Loose Cruise Linkage #2

[Dave Aukerman]

It's usually not the ball end that pops off.  The platice grommet gets
brittle and breaks, which allow the rod to drop and jam.  BTDT.  Not a
healthy feeling at all.  Mine happened while accelerating about half
throttle.

Dave

----- Original Message -----
From: "james accordino" <ssgacc at yahoo.com>
To: "Al Powell" <powellae at home.com>
Cc: "audi list" <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 31, 2000 7:55 AM
Subject: Re: Loose Cruise Linkage #2


>
> > Brett Dikeman said:
> >
> > Problem:  The bar that connects the vacuum plunger
> > of the Cruise
> > Control to the trottle body came off of the ball
> > joint and jammed itself
>
> --- Al Powell <powellae at home.com> wrote:
>
> > Interesting.  The linkage also fell off the cruise
> > in my 200 during a trip
> > and caused the throttle to hang open slightly - not
> > as drastic as Brett's
> > experience.  Perhaps this is something to cast the
> > odd look at now and
> > then??
>
> This seems very odd to me.  I'm NOT saying it didn't
> happen to you.  What I mean is I think Audi did a real
> good job to ensure the ball end won't fall off.  There
> is a locking spring wire in each ball end that acts as
> a safety wire.  This safety wire is wound so that the
> tab that retains it is "loaded" into the ball end.  It
> is literally impossible for this thing to fall off.  I
> wonder if in your cases they were either buggered
> (ripped off without removing the safety wires-common)
> or missing completely.  The ball ends will still stay
> on and function without them, but obviously then they
> are liable to fall off.  Same with a buggered one.  I
> once tried to remove a ball end with a known good
> safety wire, and it is ALMOST impossible to GET it
> off, let alone have it fall off.
>
> My $.02
> Jim Accordino
>
> p.s.-Many of Audis' "problems" are caused by "repairs"
>
>      made by others ignorant of their special
>      requirements.
>