I'm waving my white flag (long)

[Audi-Dude]

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First off to the list - my apologies for being so long.  I have been saving=
 up my Audi woes until it has now reached critical mass.  This email covers=
 several nags, so please bear with me.

First and probably most important:  I have been hobbling around all winter =
with a bad passenger side CV joint.  The darn things are just too hard to c=
atch in stock anywhere and when they do show up on the radar they are way t=
oo expensive.  I have used the excuse that it is too cold, too wet, etc. to=
 mess with it.  Well TIMES UP.

Last Thursday I was travelling down one of the most well maintained roads h=
ere in Southern Illinois when I heard something that sounded like something=
 had come loose and was flopping around in the front of the vehicle.  The f=
lopping noise turned into 'road noise'.  It reminded me of driving on the '=
experiMENTAL' highways across the southeast US.  Only thing is it was not t=
he baby's butt smooth road I was on - it was somehow coming from the car it=
self.  I pulled off the road and inspected the car visually but saw nothing=
 out of the ordinary.  Hopped back in and made it about a quarter mile when=
 the steering wheel started vibrating and pulling left really hard.  I deci=
ded to limp back home by taking some back roads.  The trip was quite hair r=
aising.  The steering wheel had a mind of its own.  If I did not keep a dea=
th grip on it, it would turn hard to the left and immediately recover.  I w=
as travelling along just fine at 30 MPH until I ran into high water and cou=
ld not make passage.  I was forced into putting the car in reverse and back=
ing into a driveway and turning around.  Amazingly the problem was REPAIRED=
 by putting the car in reverse.  I drove home on the highway (at very low s=
peed) without any symptoms.  The car is sitting waiting for new parts right=
 now.  I do not think my 'cure' will be long lasting.

My question for this problem goes like this:  has anyone experienced simila=
r?  was I right in assuming it to be ball joints?  I also noticed that the =
Pentosin was a little low.  could that be a culprit or should I consider a =
new rack?  I live in an area of the country that sees an Audi occasionally =
but none of the local junk yards have a donor car for me to strip.  I have =
so far ordered Pentosin juice, tie rods, ball joints, lower control arm bus=
hings, strut mounts, bump stops, and strut bearings/ dust covers as well as=
 the infamous drive axle.  Do I need to replace the strut inserts as well? =
 I am a bit put off by the $160 X 2 pricetag.  The car is a 1990 90 Non-Q. =
 I may be sinking too much into this titanic. If so - give a shout to me an=
d I will junk it with great disappointment.  All total - with the new fuel =
pump and regular  maintenance type work I am currently out over $1,100 in t=
he last 2 months alone.  I guess it beats a car payment, though.

Just when you thought I could ramble no more.......

The car idles high on startup - sometimes over 2K on cold mornings and then=
 does not want to start up when it finally gets warm.  Cold starting is no =
problem but shut it off after the temp guage gets above the first mark and =
it sputters and usually dies on restart. I usually just leave it running if=
 I am going to run into a store for a second or two to save the frustration=
 and embarrassment.  Sound like an ISV?

Since repairing the crankcase vent tube I have noticed strange odors inside=
 the car.  It smells like burning paper with a slight hint of oil burning a=
nd maybe a little coolant.  Can't be sure if all these odors are coming fro=
m the same place but I cannot smell any of them outside the car.  It can so=
metimes be very strong.  Is this a sign of impending doom?  I have learned =
not to take this car at face value.  It truly has a mind of its own and som=
etimes only hints at what is going to go wrong next.

The rest of my list is as follows: Water pump, timing belt, v belts, thermo=
stat, and misc parts like light bulbs that my local Napa does not carry plu=
s the parts mentioned above.  All these parts should be here for the weeken=
d coming up.    Anyone up to trade some garage time for a case of MGD?  Dro=
p me a note off list.  You will be responsible for your travel expenses.  L=
OL

Any insight with any of these problems would be MUCH appreciated.

Ben
1990 Audi 90 Non-Q Non turbo 5 cly AUTO

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