Brake/Steering & Radio Antenna

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

> From: Myke456@aol.com Said:
> 
> Any suggestions on the following:
> Just replaced steer rack, 87 5k TQ, work done by reliable backyard
> mech/friend. Finished job as he left to go away for 10 days. Problem-brake
> warning light flashes a few seconds then stops while driving, seems about
> 15-30 seconds after using brakes. I'm confident he'll know what to do when he
> returns, but I thought I'd see if anyone who's done the job has had a similar
> experience, so we could give him some direction in case he doesn't know where
> to start. The pedal seems just a little low, but I haven't driven the car in
> about 3 months. Pads and brake fluid are good, all operating fine before
> replacement. Do the brake and steering systems share any components?

Mike, yes.  There's the famous "grenade", a hydraulic accumulator 
located in front of your LF tire.  It stores hydraulic-source power 
and assists both brakes and steering.  It is a failure point on both 
Audis and BMWs, as it's on both.  What you're describing MAY be a 
failing check-valve in the accumulator, or it may not.  Might just be 
low fluid in the large hydraulic reservoir.but DO NOT use brake 
fluid!!   This takes a special fluid, Pentosin.  Here's one check (as 
described to me by Audi folks in Austin, TX:

1)  Drive @20 MPH in an area away from traffic.  If possible, put one 
side on gravel, the other on pavement.
2)  Dynamite the brakes and come to a full stop.  This is intended to 
energetically engage the anti-lock brakes.  (I think your 87 has 
them??  If not, NEVER MIND THIS WHOLE IDEA)
3)  If the brake warning light comes on, it indicates your check 
valve is not doing its job and the sudden demand on the system 
combined with loss of engine speed is allowing the accumulator to 
dump its stored-up assist.

Or at least this is how I understand it.  Anyone have a more accurate 
description, or have I actually figured this out right???
***** 
The estimable Bob D'Amato quoth:

> If they do it like they used to do it, (aka my 20V) they have the wire in 
> the front windscreen, and use part of the rear defogger array for am. It 
> actually works remarkably well. I get stations in New Haven (CT) with 
> this car that I couldnt with my 4000. Im sure electronics have a lot to 
> do with that as well. The stereo that came with the 4000 was this 
> ***AWFUL*** blaupunkt. Im sure a better head unit would have helped.

Bob, you are luckier than I.  I CANNOT figure out for the life of me 
why Audi adopted that (IMHO) STOOPID in-the-windshield antenna idea 
after GM tried it during the 70's and found out it sucked.  Our 200T 
with that antenna has the worst AM reception, bar none, of any 
vehicle I have ever driven.  Honest to god, I go places EVERY DAY 
where I can pick up AM stations better on a **$50 hand-held 
Walkperson** than on my multi-superdollar-high-zoot Audi with Bose 
stereo!!  It really pi**es me off!!!  And I'm talking about using the 
hand-held radio INSIDE THE D**M CAR!!!!! This is the ONLY setup I 
have observed in 20+ years of working in radio and TV in which I get 
FM stations interfering on AM!!  Wow.  I'm really impressed!!

Stupid, stupid, stupid.  I really miss the antenna I had on my 5KT.  I 
am going to have a local stereo shop deface my beautiful pearl-white 
fender and install a REAL motorized antenna so I have have some 
function besides a tape player that says Bose on it.  (Yeah, the FM 
reception is better than AM - it's passable - but the signal range 
still SUCKS!!)





********** A Washington State Cougar in Aggieland (aTm) **********

Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
Ag Communications                   Fax:    409/862-1202
Texas A&M University                Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
W3 page - http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/rpe/alpage.htm

              "You are partly 100 percent right." 
                  (Sam Goldwyn, movie mogul)
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