[V6-12v] Project Audi is on the Road ...

[Tom Christiansen]

Clive,

>well Finally got the car on the road . I can actually feel like one of the 
>guys now ! kinda strange being on the list so long and never actually 
>driven the car.

Cool!!! Congrats!

>In top gear at about 120km /hr I was turning 3000 rpm
>operating temp was just below 90 degrees ( about a needle thickness ) . At 
>Cruising speed  the oil pressure guage at 5 bar the alternator at 14volts. 
>I noticed when the gas guage gets into the red it dropped frighteningly 
>fast . When I had the last red tick I put 63.5 litres in and it took me 
>about one needle thickness above full.

I don't have the oil pressure gauge or voltmeters in mine, but the battery 
voltage should normally be around 14-16V when the alternator is charging. 
Fully charged voltage on a lead-acid battery is 13.8V.

Mine revs at exactly 3000 RPM when doing 70 MPH. It idles at 800 RPM when 
warm (well, the tachometer shows 800, DOL measured 730-750 at the last 
emissions check).

I forget the exact fuel tank capacity, but it sounds you ran it pretty 
close to dry. The most I've ever filled into mine is 15.9 gal (60 l). The 
gauge on mine usually goes to full when I fill the tank, although, if I 
push it I can make it show a bit above full. I get about 300 miles of city 
driving until the gauge gets into the red, and about 400 miles of freeway 
driving.

In "cold" weather (50 deg F or less), my temp gauge sits right at 87 deg 
(one needle width below the first fat mark - which is 90 deg C). If you 
watch the thermometer, it's fairly obvious when the thermostat opens the 
first time as the gauge drops a bit. In warmer weather, the temp creeps up 
above 90 during city driving. In stop & go traffic it stabilizes around a 
straight up vertical position.

>The car corners extremely well but is very harsh when I hit a pot hole .. 
>or maybe a popsicle stick . Especailly the rear.

If you want a couch with wheels, buy a Buick. You bought an Audi... So you 
get a stiffer suspension, which allows you to corner and handle well, but 
isn't as smooth. You can't really have both...

>  Noticed the clock in the speedo wasn't lit up at night . is it suppose to ?

Yes. To fix it: Take the instrument cluster out and replace one of the 
backlight bulbs.

>Also noticed the external temp guage  giving false high readings after the 
>car has sat for a while after running. ( taking false readings from heat 
>of engine ) . After 10 minutes of driving ,things got back to normal.Not 
>sure if this is normal either.

It's normal. The temp sensor sits right in front of the radiator. I find 
the thermometer to be within a degree or two (F) of my household outdoor 
thermometer.

>Noticed a squeek in the steering when I turned that was really annoying . 
>I tried greasing from thre inside to no avail.

You just need to drive the car. It'll go away. I had a squeaking steering 
wheel after a 3-week vacation abroad. It went away after a few days.

Tom