Re: playing in the snow

["Christopher A. Woodward" <cwoodwar@bellsouth.net>]

Just the other day I posted an experience I had with a bad bomb and a failed
hydraulic pump.  Not a good combo.  When you're not expecting it, non-power
brakes don't work too well.  ;-)  The bomb may be expensive, but you'll kick
yourself if you actually need it one day and it's not there for you.

Chris
'97 A4t
'90 CQ

"Binns, Dick" wrote:

> Replace the bomb now.  I bought a car with a weak bomb and waited to replace
>
> it; when the steering pump started leaking Pentosin like the Titanic I had
> no
> choice and did both.
>
> Now I wish I'd done the bomb when I bought the car.   I didn't realize how
> much
> the new bomb would improve braking/handling/overall driving pleasure.  If
> you
> ever get into trouble (usually happens VERY quickly) the brake pedal is very
>
> hard to depress with no bomb and no Pentosin.
>
> FWIW
>
> Dick Binns
>
> ______________________________ Reply Separator
> _________________________________
> Subject: playing in the snow
> Author:  "Henry Harper" [SMTP:hah@srv.net] at MSXGATE
> Date:    12/7/98 2:18 PM
>
> Winter is finally upon me here in Idaho as of this past Friday. Cleverly I
> took
> the time Thursday evening to install the winter wheels on both cars as the
> first flakes were drifting down. Nice fat pads on the UFOs and rears, except
>
> for one front piston-side that looked a bit skinnier than all the others.
> Gunge
> on the guide pins! And the piston boot on the other side was reluctant to
> remain seated in the caliper body, thus presumably not doing its intended
> sealing action. A small problem to be dealt with at leisure, I think (as in
> several months from now when it's warmer).
>
> The more immediate issue, I had thought, was an elderly bomb. Three quick
> stomps while driving gave rise to the BRAKE light, approximately that number
>
> after engine shutdown, can't really tell a difference in feel. Normal
> driving
> for me in this car is easy on the brakes, as much because I dislike cleaning
>
> dust off the intricate wheels as I want the UFOs to last as long as
> possible.
> So, equipped with Hakkas (on easy-clean steel wheels) and nice slippery
> roads,
> I endeavoured to test the seat-browning factor of ABS and bad bomb. But
> despite
> repeated full-ABS stops from as much as 40mph, no BRAKE light did appear,
> and
> stopping effectiveness was just dandy. I was for some reason reluctant to
> try
> higher speeds while still on [deserted] standard two-lane roads, haven't
> taken
> the time to play in a large-enough parking lot as yet. Just a few donuts in
> the
> mall lot :)
>
> What gives? Can I put off the bomb replacement a bit more as well? Just
> "avoid
> emergencies"? Or is more testing required, at higher speeds I would expect.
> Awaiting the incoming wisdom.
>
> TIA,
> Henry Harper
> http://www.srv.net/~hah
> 1991 200 quattro, 98k, 20k in one year, waiting for the defroster switch
> light
> to die and then I can fix them all at once
> 1988 GTI 16v, 186k, good thing I had a backup car since this one was down
> for a
> total of three months out of the 12
>
> PS The twelfth monthly car payment goes out today, only 24 more. Purchase
> was
> October '97, but I've been late with my anniversary message. Apart from
> upgrades (snows, lights, stereo, Bilsteins) my "required maintenance"
> expenditures have been a) afterrun thermoswitch, $25 and b) battery, $65.
> Having this much fun should be illegal - oh wait, there was that one little
> piece of paper to that effect. Anyway, it's been a great deal so far, but I
> have been driving around with a cracked windshield for six months so I
> should
> count that as well.
>
> => Thanks, q-list! <=
>
> Let's go skiing! Jackson Hole is 90 miles from my house, who wants to come
> visit?