Noises revisited, tripping...

[Dave Head <dhead@sundial.net>]

Just got back from my whirlwind 2600 mile trip to AR and back. Got to meet
Eric F. in St. Louis - darned good thing, too. Used 1 quart of oil, picked
up my replacement interior. Lowest MPG for trip - 23 (coulda been the the 95
mph low end on the last leg...) Highest - 26.5 (70 mph with AC on in 92+
weather - Memphis to Chattanooga) .
We found my strange front end noise when removing the subframe to install
Eric's bushings and a new pair of control arms. The subframe was cracked in
3 places!
We're not talking small little fatigue crackes - the shortest was 2.5" long.
Now I know why the front end felt loose...  That 70 mph median strip foray
last year didn't unscathe the Audi after all...   We TIG welded it up and
reinstalled it. With delrin bushings, new tie rod ends, control arms - it
was transformed! (also significantly misaligned, but in comparo a 200%
improvement.

Sorry I missed the PP contingent - I left SL at 6:15 pm and drove into
Fayetteville AR at 10:00 pm...


********************************AUDI FAN***********************************
                                   EMCM(SW) Dave Head  
87 5KCStq 194K miles                1.7 bar 
    qcusa #3442                 Maitland, Florida   
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