Tis the season to be fixin' Audis (was: Stranded Coupe)

[ti@bazooka.amb.org (Ti Kan)]

Jacob writes:
> My 2.3 liter coupe is stranded 110 miles from my home with what I think is
> a fuel deliver problem.   Let me quickly  summarize the circumsntances of
> the Coupe's demise  Eight days ago, driving down I5 at about 75mph in
> northern California, the engine stumbles and lurches like it is running out
> of gas.
> ...

I guess this is the season for sudden fuel pump death syndrome (amongst
other things)...

A few weeks ago I was driving my 4000 on the highway and all of a sudden
the engine started running rough and gradually lost power.  I was unable to
rev it up or maintain speed, so I pulled over to the shoulder and played
with the throttle a bit.  I thought it was perhaps just a bad tank of gas
or something.  No dice.  It was able to idle as long as I don't press
on the accelerator.  It was at night and dark, and a cursory examination
of the engine compartment didn't reveal anything (nothing came loose, etc),
so I called and had the car towed home.  Once home, the car won't even start.
Some testing revealed a dead fuel pump.  Actually, I was kind of expecting
this to happen, since this is the original pump and has lasted all of the
car's 18 years of age...

I ordered a new pump, new fuel filters, and was able to replace these
and get the car running again.

So just as I thought that my car fixin' chores are over with for a while,
the climate control system in my 5000T started acting up.  The blower
won't run except when in defrost mode.  Hmm.  Performing the test procedure
in the Bentley led to a bad "blower fan thermo switch".  While I was
testing the car, the auto-check system gave the usual "beep-beep-beep"
and displayed the dreaded brake symbol.  Yep, the hydraulic fluid is
low again.  But I had just topped it up not too long ago.  Looks like
I'm going to have to spring for a new steering rack sooner rather than
later (The present one is the original).  Oh, and I discovered a little
hole in the center muffler...

Tis the season to be paying homage to the Audi Gods.  I can't believe
I am saying this.  I normally hated the term "Audi God"... :-)

It's nice to have a new, reliable Audi (the A4q) to count on while
the older ones compete for my TLC.

-Ti
96 A4 2.8 quattro
84 5000S 2.1 turbo
80 4000 2.0
-- 
    ///  Ti Kan                Vorsprung durch Technik
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