[DeTomaso] Fwd: Today... in Asa Jay's Garage

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/2/08 9:19:24 PM, asajay at asajay.com writes:

> I've been advised by others that if nothing is loose, don't bother wiring 
> it[ring gear bolts]   but don't put a wrench to them to see.  I know from 
> experience with ring gears that the bolt heads are serrated and should stay in 
> place just fine.  I imagine this ZF has not been services before, but I could 
> be wrong (I'd have to check the receipt history).  If it's gone this long 
> without losing a ring gear bolt, I think I'm probably okay.
> 
> I'd like some opinions on that.
> 
Those never-touched transaxles are exactly the ones that loosen, then break 
bolts when the slightest bit of extra stress is put into a lightly used car. So 
if you feel lucky with your $5000+ assembly..... deferred maintenence is 
sometimes expensive!   All the vendors sell U.S made grade 5 bolts already 
drilled, with enough ss safety wire to retain the bolts wired in pairs. You'll need a 
crow-foot socket from Sears that fits the bolts you use, and a torque wrench 
to fit the socket. 

The red plastic clutch hydraulic hose hose is extremely strong and aside from 
getting a little more inflexible each year, its probably fine if its not 
dripping. Or if you want, the junction block under the car where this hose screws 
in is tapped a metric thread that interchanges perfectly with a std dash-4 AN 
fitting. I added an o-ring to the interface where the fitting & junction block 
screw together. For a std slave cylinder, you can also use an SAE dash-4 
fitting, but yours sounds like an aftermarket unit- perhaps a long-throw, which is 
best. Not sure what thread that may have; AN fittings come in a wide variety 
of threads so check what you have before ordering. 

The e-brake cables can be lubed by taping a sheet of paper into a funnel on 
one end and a baggie on the other, then pouring motor oil into the funnel and 
waiting a day or so for oil to appear on the other end. This also works on 
throttle cables.   
Good luck- J Deryke




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