Bad News - Skip This To Avoid Angst

[mcfractal]

My VW Fox died just going off the ferry dock in Whidby Island yesterday. I just got onto the highway passing the toll gates when I upshifted and *CLANG* the clutch petal flopped uselessly, no longer connected. I pulled over and looked. The driver side axle was flopping, inboard CV joint dangling with the race out and the ball bearings half

Comments

[mcfractal]

Thanks for the offer Twigmousie. I hate to lose the foxie, but it's really far away and on the other side of a ferry where, and you can't tow cars onto them.

The fox has other problems too, the windshield is cracked badly, the frame is bent so badly that I can't install a passenger side shoulder belt, the rear tail-light needs a new socket and plug due to massive corrosion. The headlights have been going out until I hit the top of the dash hard.

Because the axle came off the same time as the clutch going out, I think the tranny is dead. When I got the oil in the tranny changed 7000 miles ago, they said that the tranny leaked oil, so it probably leaked faster with new oil and ran dry and exploaded.

So, even if I could get to it, it would be more in parts alone then the car is worth, and I don't have the three Ts to fix something like an axle. Time, Tools, or Talent. Not even one of the three. I might have an allen wrench, but I don't know what kind of torque those bolts need, I imagine a lot considering the rotational force they have to put up with.
Seems like an air-tool thing to me.

Aero, the clutch cable is easy? I couldn't even find it. Then again, it was at the side of the road.

My father loaned me money, I'll be giving him payments now on a 1998 Ford Escort LX with 68,000 miles.

[patch_bunny]

Whew! Sorry to hear about your car, but I'm glad you managed to get ahold of a new one.

[aerofox]

Well, considering the situation, I would say your doing the right thing.

Right now, I have 2 VW foxes neither of which are in running order. The red one
I bought brand new in 89 and its been sitting with a busted radiator for the
past 4 years. The blue one was given to me by tibortiger which was
a good usable car at the time. It gave me good service for 3 years, but is now
in a similar condition to yours (windshield is busted badly, leaks everytime
it rains, engine has no oil pressure when below freezing and now has a bad
alternator and battery) I don't want to put any more money into it.

I don't know whether to try to fix up my red one using parts from the blue one
or just haul them both to the dump?