Just finished installing the new coolant hoses from BEE GEE. The fitment is perfect. What I like is the oil filter is now totally accessable, no hoses in the way. Clamps work great with the the silicone hose. That one hose, top water pump outlet to coolant neck on head, and small hose to cooler though is a booger to install, I don't care what kind of hose you are installing. Pressure tested. Held 15 lbs without leak down.
Did the gasket to the oil cooler to block. Of course I was sent the wrong gasket, so I used RTV with the old gasket. The old gasket was in GC, unsure why it leaked. No leaks now.
Front end is totally new now. Before I do the alignment, had to buy new nuts for my clamping bolt on strut, the bottom one. Too many impact tightens and the threads were stripped. I checked every NAPA, tractor supply, and hardware store in Richmond Petersburg, no one had 12-1.25 fine thread metric nuts, not even Fastenall. Finally found the nuts in Blackstone, VA NAPA. Was like looking for an obsolete part.
Checked it while up on jackstands, 5th gear, throttled up and down and there is no vibration, the tires roll smooth. PERFECT.
Drives great, other than my steering wheel is canted, the aligment will correct that. Local alignment shop couldn't do the VW, said they could not find the specs. A shop in Petersburg, where I normally get it aligned will have the specs. It will be perfect. Funny, the last time they aligned it, I took it back because it had vibration above 75 mph. Corrected it, and the alignment guy, winked, told me he checked it to 100. Imagine that... A Caddy going that fast. Oh it will.
12-22-2014. 8:30 AM. Done. Alignment went well. Drives great. I am on the road again.
WAYNE
1981 Caddy Giles powered 1.9TD AAZ
3:67 020 with 0.71 OD, short shift kit--195-55R-15
Cruise, AC, PS, PB, intermitten wipers, 100Watt headlamps, aluminum diamond plate locking toneau cover
Owned this one since 1992, Eight unworthy Caddys preceded it