I did).  The clamp screw
turned about 1/4 turn and then locked up.  With minimal leverage, poor
access and too much grease everywhere indicative of a car with 264k
original miles, I was only rounding the head of the screw at this point.
 (See what I mean about "Keith Projects?" - this is par for the course).
 Fortunately my IR right angle die grinder with 3" cutoff wheel was able
to fit in there just barely and I cut the clamp off without even
scathing the hose or old bomb, altho I could easily have seen the cutoff
wheel getting away from me and nicking the a/c line which I had zip-tied
to the block to get it out of my way.

When I ordered from Blau they suggested a new hose clamp which I
fortunately ordered.  While convenient, I dunno if I'd get too excited
about the Blau clamp as it's just a standard "Tridon" brand avail at any
FLAPS or Home Desperate.  Nonetheless, the new clamp is an upgrade in
the respect that it has a hex head unlike the factory clamp, meaning no
more poor leverage and rounding straight-blades in the future.

The lower banjo bolt (high pressure line?) was VERY tight on my '90
200.  I had to put a cheater on the 14mm wrench and then it was a
question of what exactly was going to break first.  

The flared line virtually *requires* an 11mm stubby wrench, which of
course I didn't have, so I sectioned a normal 11mm.  I've been meaning
to buy a complete set of metric stubby's...............

I'd consider replacing the line from the bottom of the reservoir to the
back of the bomb; mine was somewhat spongy (again, 264k miles will do
that LOL) and the cost should be minimal I would think.  The hardest
part would be sourcing metric rubber line (at least here in the States),
but I've seen sources mentioned on the list before.

The banjo bolt is quite sophisticated as banjo bolts go as it has a
screen built in the inlet hole.  Mine was totally clogged with black
goo, which I cleaned by spraying brake cleaner down the bolt, and then
following up with compressed air.  I imagine this quite an expensive
bolt as bolts go....

On to reinstall, I got the bomb in position and discovered there was no
way I was gonna get the high pressure line back on with the bomb in it's
final resting place; limited clearance between the subframe and bottom
of the bomb combined with a hydraulic line that was intent on twisting
*just enough* to prevent the threads from lining up conspired against
me.  

I left the back of the bomb in it's hole and pulled the front out to
lift the bomb, but even then I needed three hands to hold the bomb up,
hold the hydraulic line just right, and start the banjo bolt.  I FINALLY
got smart and zip-tied the bomb up to the motor mount, making a three
hand job a two hand job.  Regardless, I dunno how I would have ever got
the line on and tightened (or removed for that matter) without my Gear
Wrench (ie self-contained ratcheting box end).

>From there everything went pretty smooth.  I mostly followed the
instructions on 20V.org which were very helpful.  Also, my fluorescent
trouble light was invaluable.  I'd consider the following mandatory for
a relatively pain-free bomb r&r:
11mm stubby open end (and indeed, line wrench if it wants to fight
you)
14mm ratcheting box end
creeper
good trouble light

Of course you could do it with just a couple normal metric wrenches in
a dirt driveway (and I'm sure listers have), but it wouldn't be fun
IMO... as always YMMV

FWIW
Keith L