Re: New Audi (90 Q) owner and many old problems

[Lawrence Renaud <express@nobelmed.com>]

At 10:06 20/05/96 EDT, you wrote:
>
>I've just bought a 88 90 Q. This is the first Audi in my life, very little
>experience with this car. The clock says 140k km (85k miles). There is
>several various problems with the car, but I even did not get any
>instruction manual with it. So, I kindly ask well informed members on the
>list to help me out with various dilemmas I have now.   

I also have an 88 90Q (5 cyl). I'll try and help with what I know. The
information is based on my car. The reason I say this is because your second
row, left, symbol is different from mine.


>First row: 
>left lamp comes ON, Battery     middle lamp is dead, don't know purpose.
>right lamp comes ON, engine symbol
>but don't know what it means

(a) alternator warning light, (b) Nothing, (c) Emission Control System and
diagnostic system indicator.

Light (c) will come on while the car is being driven if a fault ocurrs in
the fuel injection system or pollution control system or ignition system.
The fault will be identified by a code which is then stored in the
diagnostic system's memory. This allows you to check which component is faulty.

>Second row
>left lamp (comes ON, this symbol !, don't know meaning)     middle lamp is
>dead, I suspect that this one is for ABS               right lamp is dead,
>do not know the purpose

(a) brake failure warning lamp, (b) ABS Off light (should only come ON when
ABS is switched Off, (c) High Beam indicator.

Light (b) comes on when ignition is turned on. Goes OFF after engine is
started, the system check is completed and everything is functioning
correctly. If light stays ON possible malfunction in ABS system. The light
also comes ON when the differential lock is engaged.

>Third row
>left lamp is dead, don't know purpose      middle lamp comes ON, it is
>parking brake  
>right lamp is also OK, it is seat belt

(a) Nothing, (b) Park Brake indicator, (c) Seat belts indicator 

>All live lamps go OFF when I start the engine. Do I have problem with 4
>broken bulbs or it is something else?

There could be blown bulbs in second row middle (b), and second row right (c).

>Second question:
>The engine  makes the noise all the time. That is well known clicking noise,
>sometimes very  loud, like somebody is hitting my valve cover by a hammer,
>tack, tack, tack...
>
>Do I have a problem with lifters, vacuum pump, broken stud of the exhaust
>manifold or something else?

I think the knocking sound is from the brake vacuum unit that is attached to
the right hand side of the cylinder head. There is a rod in the unit that is
pushed by a lobe on the cam shaft (almost like how a valve is pushed by the
lobe on the cam). It could mean a weak spring (?) or the rod is worn. The
problem has occured in my car, but strangely enough it went away.

>Third question:
>
>It seems that my ABS does not work.

Check the possible blown bulb first, and then see what it indicates. It
might help point you towards the problem.

>Does a Bently manual for 90 Q exist at all? 

>From what I understand they're all gone! They're printing more though.

>Thank you for your patience.
>
>Vlajko Jokic - Push
>St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada
>
>A brave brand new owner of a 88 90Q with a lot of bugs.  
>
>The Push

Hope the info can help you.

Lawrence

Agincourt, Ontario.