RE: Subject: Re: Firewall Giving Way

["Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz@kla-tencor.com>]

> ----------
> From: 	Dave Conner[SMTP:conner@cfm.ohio-state.edu]
> Sent: 	Thursday, December 03, 1998 8:51 AM
> To: 	@cfm.ohio-state.edu
> Cc: 	quattro@coimbra.ans.net
> Subject: 	Subject: Re: Firewall Giving Way
> 
> This problem was dealt with in the Oct 98 issue of "European Car", in
> great
> detail, with lots of nice pictures.
> 
> The article title is "Project Audi 4000Q Part 14, Update: New Engine and
> Minor Repairs".
> 
> Didn't sound minor to me.
> This problem left them with two choices...sell the car dirt cheap (i.e.
> junk it), take advantage of an unsuspecting "sucker", or invest major
> effort in fixing it.
> 
> It seems they decided that the only way to repair the firewall required
> pulling the engine.  So what the heck...let's just install a >new< engine
> while we're at it.
> 
> BTW...my 86 4kq may be trying to develop a crack of it's own.
> I don't think it's cracked now, but the clutch pedal feels way too stiff.
> Should I replace the clutch as cheap insurance against getting one of
> these
> cracks?
> Or would master cylinder replacement do the trick?
> 
... not that bad an idea I suppose ... you'd be amazed at the difference in
actuation force you get after changing the clutch.  IMO just changing the
master and slave cyl's aren't going to do it ... the problem is inside the
bellhousing ...

Fortunately my '85's firewall is just fine (as is the one on the QTC), but
hearing all of the stories about stress fractures makes me want to fashion a
large plate that fits inside the passenger compartment to distribute the
load over a larger area.  If you can do it before the firewall fractures you
shouldn't need to weld it to the firewall ... what I was thinking was to
make a large plate with holes for the master cylinder to mount ... and
perhaps applying some RTV Silicone to the back of the plate to attach it and
keep it from rattling against the firewall.  

Steve Buchholz
San Jose, CA (USA)