The Swiss water pump which wouldn't play ball, and the importance of getting your **** together (in other words being organised)

This blog is primarily a technical blog.  For the last two days, I have been doing a different type of tech.  Low-aircooled-tech :)   I am in the process of fitting a “new” engine into my VW camper.  This engine used to be a water pump in the Swiss Army.

For the past eight months (on my evenings and weekend, I have been teaching myself how to fix metal-work, refurbish parts, paint, dis-assembly, and now re-assembly.

Gordon, is the local VW expert, and very kindly came over to assist with engine fitting.  Things did not go to plan.  I was shown how to take heads off, replace valve springs, replace and re-shim a fly-wheel, and start to re-assemble the engine.

Time was “spent” buying gaskets, high-tensile-bolts, and push-rod-tubes.  We couldn’t get the bottom crank-shaft-pulley off.   But eventually (after heating the whole thing up), it budged.  Then time ran out……

I wished we had accomplished more.

**BUT **we have accomplished loads  :)  I am learning loads from someone who knows their stuff.

This morning I have been respraying the engine bay, and preparing for re-assembling the tin-ware.

My workshop worked well.  The tools were where they should be, and the dis-assembled spares were where I put them, correctly labelled.

When you have a team of two, you both have got to be organised, pull your weight, and get-on-with-it.

There is a lot of talk about team-dynamics, But the whole thing starts with** individuals** being organised, and getting their stuff together.