[200q20v] Fading Brakes when wet What are the Options

[Ameer Antar]

pumping brakes sounds like lines need bleeding or bad master cylinder. But 
the symptoms should occur wet or dry. I'd bleed the whole system, 
especially if the brake fluid hasn't been flushed in a while. If no 
difference have all the brakes checked according to the shop manual for 
disc runout, etc. If everything seems ok, m/c sounds likely. You should 
never have to pump the brakes wet or dry...

-ameer


At 10:25 PM 1/16/2001 , you wrote:
>My wife has been complaining about the 91 not having good brakes in the
>slushy weather lately that we have been having in the NE. We put new pads,
>nothing special, in last summer. She says that the first time she hits the
>brakes they don't grab and if she pumps them once then they are fine. She
>only has to pump when it is wet as they grab fine when dry. I know that the
>stock system, UFO, is known to be poor when wet.
>
>I don't want to do a brake upgrade (BIRA or ...) unless it is cost
>effective, I but would like to improve the braking for her. I don't think
>BIRA has found a rotor that works yet without changing the struts to an S4
>type. The rotors haven't been turned or replaced since I bought the car,
>99K, and it is at about 200K. What are the options? UFO replacements? Are
>these available slotted? Are there better pads? What is the optimum solution
>for getting improved braking when the roads are wet?
>
>TIA
>
>Grant Eckfeldt
>'87 5KCSTQ
>'91 200QW
>
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From:   quattro-admin at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-admin at audifans.com] On
>Behalf Of Beer, Jerald
>Sent:   Tuesday, January 16, 2001 11:36 AM
>To:     'steve.scalmanini at agilent.com'
>Cc:     Quattro List (E-mail)
>Subject:        FW: [200q20v] Re: 200q20v mileage
>
>Steve
>   93 octane only, although not always name brand gas. Tires are Conti
>225-55/16 on A4 rims (recently replaced with 16x8 UrS4 5 spoke courtesy of
>Charlie Smith). Tire pressure between 34 and 36. Tires are very round and
>reasonably soft- these are NOT high performance tires. Note my city mileage
>is fine- 16-18 hard driving,, 20-21 easy/little boost in mixed city/highway,
>so I would think O2 is still doing OK. Track mileage is 8-10.
>  Just seems that @ 3k rpm car is looking 6th gear. South Florida is pretty
>flat, but traffic is often heavy, especially on I-95. HTH
>Regards,
>Jerry
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: steve_scalmanini at agilent.com [mailto:steve_scalmanini at agilent.com]
>Sent: Tuesday, January 16, 2001 11:27 AM
>To: 200q20v at audifans.com
>Cc: jbeer at boosecasey.com; pjrose at frontiernet.net
>Subject: RE: [200q20v] Re: 200q20v mileage
>
>
>
>It's crucial what octane and tire pressure you were running.
>Numbers please?
>
>PS: If I can't get mid 20s MPG at highway speeds on 91 octane
>and 38 psi any longer, is O2 sensor probably dead?  ' anyone know
>how to test it?