RE: 87 CGT-questions

[jwilliam <jwilliam@99main.com>]

-----Original Message-----
From:	ekellock@juno.com [SMTP:ekellock@juno.com]
Sent:	Saturday, January 24, 1998 9:32 AM
To:	jwilliam@99main.com
Subject:	Re: 87 CGT-questions

On Fri, 23 Jan 1998 23:15:20 -0500 jwilliam <jwilliam@99main.com> writes:
>
>Coming up on my first year of owning this wonderful automobile and I had
>a few questions that knowledgeable listers might help me with.
---- What engine do you have?  2.2 or 2.3 "NG"?  The NG came only in the
last half year of '87 production.  One way to tell is by the intake
manifold.  On the NG engine it is a nice looking casting the is very
squared off on top and comes up and over the top of the engine partially.
 It has some long straight ribs cast into it and an Audi logo as well, I
think.

Sorry for not being more specific.  I have the 87 Comm Ed (alpine white) 2.3 version.


>2. I have noticed that the oil needs to be topped off usually every
--- Not uncommon to use a little oil.  How many miles on the engine?  As
far as gaskets go, it's probably (hopefully) the valve cover gasket not
the head gasket. The head gasket would be much harder and more expensive
to replace and would not be so forgiving as to let you drive on and on
without demanding attention.  The valve cover gasket is much less
involved to replace, although if you have the NG engine, you do have to
remove that pretty intake manifold to get to the valve cover .

My mistake.  I had meant to write valve gasket.  I had used the valve gasket and head gasket interchangeably.  I realize they are not the same :).   The car has about 82000 miles on it ( I purchased it from the original owner at 71000).  So what kind of job am I looking at to replace the valve cover gasket?  Any special tools or things to look out for?  

>4. What are people using to clean and lubricate the retractable antenna?
--- Well, mine has been stripped internally since I bought the car.  I
turned on the radio, jumped out and grabbed it to pull it to its full
extension, and then unplugged _ONE_ wire in the little wire bundle
connected to it so it would not try to go up and down.  The other wires
are needed for the amplification of the antenna signal.
This has worked OK over the years, but I would like to fix it someday.

>5. I'm getting a terrible noise from my right rear brake.  I was told 
--- All of the following again depends on whether you have the late build
'87 because it had disc brakes in the rear, instead of drums.  If you
have rear disc brakes, these are kind of notorious for minor problems. 
This sounds like a sticking caliper.  I have a similar noise on mine too.
 Either rebuild or replace the caliper on the noisy side (the right side,
right?) and be prepared for the other to follow suit in the near future. 
Parking brake cables can get sticky too.  Not too expensive or difficult
repairs, necessarily.  Good used calipers can be found fairly readily. 
Some 5000's used the same rear brake caliper not sure which ones, could
have been _all_ 5k's, not sure.

Thanks.  I does have the discs front and back.  I'll check it out.

Have fun!

Ed Kellock ................... Greenville, SC  USA
91 200qw ........................ 87 Coupe GT   113k

Jon