Live & Learn - 84 5kS

[Michael Spiers <mikes@specnet.com>]

Thought I'd share something I learned last night to prevent anyone else from
going through the fiasco I am.  In October of '94, I bought myself a '87 5kTQ,
and planned on giving the '84 5kS I was driving to my girlfriend.  So I went
about fixing all of the problems on it.  I replaced EVERY hydraulic hose in the
thing, as well as the rack & pinion and the hydraulic pump.  Problem was, I
didn't have a Bentley, and the Haynes was very vague on this whole proceedure.
 Anyhow, when I put the rack back in the car (with hoses attatched) I screwed
up the return hose without realizing it.  The return hose is supposed to come
out of the rack and bend right as you are looking in from the headlights.  I
had it going left, which I didn't think was any big deal at the time.  Well, it
was.  Going left, it rubbed against the firewall, eventually putting a hole in
the hose.  Now, if you look at the car funny it leaks fluid, start it up and
the stuff puddles under the car.  Anyway, the only way to get to the bolt that
holds the hose to the rack is to remove the rack from the car again.  This is
NOT a fun proceedure, let me tell you how much I'm looking forward to doing it.
 Moral of the story is, Audi has a reason for doing things the way they did.  I
just keep learning this the hard way...

-Mike
87 5000CS TQ