Re: Toss the Bomb!!

[chan@seattleu.edu (Anthony K.B. Chan)]

I had a bad accumulator replaced 3 years ago. My experience was
after you shut off the engine and turn the key all the way over
to the right without starting the engine and after about anywhere
from 2 to 6 mins the red triangle brake warning light would come
on and acompany by 3 beeps ( I kind discover it by accident :) ). 

After the accumulator was replaced the warning light never appeared 
again. I wouldn't call it a test procedure but it's kind of a tell
tale sign of a bad accumulator. 

One more observation is the steering also feel different i.e. 1)
you can feel alot more bump steer 2) it rattle and clunk a little 
bit 3) there is slack in steering. The steering feel returned to
normal after the accumulator was replaced.

Sometime I kind of wish earlier Audi had vacumn assisted brake but 
then again last time when my fuel pump failed on the freeway I 
probably wouldn't have been able to stop it before hitting something if
it wasn't for the hydraulic bomb! :) 

Anthony Chan
Adminstrative System 
Information Services
Seattle University

Internet: chan@seattleu.edu
Phone: (206) 296-5553
Fax: (206) 296-5561

> From quattro-owner@coimbra.ans.net Thu Aug 31 20:49:39 1995
> Return-Path: <quattro-owner@coimbra.ans.net>
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> From: "Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>
> Organization:  TAMU Agricultural Communications
> To: Quattro@coimbra.ans.net
> Date:          Thu, 31 Aug 1995 21:32:52 CDT
> Subject:       Toss the Bomb!!
> Reply-To: a-powell1@tamu.edu
> Priority: normal
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> 
> Thanks to many of you for returning helpful posts related to my brake 
> warning light and "newly-replaced-with-used-parts-bomb".  based 
> on the comments and re-reading the manual, I decided that the 
> best test was the "how many times can you press the pedal before 
> losing assist" test.
> 
> However, when changing the old one, I found that I really couldn't 
> tell when I had pumped the pedal enough times for the assist to 
> disappear.  Faced with this dilemma (insensitive foot...) I devised 
> my own test - let's see what you folks think of it.
> 
> When the previous unit went bad, I felt it immediately when the car 
> was in motion and pressure had not built up.  Theerefore, I reasonsed 
> that I should be able to tell quickly if I had no assist, provided 
> the car was moving.
> 
> In our fairly flat town, I found a "hill".  I approached the down-
> slope at about 5 to 10 mph with the engine running, shifted into 
> neutral, then turned off the ignition.  As the car drifted slowly 
> down the hill, I applied the brakes, feeling for lack of assist.
> 
> Result: after the fifth pump, there was little or no assist, and it 
> vwas very easy to feel.  This is far fewer pumps than the book calls 
> for.  My judgement is that the new/used Pressure Accumulator/bomb 
> must be bad.  Q.E.D.
> 
> Does the jury render the same verdict??  Or do you see a flaw in my 
> test??  I plan to call Shokan (the source) tomorrow and tell them I 
> need a replacement...........
> 
> Thanks for your great support!********** A Washington State Cougar in Aggieland (aTm) **********
> 
> Al Powell                           Voice:  409/845-2807
> Ag Communications                   Fax:    409/862-1202
> 107 Reed McDonald Bldg.             Email:  a-powell1@tamu.edu 
> College Station, TX  77843-2112
> W3 page - http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/rpe/alpage.htm
> 
> "There are two kinds of truth.  There are real truths and made-up 
>                     truths."   (Marion Berry)
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>