Quick Little Update Of Yesterday
Posted: Sat Aug 19, 2017 9:51 am
Hi. I suddenly realized that I am very very far away from my selected Eclipse spot, and I have 800 miles to go.
So the asiab3 / NY Cynthia photos/post has to wait.
The Barb/Elwood photos/post has to wait, and boy did Robbie save the day on that one
(that's one Millennial who scares me with his unbelievable can-do effectiveness gonna put me out to pasture)
I did a fast photo dump update on ScottInLasVegas' post, because there it was, he posted, bada-bing-done.
Yesterday, I got so damn stranded outside of Mesquite NV, and had NO idea it was going to be some kind of record hot day.
Started off easily enough. It was lovely majestic quiet let's put on some new hubcaps scored at Wolfsburg West:
BEFORE:
DURING (note that the new hubcaps are too tall between the edge and the inner part that nestles in the wheel thus fit very questionably)
AFTER (note that you can hardly tell a damn thing but that I am substantially poorer now):
Generator brush replacement time! I have already done these several times, I am pretty good at the mirror deal to get the lower screw started into its terminal, not a big deal, right?
Yes, I sanded the commutator with 800 grit, yes I cleaned it, yes, I pushed the brushes back and forth to make sure they slid properly in their holders, and yes, I pushed down on the brushes with a little piece of wood while revving the engine a bit, and no, the generator light would not go out. "WTF?" I asked, and I recall something like, "damn it's hot out here."
As I removed the lower brush for a quick look, the spring bit me in the finger. I pulled the spring smartly to get it past the point of pain, and guess what? The spring sproinked off the post and immediately unraveled. Note: this is the lower brush assembly, the PIA assembly, the Mirror Only assembly, this is so not good.
For the first time in thirty years, I pulled out my John Muir "How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive" manual, because I needed a conversational field-tested personal experience answer and I needed it now.
"Don't hurt that brush spring because you'll have to pull out the damn generator."
AYFS?
"Some lady writes that she wrapped a copper wire around the spring and installed it still in the car."
The spring must be coiled at least 180* tight before you can stick its keyed inner end onto the post. You have to see the generator to understand just how awful this predicament is.
So, I set to work trying to wrap up that hideous little spring with baling wire. Tried and tried. No way.
(noted that I am actually well and truly stranded on the road after maybe six hours of run time before the battery goes flat)
Then I tried to drill a hole with a slot in a hotel room card. The hole had to be exactly small enough to keep the brush spring coiled tightly. The DeWalt drill battery was flat. Used the inverter to charge it a little, keeping in mind that this battery charge is all I got currently.
Wound up the spring with a small screwdriver in the middle and wrapped the brush holding tab around with a visegrip. Spring stayed coiled all the way over to the generator. Damn, it's hot. As I mirror-guided the coiled spring up into the recess of the lower generator, I had to interpret the directions through the mirror. The plastic hole suddenly went all oval because the slot was weakening it too much, and the spring began to unravel.
Multiply this by three attempts and one modification (using two plastic room card hole thingys for strength - ah no).
Began to plan the removal of the generator, understanding full well that even with a generator out on the towel, it is still going to be a horror show to wind up and install this spring. Consult your Bentley for a good representation of the lousy work space. Began to protest deep in my stomach, "I don't WANT TO!"
Sat on the sliding door sill to think hard.
MUST GO NOW, I am LATE for the eclipse, but will update the above visits and what happened here.
Obviously I got back on the road, some eight hours late, but did you know it was 106* out there? Me neither.
Colin
So the asiab3 / NY Cynthia photos/post has to wait.
The Barb/Elwood photos/post has to wait, and boy did Robbie save the day on that one
(that's one Millennial who scares me with his unbelievable can-do effectiveness gonna put me out to pasture)
I did a fast photo dump update on ScottInLasVegas' post, because there it was, he posted, bada-bing-done.
Yesterday, I got so damn stranded outside of Mesquite NV, and had NO idea it was going to be some kind of record hot day.
Started off easily enough. It was lovely majestic quiet let's put on some new hubcaps scored at Wolfsburg West:
BEFORE:
DURING (note that the new hubcaps are too tall between the edge and the inner part that nestles in the wheel thus fit very questionably)
AFTER (note that you can hardly tell a damn thing but that I am substantially poorer now):
Generator brush replacement time! I have already done these several times, I am pretty good at the mirror deal to get the lower screw started into its terminal, not a big deal, right?
Yes, I sanded the commutator with 800 grit, yes I cleaned it, yes, I pushed the brushes back and forth to make sure they slid properly in their holders, and yes, I pushed down on the brushes with a little piece of wood while revving the engine a bit, and no, the generator light would not go out. "WTF?" I asked, and I recall something like, "damn it's hot out here."
As I removed the lower brush for a quick look, the spring bit me in the finger. I pulled the spring smartly to get it past the point of pain, and guess what? The spring sproinked off the post and immediately unraveled. Note: this is the lower brush assembly, the PIA assembly, the Mirror Only assembly, this is so not good.
For the first time in thirty years, I pulled out my John Muir "How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive" manual, because I needed a conversational field-tested personal experience answer and I needed it now.
"Don't hurt that brush spring because you'll have to pull out the damn generator."
AYFS?
"Some lady writes that she wrapped a copper wire around the spring and installed it still in the car."
The spring must be coiled at least 180* tight before you can stick its keyed inner end onto the post. You have to see the generator to understand just how awful this predicament is.
So, I set to work trying to wrap up that hideous little spring with baling wire. Tried and tried. No way.
(noted that I am actually well and truly stranded on the road after maybe six hours of run time before the battery goes flat)
Then I tried to drill a hole with a slot in a hotel room card. The hole had to be exactly small enough to keep the brush spring coiled tightly. The DeWalt drill battery was flat. Used the inverter to charge it a little, keeping in mind that this battery charge is all I got currently.
Wound up the spring with a small screwdriver in the middle and wrapped the brush holding tab around with a visegrip. Spring stayed coiled all the way over to the generator. Damn, it's hot. As I mirror-guided the coiled spring up into the recess of the lower generator, I had to interpret the directions through the mirror. The plastic hole suddenly went all oval because the slot was weakening it too much, and the spring began to unravel.
Multiply this by three attempts and one modification (using two plastic room card hole thingys for strength - ah no).
Began to plan the removal of the generator, understanding full well that even with a generator out on the towel, it is still going to be a horror show to wind up and install this spring. Consult your Bentley for a good representation of the lousy work space. Began to protest deep in my stomach, "I don't WANT TO!"
Sat on the sliding door sill to think hard.
MUST GO NOW, I am LATE for the eclipse, but will update the above visits and what happened here.
Obviously I got back on the road, some eight hours late, but did you know it was 106* out there? Me neither.
Colin