tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-366500662011-12-21T18:31:59.936-05:00Random stuff that I've learned that someone might find useful. <br><br>See also <a href="http://www.markdionne.com">http://www.markdionne.com</a>Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.comBlogger131100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-88088427619310594832011-10-02T11:39:00.000-04:002011-10-02T11:39:04.232-04:00

On my 2000 Volkswagen GTI VR6 the engine light was coming on and when diagnosing it with VAG-COM I saw code 16804 - Catalyst System; Bank 1: Efficiency Below Threshold. The Cat and O2 sensors were replaced 5 months ago. It turned out the problem was an exhaust leak at the rear of the Catalytic

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-5447767420275725162011-02-27T12:07:00.003-05:002011-02-27T12:35:38.929-05:00

Last year the cable broke inside my Shimano Ultegra 10-speed rear shifter. The cable was just 6 months old with less than 3000 miles. I rode home and found that I could not remove the nipple end fragment of cable. I could shift back about 5 gears by creating some torque on the shifter drum with the sharp end of a small screwdriver, but I could not get all the way to the "small cog" end of the

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-20465077180810344132007-12-22T18:16:00.000-05:002007-12-22T18:28:21.266-05:00

I am trying to find the source of the following pre-Revolutionary petition from Fairfield, Connecticut. If you have found this page by Search Engine, please contact me at mark at markdionne dot com. (I am interested in the name Coffman that appears in the list of signers.)New Fairfield PetitionDated 24 Dec. 1747 - Signed 23 April 1748We the subscribers, inhabitants of New Fairfield and

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-33498989477747622502007-07-10T22:50:00.001-04:002007-07-10T22:57:53.694-04:00

I'm cleaning out the basement of my parents' house, which is soon to be sold. Above is a picture of one of the things I found. It's a roll of asbestos paper, about 50 feet long.Our town's recycling center accepts hazardous waste, but they won't take asbestos because they don't want people doing do-it-yourself asbestos cleanup. They directed me to a commercial outfit that charges something like

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-85881100879012755362007-07-08T16:30:00.000-04:002007-07-08T16:33:50.923-04:00

I just found this box in my parents' basement.My 7th grade science teacher let me order some chemicals from a scientific supply house. He said everything was OK as long as I didn't order sodium nitrate, since that could be used to make gunpowder. Here's what I got:nitric acidsulfuric acidpotassium chloratemagnesium ribbonsodium peroxideI had a lot of fun with that stuff!

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-33147169474168192182007-06-28T18:08:00.000-04:002007-09-25T10:42:53.845-04:00

For this project, I translated this passage into Old English, Middle English imitating Chaucer one in a Shakespearian spirit and one in a moron’s spirit. -- Sam Dionne Several days ago, my beloved wife of 15 years left me due to her cheating ways and I’ll tell you straightforwardly, I can not believe it. We met while on a hike. We talked for a while about the chilly weather and then hiked

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-18708735035101726402007-01-01T15:02:00.000-05:002007-01-01T15:03:30.512-05:00

About ten years back, the bike catalogs like Performance were selling gadgets that you placed over your ears to cut down on the wind noise while riding your bike. They didn't stay in the catalogs for long.Recently I was thinking about them, after becoming aware of the wind noise in my ears. Then I tried a few experiments:-If you turn your head 90 degrees to one side, the noise goes way down. This

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-1163004846477561392006-11-08T11:39:00.000-05:002006-11-08T11:54:06.486-05:00

For the last year or so I have noticed a clicking sound coming from the area of the instrument panel (behind the speedometer). The clicks were pretty random, but averaged about one per second, and sounded like a relay--a bit like the click that you get when using the turn signal, but not as loud. Oh, this is a 2000 VW GTI/VR6 (Golf). I tried to locate this noise, but there's no obvious easy way

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-1161884439403526172006-10-26T13:39:00.000-04:002006-10-26T13:40:39.406-04:00

My Kenmore Elite gas dryer was occasionally stopping in mid cycle, especially when using the hot setting. I found that the thermal cutout was being triggered. (You can check this by putting a volt meter across the terminals of the cutout switch. If it reads anything other than zero volts, the cutout has opened up, indicating overheating.) I replaced the cutout switch which did NOT fix the problem

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-1161884177305905112006-10-26T13:34:00.000-04:002006-10-26T13:36:17.306-04:00

After about a year, my 2000 GTI VR6 started knocking between 2700-3000 RPM when accelerating moderately hard. (Using premium gas.) It was under warranty, the dealer replaced the coil, and the problem went away.Some months later, it happened again. I found that cleaning the ignition wires with alcohol made the problem go away. After a couple of rounds of this, I bought some "Blue Injector"

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-1161883968943782532006-10-26T13:30:00.000-04:002007-01-04T13:57:19.842-05:00

It it very easy to leave the heated mirror on when it is not needed, and then it will eventually burn out.I added an LED indicator that will light when the mirror heater is ON. Here are a few notes.I put the LED in a hole near the bottom of the small speaker that is just inboard of the driver mirror.The whole door panel has to come off (section 70-13 in my book). You do NOT have to disassemble

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-1161883736951946022006-10-26T13:28:00.000-04:002006-10-26T13:29:18.473-04:00

Here is how I replaced the coolant temperature sender on my 2000 VW GTI VR6. I wrote this up because I could not find anything about it on the web. Then I found Arthur's useful post here, but since I have some additional info, I thought I'd post it, even though it repeats much of what Arthur says.I was getting this DTC on VAGCOM:17704 - Error in Mapped Cooling System (usually temp sensor or

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36650066.post-1161883450470222032006-10-26T13:23:00.000-04:002006-10-26T13:24:10.470-04:00

This is a test to see if Google can find this. Search for Mark Stephen Dionne.

Markhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07588293379943801624noreply@blogger.com3