Bushings, Air Flaps, Lights (Whew..)

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

Been a busy day...

First:

I got the front sub-frame bushings into my 1990 200 by 
putting the car on jackstands (using the side-points 
provided); removing the front bushing bolts and using a "bottle-jack" 
to support the frame.  I then used a propane torch to burn off the 
top of the bushing where it swells above the frame.  This takes a 
while and makes a REAL mess.  It kinda melts off the top of the 
bushing boss which swells above the frame - and I had to scrape the 
bits off as they melted.  I suspect the others of you used a cutting 
or oxy/acetylene torch for this.

At any rate, once the mess was far advanced (and I had determined 
that the undercoating can and will catch fire...but it blows out 
easily) I managed to PRY out the bushings.  If I had not had the 
right size pry bar, this would never hasve worked, as I could ony get 
at about the top half of the rubber boss above the sub-frame...melted 
it off the point where it was possible to pry it out.  That melted 
stuff sticks to ANYthing it touches!!

The replacements went in very easily.  Spray with silicone, use a 
3/8" by 4" bolt and 2" diameter washers - ran the bolt thru the 
bushings and tightened.  They popped in, and with a light pry upwards 
against the sway bar, went into position easily.

The REAR bushings are a different deal.  I cannot figure out how I 
can get them out without a cutting torch, so I didn't touch them.  
They seem solid for now.

After replacing the front sub-frame bushings and the rear motor 
mounts, the damn car STILL has clunks in the front end.  They're more 
muted than before, but still there.  I have checked the rack mounts, 
steering gear and the nuts at the top of the front struts.  TODAY I 
will open the hood, have my wife torque the motor over against the 
(automatic) transmission and see if I have bad MAIN motor mounts.  
This is getting really old.


Second:

I found that, just as a number of you advised, the fresh air flap 
above the passenger side foot well was NOT closing when the ECON or 
DEFOG modes were enabled.  The spring on that door was broken; I 
replaced it but the door still does not close.  It opens vigorously, 
but "twitches" and does not close when it should.  

Can anyone tell me where the spring should attach???  The end on the 
flap door was still attached, but I'm having trouble finding the 
anchor point for the OTHER end.  The only point I have found is on 
the servo mount itself.  Just below the body of the servo, there is a 
small cross-bar which can serve as a mount - but IS IT the correct 
mount?  The darn thing is almost in a straight line above the flap 
anchor on the door, so it doesn't seem to provide all that much 
assistance.  I'm trying to diagnose whether the servo is working.

Third:

I will install the Euro-lights as soon as I get the time.  I got four 
sockets for the H3 lamps by going to a motorcycle boneyard and 
cliping them from the headlight sockets of dead bikes.  BUT - they 
are not labeled as per Peter Henrickson's posted diagram.  They are 
labeled like this:

          Pass
          ___

Ground |      |Drive


I am interpreting this in the following fashion:


         High Beam
          ___

Ground |      | Low Beam

Any argument from this list???  My old euro-lights use the H3 lamps.  
Peter's interpretation of the wiring colors on the US lights was very 
helpful, so it looks like the worst that could happen is that I'd 
have to switch the hi/lo connections if I'm wrong.

PS: once this is done, I ALSO will be in the remove-the-right-
headlight-to-change-the-air-filter camp.  Yeeeeeesh.

Cheers....

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Al Powell, Ph.D.                 Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.          Fax:    409/862-1202
College Station, TX 77843      
Http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/satellit/alpage.htm

"Some people can tell what time it is by looking at the
sun...but I have never been able to see the numbers."
             [From 5th/6th grade essays....]