Akula

Second that Metal Doughnut thing.

Why not split the drive wheels by right and left. Or even maybe have a 1 wheel drive with optional 2, 3 or 4?

This isn't the first time I have had to work on my VW. Yes I am sure it is Foot Pounds. When I work on it I have a "special" breaker bar I use. It is a 12' antenna pole. Works great.

I know, WTF. But I guess it is because everything on the old beetles could take a direct hit from an airstrike. The way I test tightness on most stuff in my car is to drag the car around by the wrench.

I have access to one that goes to 150 (probably the same model) but I wanted to follow the directions (what the hell am I saying). Yes you do put a split pin in after you tighten it. Thanks for the offer.

I need to redo the brakes in the bug (real bug, not a new beetle). Anyway, the rear hub nuts require 200 foot LBS of torque. I don't have a wrench that goes up that high, does anyone know if autozone or whoever has one?

Mine was tested at a GM garage, crestview caddy I think. But renting the unit seems more hands on, and more fun IMO. When you fill the radiator and it gets hot, does anything move into the overflow tank? What happens is the coolant gets hot and lifts the cap, then it expands into the overflow tank. If the coolant is getting hot and not moving out of the radiator to the expansion tank, the cap might be stuck shut, or something. Also it is probably dripping (pouring from what it sounds like) out.

Dumping FREON to the atmosphere is a bad idea (illegal). You need someone to "reclaim" the freon, then move the lines, then recharge the system. Any repair shop that will do AC has to have a reclaim unit, or they would be arrested and burned at the stake (maybe not), but they should have a reclaim unit.

That happened to me once in my pontiac 6000 (POS). I had a bad water pump so the engine was just boiling the water in the block off. They found it with this cool pump you hook on in place of the radiator cap and it pressurizes the system. There was coolant moving around when the engine wasn't running. It also found a leak in one of the hoses.

We have a power glide in the race car. Basically an auto that doesn't shift itself. Converter, gears etc... The converter will take response away, as it buffers the torque from the engine to the tranny. However, if you get a "race grade" converter (TCI) you won't be able to feel it. We launch and run 1.08 60 foot times and the driver gets out with a headache. My $0.02, about the cost of one share of WCOME.

I have put in loads of stereo systems, it is simple, do it yourself.

We run a set of Ron's Flying Toilets on the Altered. The thing to remember with Alcohol is that is carries more O2 than Gas and the "Octane" rating is about 130. You can put a huge volume of fuel into the motor and it will run. However, bearing that in mind, if you run the motor too rich you will have the fuel exploding in the exhaust system not the cylinders. What you should do is ask the manufacturer what a good base setup for your system would be. Then get an EGT meter setup. Run the motor and warm it up (use race gas to start the engine, alcohol doesn't start well). Rev the engine a few times and see where the temp peaks out. If you are running about 900 - 1000 degrees, take it on the track and get a peak at 1/8th mile. If you are over 1100 degrees you need to fatten up a bit. If you are way under on your peak you need to lean it out. Hope any of this helped.

The best stuff I have ever used (on an old VW) was called JB 80. I got it from some friends that work on earth moving equipment. You soak the nuts for a good long while with the stuff and let it work. I had one nut that just wouldn't come off with a big breaker etc..., it took 3 days of soaking with this stuff and finally it came off. Not to be a smart-ass, the thread isn't reversed to due to travel direction or something, is it?

Yup, HeliCoil is a good shortcut. We had to do it to torque the valve train back onto the heads in the race car.

The only other thing I would add is this. If you show up in any car, and you break in the middle of a run. Stop as fast as it is safe to, and pull toward the closest safety wall (right lane right side). Why do I mention this?? If you throw a rod, or break of the smallest of oil lines, you will oil the track. If you get mad at your car and rev the engine and keep driving, you will make the "oil down" even worse. I run a class and sanctioning body that requires diapers, but most don't. This is a "professional" courtesy to the other drivers, and the safety team. One puddle is easier to remove then a streak that goes all the way back to the pits. (Pet peeve of mine.)