--- Ari Ollikainen <Ari@OLTECO.com> wrote:
> At 1:53 AM -0700 8/11/02, TinkerMan wrote:
> >1. From your experience, can I somehow change the
> >hoses without removing any hardware except for the
> >hoses and clips? I know it's not the easiest
> method,
> >but can it be done?
>
>       YESSS!!
>
>       The key is screw type hose clamps which can be
> positioned so
>       that they may be tightened from below....or
> wherever your hands
>       find the best angle.

That's what I was thinking.

> I was able to accomplish the replacement WITHOUT
> loosening the waterpump pulley or anything else
> except the lower screwclamp on the other hose (the
> narrower one that attaches to a metal pipe) and
> rotating it out of the way...

You mean the smaller, almost straight one coming from
the small port on the water pump?

> my hands are
> relatively small but the job of removing the top
> hose clamp AND replacing the bottom end of the hose
> onto the nipple on the oil cooler was an ABSOLUTE
> BITCH!

Did you do it from above or below, with or without a
lift?
It seems I'm in an even worse scenario because the
hose I want to replace is the one on the other oil
cooler potr coming from the thermostat, which has even
worse access restrictions...:-(
Might have to remove the oil filter to gain access.

> WHAT A BONEHEADED DESIGN! Both for the
> vulnerability AND the amount of gymnastics required
> to effect a replacement,

AGREED!!!
But why can't we cook-up a mod that will elliminate
this stupid design (one of many others, e.g. the head
gasket problem...)
I guess all these boneheaded designs came from VW's
decision to wrangle the aircooled engine into water
cooled, resulting in LOTS of external hoses.
Too bad they never offered a better motor (although
now many aftermarket conversions are popular as well
as an I4 from SA. I can't use those options as they're
illegal here).

>The reason the hose deteriorated over time is sort
> of obvious: It's within about an inch of the exhaust
> header with no shielding or protection from heat...

Of course. So we need to cook-up a heat shield to
avoid this in the future...

=====
Cheers, T-man.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
HotJobs - Search Thousands of New Jobs
http://www.hotjobs.com