Revenge of the GERMAN Audi!

[Mike Arman <armanmik@n-jcenter.com>]

Evidently the mere idea of Chinese Audi parts adversely affected my 5 Ks,
affectionately known as the Milennium Parakeet or Batteredstar Galactica . . .

Got in the car Thursday eve, after having driven all over hellandgone all
day long, and prepared to ride off to aerobics class.

Vroom-pop-fart-pfft. Car dropped dead exactly where I had parked it, right
in my own driveway, not 20 feet from all my tools and all my spare parts.
Refused to run any more today.

Nice lady next door also in aerobics class gave me a ride to class and back
- she was walking out to go to class and heard my car go on strike -
offered me a ride.

Wife took me to work this AM.

Lemmeesee, why won't this thing start? Opened oil filler, cranked engine,
position of cam changed, so the timing belt is OK. Check for spark, yep
(ouch!). Got gas? Hmm, no noise from fuel pump - and it has been merrily
whining for 8 months - screen was removed per comments on list and that
didn't help the noise, but pump was working.

Voltage at fuse 13, relay works, can't measure voltage at pump connector
because there's a switch that shuts off the pump if the ignition is on but
the engine isn't running (overridden by ign switch so the car can start).
Can, however, measure resistance of spare pumps and installed pump without
removing it. 24 Ohms for each spare, 4 ohms for installed pump. Uh-oh.

R&R fuel pump, 45 minutes, I'm getting fairly good at this. Wash hands,
twist key, hold breath for 6 seconds, VAROOOOMMM! Godzilla Lives!

HOWEVER - remember that the bottom screen was removed? I found all kinds of
crud, looked like ground up cockroaches, in the pressure damper/sound
damper at the TOP of the fuel pump. Evidently this got picked up from the
tank because the screen wasn't there, run through the pump and ground up,
and deposited in the outlet. Gonna replace the fuel filter this weekend -
sounds like removing the filter screen MAY NOT be such a good idea!

I can only conclude that my car loves me - it had all day Thursday to break
down, far from home, tow trucks, phones, or AAA - but it decided to wait
until it was in absolutely the least inconvenient place to stop running -
right in the driveway, directly in front of the Bat Cave.

Anywhoo, wishing all us listers safe and enjoyable holiday.

Best Regards,

Mike Arman