Re: head gaskets

["Douglas Hurst Quebbeman" <dougq@iglou.com>]

> "Before I spend money I don't have, what can I do to make certain of my
> diagnosis?"
> 
> Get the cooling system pressure tested.  There is a special tool that screws
> on in place of the coolant tank cap and has a mounted pump and pressure gauge.
> Pressurize the system and see if the pressure drops.

It does start and idle fine. Under throttleup, much smoke is produced, but 
nothing, not even a sound, is escaping from the head gasket area.

After removing the IC and some hoses, I checked the turbo- bearing meltdown
has most likely occurred. I changed the timing belt 1000 miles ago or so,
and I cleaned the IC-2-TB hose at that time. Now, I would expect to see a
thin film of oil inside again, as usual. Nada. Dry as a bone. So something
has interrupted the flow of oil to the turbo bearing.

The bearing was what was making the squealing sounds I'd hear when under boost.

I think the bearing was dislodging before it died completely; that was the 
cause for the strange lost-boost problem that had started to appear. Nail it,
and the sound would go away.

I'll have a more complete report when I get the turbo off the car.

-Doug q
--
-Douglas Hurst Quebbeman (dougq@iglou.com)       [Call me "Doug"]
    QuattroClub USA# 4536     Audi International # 100024
       74 100LS Auto,     84 Coupe GT 
       77 100LS Auto,     86 5Kcstq QLCC 1.8bar  
"The large print giveth, and the small print taketh away."  -Tom Waits