[V8] Was Dizzy Seals, Now Radiator

Fri Nov 9 17:26:20 PST 2007

Update:
    Car isn't leaking.

I send that last email, take a shower, get dressed, go out and an hour 
later, it's left no drops.  I top off the antifreeze.  No noises from 
the heads.

I carefully drive it to work, by that time the engine's warmed up.  No 
drips.  I park it in a clean spot.  I come out four hours later to a 
cold engine.  No drips.  I start it up, no noises.

I think this car is trying to drive me insane, I really really do.

~Scott S.

>  
>
>>Well we all live & learn...but one can only give there
>>BTDT on something. It's just that I have found that
>>the aftermarket rads for the V8's are CRAP! But I
>>suppose there are all way's two BTDT's on something. &
>>mine which is quiet extensive has showed me that
>>crappy parts are crappy parts..wheather they be OE or
>>whatever.
>>
>>But you talking about the washer in the pic? If so
>>looks like it's the washer for the tensioner. A
>>bracket attaches to one of the lower empty holes at
>>the water pump that an Allen head bolt bolt's too. The
>>bracket is just to set the belt tension. You would
>>tension the belt tensioner & stick a small 3mm allen
>>wrench in there to keep the adjustment while you
>>tighten the allen bolt.
>>& those other pieces look like the friction pad bolt.
>>But can't really tell.
>>But thats my BTDT ;-)
>>
>>But you need a rad...or the one you have is good???
>>
>>Ron
>>
>>--- Scott Simmons <indischrot at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>>>I guess I should get this out of the way:
>>>
>>>   You were right, Ron.
>>>
>>>Hey now, I have the ability to admit my wrongs and
>>>compliment those who 
>>>are right.  It hurts my ego, but it's always the
>>>right thing to do. ;)
>>>
>>>The radiators are scrap.  Or maybe just the one I
>>>got.  The molding 
>>>differences on the end caps were acceptable: the
>>>drain cock is now just 
>>>a normal wingnut style, the mounting studs on the
>>>backside (where the 
>>>two nuts hold it against the radiator support) were
>>>threaded holes 
>>>instead of studs, the holes for the transmission
>>>lines were not flanged 
>>>exactly the same as OE,---- but all of this would
>>>have been acceptable.  
>>>There were two killers:
>>>1) the fins crumpled under the lightest touch.  Just
>>>smooshed themselves 
>>>down.  I can't even bend the OE rad fins.
>>>2) the frame flexed way too much.  I could probably
>>>break the damn thing 
>>>with my bare hands.
>>>
>>>
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a143/indischrot/audi/rad1.jpg
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>>>I started to cut away the notch on top for the hood
>>>latch, but didn't 
>>>bother.  I wasn't going to put this POS in.  So if
>>>anyone wants it, $50 
>>>incl shipping else I'm going to sell it to a
>>>radiator shop in town for 
>>>scrap metal.  Lesson learned, I guess.
>>>
>>>While I was in there, I attended to the real reason
>>>of the job: 
>>>retensioning my t-belt.  It was a little loose. 
>>>When I did the t-belt 
>>>job, the old radiator would leak water from the
>>>trans line area after 
>>>reinstallation.  That stopped after about a week or
>>>so, so I stopped 
>>>caring.  But I knew that I needed to recheck t-belt
>>>tension... which 
>>>meant pulling radiator... which would probably leak
>>>like a sieve if I 
>>>put it back in. 
>>>
>>>Turns out the plastic near the mounting bolt for the
>>>lower trans line 
>>>has started to split/pull away in a layer.  It was
>>>such a simple problem 
>>>that I just smeared some JB Waterweld on there.  If
>>>it didn't leak 
>>>without the JB, it shouldn't leak with it.  If it
>>>does, ah well, water's 
>>>cheap.
>>>
>>>
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a143/indischrot/audi/project.jpg
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
>>>Worst part of the entire job?  Fighting that mother
>>>f*#ing clutch-fan 
>>>shroud.  That thing would not stay in one place.  It
>>>always fell down 
>>>ontop of what I was doing and always managed to get
>>>itself wedged.  I 
>>>didn't take off radiator support, so I couldn't
>>>completely remove the 
>>>right t-belt cover.  So when I had that thing out of
>>>the way to get to 
>>>the eccentric pulley, the shroud would be wedged
>>>somewhere looking like 
>>>it was about to break or some crap like that.  Oh it
>>>drove me nuts.
>>>
>>>And don't forget, the right tool for the job makes
>>>it 1000000x easier.  
>>>Having a 90º pair of snap ring pliers to fit into
>>>the eccentric pulley 
>>>to tension was far easier than the first half hour
>>>with the 45º needle 
>>>nose pliers that would keep falling out.  Tensioner
>>>that was originally 
>>>at 6 o'clock (judged by the center between the two
>>>adjustment holes) is 
>>>now properly tensioned at 11 o'clock.
>>>
>>>I don't know why, but for the first three tension
>>>adjustments, I'd 
>>>measure 136mm on the shock.  Lock down the pulley. 
>>>Rotate engine 720º 
>>>and find the tensioner shock at 145 or 155mm.  That
>>>was frustrating.  I 
>>>finally got a consistent reading but will check it
>>>one more time 
>>>tomorrow before installing radiator.
>>>
>>>I did have to "break" the air snorkels that fit in
>>>front of the radiator 
>>>and condenser to get the radiator out.  They're held
>>>in place by plastic 
>>>snaps.  I'll figure out a way to reattach them. 
>>>There was no way the 
>>>radiator was coming out without removing them.
>>>
>>>No other "gotcha"s.  I have one left over piece from
>>>the previous t-belt 
>>>job (March) but I couldn't figure out where it goes.
>>>It's a space/shim 
>>>to fit around a M8 bolt.  15mm wide with a 7-8mm
>>>hole (M6 bolt??) and 
>>>it's about 4-5mm thick.  Looks like a silver donut,
>>>with sharp edges.  
>>>Where the heck did this go?
>>>Here's a picture of it, don't mind the bolts:  
>>>
>>>   
>>>
>>>      
>>>
>>http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a143/indischrot/audi/bolts.jpg
>> 
>>
>>    
>>
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>>>
>>>      
>>>
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>>    
>>
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