Don't worry.  We're just setting you up.  Then we attack!

Right, Stan?

Mike

On 3/6/03 10:35 PM, "Mark Belanger" <belanger@FLUID.COM> wrote:

> Pokes(and especially Michael Bertin),
>
> There's been a lot of brown stuff flying, but the most freakishly scary
> part of this list are how nice the people have been.  For those of you
> following my pig-headed pursuit distributor retribution, a good dozen
> people, mostly behind the scenes helped me get my van running again.
> I'd like to single out a few:
>
> /Ward Smith - location unknown; wherever it is, they sell beer/
> Ward spent a good part of an evening walking me through how to
> troubleshoot the a dead van.  His guidance helped me isolate it down to
> the ignition system(OK, so I know the ECU is technically part of the
> fuel injection system, but work with me).  For a novice mechanic,
> troubleshooting is the hardest part and the guidance was key.
>
> /Damon Campbell - Fremont, CA/
> This guy is my new hero.  Sight unseen he answered my call for a loaner
> ECU and instead loaned me an *entire ignition and fuel injection* system
> to test my components with.  That's how I confirmed it was the damn Hall
> Sender.  On top of that, once I got into trouble removing that pin from
> the distributor shaft, he offered to help me build a tool using his
> company's machine shop to help get it out.  On arrival, he actually
> wound up building the entire thing using a metal lathe and a big
> aluminum cylinder, which worked on the first try.  He's spent quite a
> few hours of his time helping a complete stranger.
>
> To the vets on the list: Damon's trying to rebuild his first engine and
> could use some mentoring.  I can't think of anyone who deserves it more.
> You won't be disappointed.
>
> /Al - Sacramento, CA/
> Like Damon, Al contacted me out of the blue and offered me an ECU sight
> unseen.  Fortunately, Damon's offer saved me a trip to Sacramento, but
> thanks anyway, Al.  Much appreciated.
>
> /Peter of Volks Cafe - Santa Cruz, CA/
> Peter had a replacement Hall Sender, but was closing an hour before I
> could get to his shop on a Saturday.  There was no chance I'd be able to
> get there before the following weekend, but he agreed to leave the
> sender outside for me, again sight unseen, despite all the crap it could
> have caused him.  Saved me a week.  Now, don't pester him to do the
> same, as it was a one shot deal.
>
> /Stan Wilder - some bunker in the Mexican desert/
> Stan, who seems to have done a thing or two with the van spent a lot of
> time with me trying to figure out what the hell was going on with my
> distributor and to see if he could help me deal with the pin.  He gave
> me a lot of good advice even though he's never *actually* seen a
> water-cooled distributor.  Plus he cracked me up a few times.
>
> And Stan, thanks for the tip about the firecracker.  I haven't been so
> regular in years...
>
> /Bruce of Tassi Auto - Daly City, CA(off list)/
> Lastly, Bruce, the owner(I believe) of Tassi in Daly City spent a good
> thirty minutes and at least one of his staff helping me find a
> "bakelite" washer and seal for the shaft.  Mine had completely crumbled.
> Yeah, that's right.  He spent close to $35 in shop labor rates helping
> me track down a part that he charged me $1 for.  Net profit to Bruce:
> -$34.  Did I mention, I'd never spent a nickel there before?  Oh, and
> here's the topper: he pulled it off a shop distributor because you can't
> get any of the parts of a distributor individually, just in whole.
>
> There are some damn nice people on this list and who seem to drive
> Vanagons in general, so it's not worth getting too worked up about some
> throat removal.
>
>
> Thanks people,
> -MB
>