[V8] Bringing it back

[Mike Arman]

Time to resurrect my V8Q.

It has been sitting for about four years. Fuel pump went out, replacement wasn't any better, by the 
time the third pump arrived (which is still in the box) and I had finished building a house and 
hangar and moving, the so-called gasoline in the tank had congealed to gooey sludge and it STANK!!!!

Ick.


Both ends of the car need attention - lets start at the back:

Gas tank - remove goo. I found a guy who has some cleaning process which can be performed without 
dropping the gas tank. His "flat rate" is $250 for any tank under 30 gallons - his full time job is 
with NASA and I guess he thinks everyone has a NASA (or GSA) budget. The advantage to this is it 
might be worth $250 instead of the parts and labor of dropping the exhaust, rear suspension and 
tank, spending $125 (estimate, can be more) to steam clean the tank, then putting it all back 
together - so the REAL cost of using his service is $125 or so - and I wouldn't do all the rest of 
that work for $125.

I was offered a replacement tank by another lister, we went back and forth a few e-mails but never 
decided on price or figured out shipping - anyone got a clean, good, inexpensive V8Q tank near 
Daytona? (Try not to laugh, guys.)


Replace fuel filter - it is just ahead of the right rear wheel. The inlet fitting is stripped and 
will require a Dremel session to remove, and this is in an absolutely inaccessible spot. If the car 
were upside-down it would be easier. The fuel like is OK, and I am hoping the filter cannister is 
the damaged part and the fitting on the fuel line is OK - we shall see. I think I'll attack that 
first - if the line is damaged, the tank will have to come out in any event because Audi, in their 
infinite wisdom, put a 10 cent line clamp on the body behind the gas tank - and you CANNOT get to it 
with the tank in place. Needless to say, that clamp *must* come out to R&R the fuel lines.


Now we go to the other end.

The car was running warm and getting progressively worse. I have a replacement radiator and 
thermostat on hand to install, which of course means R&R the front bumper - which fortunately is no 
big deal. I also have the expen$ive top hose from a group buy, as in "plan ahead" if the existing 
hose refuses to come off.

I did a timing belt service *just* before the fuel pump went out. The belts and all the rollers, 
springs, tensioner, little shock absorber and even the thumbnail sized $25 plastic wiper plate are 
all new. The car has done under TEN miles since the timing belt job - I am wondering if I should 
change the timing belt because it is "set" from sitting? I am inclined to do so, considering the 
front of the car will be apart anyway for the radiator, etc.

What other problems am I likely to encounter at the front end? Should I install a new fuel pressure 
regulator? Do the injectors need to come out and be cleaned? Luckily, I still have the data about 
the Ford injector O rings which are a perfect fit and .0005% of the cost of the official Audi O rings.

The rest of the car is really nice - excellent paint, body, seats, A4 mags with 16" tires, good 
headliner (!) and *everything* works even including the fussy little glove box light.

Any comments, advice, (sympathy), or should I just put it onto B.A.T and go buy myself a Boxster?

Best Regards,

Mike Arman
90V8Q frozen in Carbonite.