ABS question (was: What do I look for, 5kCSq?)

[Ken Keith]

DeWitt Harrison <de at aztek-eng.com> wrote:
>
> The first thing to be on the lookout for is your wallet screaming
> "Oh please, God! No!"

hehe  
 
> If you want to enjoy the Audi experience but don't want to make
> a labor-of-love, project car kind of commitment, look for something
> more current like a nice, low mileage used A4. It will be cheaper in
> the long run. 

I haven't yet replaced all the parts on my '88 5kcstq, but it seems 
improbable that I will put more than $20k into it.  Then again, if I 
was paying retail for parts, and paying for all labor, it would be 
much more expensive.

Thinking about it further, it seems most parts are around $200 
(rack, bomb, fuel pump, etc.), so that means replacing 100 things.  
Over time, that's maybe more likely that I care to accept.  How's 
about 5 things a year to be generous, that should give me 20 
years, as far as parts cost.  Real scientific, I know.  You've got to 
exclude the upgrading/tuning cost, that would be done on a A4 as 
well as a 5k, in my case anyway.

Now for my question.  I have noticed since buying my 5kcstq, that 
sometimes when I come to a stop, I will feel pedal pulsation, and 
hear a type of clicking or tapping noise.  I have thought it was the 
hydraulic pump (I have a new bomb), trying to catch up with the 
pressure.

More recently however, it has occured to me that the symptom 
may be the ABS malfunctioning.  My ABS doesn't apparently work, 
and my ABS light doesn't come on with the key on, engine off.  I 
think the bulb is removed or blown (any advice here on 
replacement?).

When I replaced my battery (Thanks to Checker and their 
computerized record system, I paid $26 towards the pro-ration left 
on my old Coupe GT battery from '98, good deal.  The battery that 
was in my 5kcstq was a smaller battery of the same basic design, 
probably a VW unit.  The new one is an Exide 84 month.) the other 
day, I saw the ABS control unit.  Not knowing what else to 
troubleshoot, I disconnected and reconnected the harness plug 
from it to try to make a better connection.

I wasn't sure what else to check.  I looked at the Bentley, and it 
suggests thing like checking the grounds on the actuator thing 
under the hood, and the relay and fuse and such.  I couldn't tell 
where the wires were going to or coming from on the underhood 
thing, I just gave it a cursory inspection.  Changing the battery, oil 
& filter, and tightening the alternator belt were enough for that day's 
work.

My question is, is the pedal pulsation and clicking noise the ABS 
trying to work, or is it more likely to be some kind of pump noise?

I have had to top off the Pentosin once, and I see some seepage 
on my (marked "rebuilt") pump, at one of the big phillips head 
plugs.  The pump on my turbo donor car for my 4kstq project has a 
clean pump and rack, which will go on my '88 (and the dash, yikes).

Shall I assume the pedal thing is related to the non-functioning 
ABS, or do I have two "problem's"?  (I don't know if the pedal thing 
is a problem, but I'm sure it's not intended to do that.)

Thanks for any input.

Ken