[V8] Hmmm, here's the problem right here....long

[toml99 at todomundo.com]

Well, I spent my last day of my "waaay too long lack of work issue"  
digging into the car.  Took a bit of time, but finally was able to  
access the sensor leads(wished I had a spare connector I could have  
used, but all 7 junkyards are now all gone, and couldn't come up with  
a 3pin connector to make it easier to get the volt meter connected to  
those leads).....Speed sensor appears to be bad...Finally feeling  
quite happy(aside from seeing that the hydraulic fluid/ oil leaks to  
be getting worse and more extensive), spent a half hour removing the  
2 bolts for the heat shield, and when I tried to wipe the goo off the  
sensors, they felt loose.  Pulled, and both came right out right  
out....no bolts!  The last time anyone might have been in there was @  
42K when Continental VW/Audi(littleton CO)  replaced the tranny/bomb/ 
yet another set of rotors under warranty in 97(heat shield bolts were  
quite hard to remove).  I'm sure the bolts could have come loose over  
the years, but seems kinda hard for them to actually fall out behind  
that heatshield..  Confident they were truly sick of seeing this car  
as my ex- girlfriends dad(previous owner) utilized the extended  
warranty to the full extent, and it wouldn't be surprising someone  
just forgot to put the 2 bolts in.  So, the crank position sensor  
tested good, but seems like I should just do both while i'm at it.   
German Auto Connection didn't list it in their parts thing, and it  
seems foolish to put in used stuff that's known to fail(new stuff  
never fails.....)))).  My local German auto friend has a crank  
position sensor(ignition reference sensor) for $112, but doesn't show  
the speed sensor.  Wondering if they are the same sensor(as people  
have swapped connectors).  I was broke months ago, and haven't even  
been driving it as it's timing belt time(it was done @ 52K just  
before I got the car), but should take care of this now so it's  
reliably moveable, so I can get the money together for the timing  
belt/hydraulic hose/now looks like abs box is leaking, etc.  Then  
there's that nagging torn rack boot, which I'd planned to do in  
conjuction with all the tie-rods/bearings/alighnment.  Oh, and  
there's a very minor drip from the brake pedal(booster) which is also  
on the list.  I still will keep this car forever,against by better  
judgment, and when it finally dies, will make a sculpture/water  
fountain out of it and dye the water blue/gold and not everyone will  
get it.....Tom