[s-cars] Timing Belt - R&gs

[CyberPoet]

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> 1. Timing Belt - I did an inspection and found the belt was cracked
> from age.
> Time for a replacement. It looks like a nightmare project, but I
> haven't dug
> into it yet. Things look very tight up there.  How much trouble is
> this and
> what else should I replace if I go through the effort? Multi-rib belt?

Charlie answered the question about the right parts (Timing belt, water
pump, idler pulley --
personally, I'd throw a new thermostat in there at the same time as
well -- another $15 well
spent). As for whether to do it yourself or not, it depends heavily on
your personal level of
experience and whether you have a trustable audi-specialized non-dealer
mechanic in the area
and what he will charge you to do it. Personally, I think it's worth
about $400 not to have to do
it myself :)

> 2. Radio - Figure out why the radio makes that horrible sound in the
> right
> front speaker. Very loud tone burst as soon as the radio is turned on.
> My
> understanding is that the front speakers are driven by their own
> independent
> amps. Perhaps the right amp is smoked? Oddly this happens
> intermittently. When
> the tone burst is gone, there's a low rumbling noise coming from the
> same
> speaker. Left front and rear speakers seem to be fine. What's the right
> procedure to check where the damage is? Seems like it's either the
> head unit
> or the right front speaker.

Pull the speaker and the stereo, then check the wires for continuity to
the speaker. Sounds
like you may have a wire with bare insulation, most likely worn at the
door jamb where the
wire routes into the door.

> 3. Windshield Wiper Resevoir - It leaks. I removed it but can't find
> anything
> obvious. Might be the motor, but I can't figure out how to pull either
> one of
> the washer motors out of the resevoir. I thought I'd ask before I
> broke them.
> Wondering if the grommets are leaking.

Past experience indicates that the most likely place is at the very
bottom, where
the pump fits into the container, or at the hose junction to the pump
at that point.
Lift out the assembly, fill and look carefully.

Cheers!
=-= Marc Glasgow
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