Audi, heal thyself

[Mike Arman]

Now tell me my car doesn't love me . . .

Coupla days ago, I would have sworn the master cylinder had just died on my
86 5KS. Hal (the autocheck) started beeping merrily away, the brake pedal
was squishy and traveled further than it should, and would even bottom with
steady pressure - classic partial brake master cylinder failure syndrome.
Checked all belts and fluids, nothing missing or leaking more than usual,
yup, definitely the master cylinder. Phooey.

Took a ride over the the local auto parts store, advised them that the
lifetime guaranteed master cylinder I had bought from them back in 1996 had
died, here's my receipt, gimme another one, please, and they did. Plan was
to put it in tomorrow, and quite frankly, I was not looking forward to it,
and then having to bleed the brakes by myself.

This morning, everything was fine! Hal was happy and quiet, the brake pedal
was properly firm, no squish (and not the "dead-bomb" clunk either), the
car evidently healed itself!

Only thing I can think of was a speck of crud under the check valve in the
bomb or somewhere in the master cylinder, and it finally moved . . . the
brakes are as good as they have EVER been.

Now I'm not complaining, but does anyone have any suggestions as to what's
going on here?


Best Regards,

Mike Arman