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Craftsman tools and overconfidence.

Dear Digest,
	I have finally been drawn out of the back ground, after months of
listening, with a question of my own.  First some back ground: My name
is Matt West and I have a 1986 325es with 161,000 mi.  I helped my
mother choose this car used ten years ago after looking at over 120 of
the same model year.  The car was gifted to me 9 months ago after all
those years of coveting.  My hobby and passion is this car and I have
under taken all maintance myself working from books and neighborly
advice.  I first changed the head bolts to the new torx stlye, then I
did a valve adjustment, then I changed the timing belt/cap/rotor.  My
latest endeavor prompts me to write.
	It all started last Saturday when my new short shift kit arrived from
Metric Mechanic, it took me all of half a minute to decide how to spend
that first bonus check.  Anyway I eagerly jacked up the car for what I
anticipated would be an easy four hour job max.  Well first dyslexia
kicked in and I sheared off an exhaust stud, but never heading the omens
I persited.  Mid project I was reminded by my significant other that if
we didn't find a new apartment that we would be stuck for another month
in our current one.  Thus I was dragged from under the car only to
return Tuesday.  I was further dragging my heels on the project as I was
suffering an almost over whelming sense of trepidation about removing
the drive shaft, which seemed necessary in order to get the linkage. 
Suddenly I found courage and resolve, in flurry of rapidly clicking
ratchets I removed the drive shaft, cursed the #@$%& vibration damper,
declared that satan is a German engineer and the drive shaft assembly is
pure evil.  So I layed down my tools and let my fustration subside.  On
Thursday I decided to finish I installed the linkage and the drive shaft
only to find that I had no second or fourth gear after a couple of hours
pondering the mechanics of the linkage I realized I had missed the
retaining clip that holds the pin that connects the linkage to the
transmision, this was blocking the linkage from going forward.  I
dropped the drive shaft again and this time assembled the linkage
correctly.  Beautiful snick, snick, snick, ect... all of my gears are
there and it feels wonderful.  I then crawl back under the car to hook
back up the drive shaft aaaaarrrrrrggghhhhh!!!!!!  In all of my labor I
have rubbed off the pencil mark indicating the correct position to
install the drive shaft, I now have a 33% chance of getting it right.  I
bolt it back in and torque it down to spec and then make mistake #2 I
over torque the center bearing bracket.  The rain then comes down and I
am thwarted until Saturday, that's right one full week latter I finish
putting the exhaust back on turn over that glorious engine and snick
into reverse.  I pull out slowly thinking I take a quick 70 mile jaunt
out into the countryside, out around lake Joy and lake Margarret
stopping only to eat a sandwich,  and watch the sunset as the beavers
drag branches to their dam.
	No way! As I shift into second this metal sqeal becomes more audibal
and I can feel it resonating up through the linkage into the palm of my
hand.  I put in the clutch let the revs fall and then race the engine,
no change.  I flip a u-turn and head staight back to the drive way as
slow as possible.  Gary, my girl friends father, who has provided me the
work space and a loner car for the last week shakes his head saddly and
says "Matt I think you had better pop the hood" as he picks up the fire
extinguisher off the work bench and walks toward me and the car.  I turn
around to see blackish grey smoke curling out from the grill, my stomach
twists, the tears well in my eyes, and I want collapse to my knees tear
at my hair and scream why to the heavens.  But no, I know why, I played
mechanic and lost.
	It seems to me that the drive shaft has not been returned to its
previous position and is out of balance, I know the center bearing
bracket is torqued too tightly.  It would appear that the smoke came
from the flex disk / guibo, I am afraid this may be damaged.  What I am
soliciting is advice on the cheapest solution.  Can the drive shaft be
rebalanced?  Is it cheaper to to have it just reinstalled?  What is this
going to cost me?  Can anybody recomend a good mechanic in the Bellevue,
WA area?  I am already way over budget on this project, but don't have
the heart or the confidence to crawl back under the car and try to right
my wrongs.  Please help.
	Thank you for reading, I look forward to hearing some opinions.
Sincerely,
Matt West

[email protected]
325es	Tromented by well meaning owner.