1990 Coupe Quattro 20V problems -- me too! (warning! multi problem whining)

[Ian Robertson <iroberts@rim.net>]

Hi Quattro fans! 
Boy do I have alot of questions stored up for you. It seems that just
about every 
problem that the coupe owners are seeing, I am too. Arrggh! Time to
spend a 
weekend or 4 on the car - not a bad thing really, but I'd rather be
driving it! <grin!>

> > > I've deduced that the bomb is probably shot.  The brake light
> blinks
> > > after stabbing the pedal, but I only start to loose boost after
> > > everything heats up.  When car is cold and ignition off, I can
> pump the
> > > brake pedal 20 times before I start to loose boost. A Robert
> Russell had
> > > the same dragging problem a while back but I can't locate the
> message in
> > > the archives and lost his address in an e-mail crash.
> 
> I'm seeing the brake warning light blink when I stab the brakes too,
> but haven't 
> a clue where to start looking for a solution to this one. I've also
> noticed that sometimes
> the brakes don't seem to have the stopping power that they do at
> others. It seems to me
> that it occurs when the car is warmed up as well...... hmmm...
> 
> Also, I've noticed that the car is having trouble reving from low RPM
> up. It sounds a bit rough
> on hard acceleration. Above 3500 - 4000 rpm, no problems. Fuel feed
> problems? I'm going to 
> replace the cap, rotor and wires this weekend, even though they look
> okay....(I've not 
> changed them since I bought the car in november and have no idea when
> the last time they were 
> done). The idle is also somewhat rough as Peter mentioned.
> 
> >My 1990 Coupe Quattro is going through a habit of stalling and
> >irregular idling.  While driving, and then for instance, taking
> >the car out of gear to stop, the rpms will drop to 500 or below, 
> >causing the motor to buck, sometimes stall, sometimes return to 900.
> > 
> >
> >This problem seems to be accentuated by hot, humid weather.
> >
> 
> The problem definitely gets much worse in hot humid weather. (like we
> had here on the weekend).
> At 32 celcius with humidity, the car was running like an old lawnmower
> when at low rpms... :-(
> 
> Wheh! ready for more? The speedo cuts out sometimes, taking with it
> the cruise control. 
> If I turn off the cruise and reset the trip odometer, about 75% of the
> time it comes right back...
> Bad trace on the board behind the guages?!
> 
> Here's another one; some jerk tried to break into the car and somehow
> damaged the lock mechanism 
> on the drivers door. The car alarm still locks and unlocks it, but the
> key just turns free. I think that
> some connecting rod was kicked off the lock cylinder, but I'm not sure
> of how to get inside the door
> - there's only two screws that I can see and I don't want to snap any
> clips off!
> 
> I also need new summer tires soon. I've been really happy with the
> Yokohama A509's that are on
> it right now, but am considering changing over to either Pirelli
> P6000's or Yoko AVS S4v's.
> Has anyone out there in Q-land had any experience (good or bad) with
> these tires? Any recomendations?
> I've got blizzaks for the winter (great tires but I hear that yokohama
> has a better set out now - sticky on ice
> down to the cords!)
> 
> Bentley? Chilton? What's the best book to get on a 1990 Coupe Q 20V?
> What are those informational 
> CD-ROMs like? I have _nothing_ in terms of info on the car (heck the
> owners manual is even gone) and
> need to get some documentation soon. What do you guys use?
> 
> I _love_ my coupe dearly, and it is a blast to drive..it just needs a
> little TLC right now.
> 
> 
> Thanks so much for your help!
> Ian Robertson (iroberts@rim.net)
> 1990 Coupe Q  20V Pearl / Navy
> (despite the quirks it's in great shape! honest!)
>