Monday night my friend Greg offered to help me do the brakes and valve cover gasket on the Jetta. This was the first time I had done anything more daring than change the oil (and I hadn't done myself in years). The first wheel we didn't have a c-clamp for, so we tried to bleed some pressure via the bleed screw and squeeze the cylinder back in with a pair of big channel lock pliers. That didn't work--the fluid came out but the cylinder didn't budge. So we went to home depot and bought a big c-clamp. That worked like a charm.
Greg removing the air intake junk to get at the valve cover.
Valve cover off!
Stay tuned! I'm doing the rear brakes next week!
Greg did the first wheel, so I could watch, and then I did the second one (with a few ninja kicks on the socket wrench from Greg to loosen stuck bolts). While I was doing the second one, since it was getting late, Greg did the valve cover gasket himself. So far, so good--the brakes feel great and I don't smell any burning oil after driving for a couple of days! Thanks Greg!!!
The first wheel:
Greg removing the air intake junk to get at the valve cover.
Valve cover off!
Stay tuned! I'm doing the rear brakes next week!
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