Re: My 87 4000 CS quattro foes (too long)

[rjandrew@post.cis.smu.edu (R Justin Andrews)]

> 	I am a proud owner of my Audi.  I get compliments on it where ever or
> whenever I go.  On the surface everything is great.  It is a nice deep yet
> bright Tornado Red with an interior I have never seen in a junk yard or very
> few other Audi's on the street.  The car only has about 95,000 miles on it
> which makes it in the very low mile range.
> 	Underneath the car has a solid foundation and that is the only good thing I
> can say about it.
> 	The problem list for this car is growing as I fix the problems.  I have seen
> most of them on the list but never quite hitting my car on the dot.  To start
> my car doesn't start well at all.  It hates to start when cold and still
> hesitates for a few seconds when warm.  Problem?  A vacuum leak.  WHERE?  In
> one of the 3 billion vacuum lines on this car or at the fuel injectors them
> selves.  I thought I owned an Audi for some more quite than my Volkswagen.

Bad cold starting can be anything from a tuneup to fuel injectors leaking down

> Doesn't seem we can achieve that either.  The fuel pump whines on this car
> like nothing else.  Everyone tells me to live with it or pay a fortune to have
> it fixed so I get used to it and the spedo starts whining away actually more
> like grinding.   

Change the fuel pump and grab one from a wrecking yard, keep it as a spare...

> 	Everyone loves the heated seats in my car especially when it is below 20
> outside.  Me I don't get one because the coil is broken everyone says.  Then
> why does it switch on when I scoot forward on the seat now it does not turn on
> at all.  

broken element.... there is a procedure in the archives to fix this....
Check for voltage going to seat heater...

> 	The headlights on this car suck so badly that I can see about 5 feet down the
> road maybe 15 with the brights on.  If anyone has a good set of DOT
> headlights, meaning no rock chips, please let me know mine look like they have
> lived through 11 years of Colorado winters without breaking once but just
> getting pounded by all the rocks the put on the roads here.  I would buy
> Euro's but I can't afford them right now.  

Dot headlights suck!!!
I relayed them, aimed them, did a 9007 conversion with Xenon bulbs and
they are just barely livable.... try getting some good driving lights...

> Quattro power is awesome.  But I
> don't know if I can lock my front diff because I can switch it to lock and it
> never lights up.  One of you mentioned feeling different when this is locked
> and I don't feel any difference at all what could cause this?

Possible vacuum problem... Vacuum actuator is not cheap and is a PITA to 
change....


> 	The A/C sucks in this car it takes forever to get the air cold and yes it is
> charged, on the opposite end the heat in the winter sucks just about the same.
> I am used to VW heat I suppose where I can drive to the end of the block and
> turn the heat on and it comes out hot so what happened on the Audi's?  
> 	There is a small coolant leak somewhere on the car but where I don't know
> because you can't see it going anywhere.  Head Gasket or is this normal.  And

Weak springs sag on these cars!! very common... I had the same problem
ended up doing the whole suspension.... Eibach Springs.. Boge struts...
control arm bushings... strut bearings... tie rod ends... ball joints...
needless to say the change was night and day!! DO it!!

> last my ass sits on the ground with only a full tank of gas.  This list will
> be amended to tomarrow I am sure as today I have fixed the sunroof the
> windshield washer and the power antenna and those things only went bad within
> the last two weeks.

Don't get discouraged... once you start getting the bugs worked out you will
love the car... I just took a 2400 miles trip and now I have a wheel bearing
on it's way out but oh well... I love the car and just out 16" rims/tires
and it is awesome!!!


> 	I love my car enough to care for it and fix it and maintain it but this stuff
> is starting to get annoying and the spedo is now going to break I am sure as
> the needle is bouncing from 20-40 on a regular basis.
> 	If anyone has any help for me please send it to me I need all I can get.
> 
> Brit
> 87 $$$$ $S quattro
> 88 $$tta
> 73 $$$tle
> 

HTH!
Rich Andrews
rjandrew@post.cis.smu.edu
'86 4kq (eibachs/boges, 16" TSW Hockenheims, Dunlop 205/45/v16)