Re: FROZEN DOOR LOCKS

["Music Research Corp." <mureco@telenet.net>]

Hi Nick!

        I was having similar trouble with both my '87 5K and '89 C and so I
took a trip to my friendly lock expert here in Amsterdam, NY.  Dirt (salt)
and moisture are the problems and if you can find a warm garage to work in,
you can fix this problem for the next two or three years right now!  Here's
what the locksmith relayed to me.
    1.  Remove the latch so you can get at the lock mechanism.  (Al Powell's
site   explains this very well and if memory serves me correctly, Chris
Miller up in Windham Mass. also has this procedure.)
    2.  Get the lock out and give it a good cleaning with some sort of
solvent.  I used brake cleaner and a stiff, fine brass wire brush.  An old
tooth brush will also work but takes longer.
    3.  Carefully disassemble the lock and note where all those parts go.
Be sure to clean the lock receptacle which looks to be some sort of molded
pot metal.
    4.  Use Super Lube with Teflon after the cleaning and work the key back
and forth so the lube gets evenly distributed in all the cracks and
crannies.  Be sure the little springs are working freely and be extra
cautious that you don't lose any of them!
    5.  Replace the "O" ring seal that looks like it's made of some sort of
nylon or whatever.  This is Audi part # 111 837 227 B.  This is probably the
source of the problem for these seals get worn as time goes by.
    6.  Clean the latch and use LPS #3 Heavy-Duty Rust Inhibitor on anything
that moves. (exclude cats & dogs!  Kids will like it!)  There may be other
products available that do the same thing of leaving a soft, waxy coating on
the moving parts. The coating is so salt and moisture can't get in to freeze
those small moving parts.   If you like, the LPS #3 can be used around that
pot metal lock receptacle as an extra precaution.

        I hope this will illuminate your freezing lock problem.  (I'm still
on that happy juice from new years)  I did mine two years ago and this
weekend's nasty  weather had no affect upon the locks.  As you probably
know, I have no reason to profit from my suggestions of products or
procedures.  I just hope you can enjoy your Audi as much as I enjoy mine.

Wayne Scheer
Amsterdam, NY

'87 5K with 250K and still going strong!
'89 1C with 122K.  Just broken in!
Both cars with the Euro Purchase headlights with fine lighting with the H-4,
55/65 Watt bulbs.  A great improvement. Thanks Chris!
-----Original Message-----
From: AUDI1OO@aol.com <AUDI1OO@aol.com>
To: quattro@coimbra.ans.net <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Saturday, January 02, 1999 7:16 PM
Subject: FROZEN DOOR LOCKS


>Hey my door locks are constantly frozen on my 1991 100....Anyone else have
a
>similar problem.  Its cold up here in NY and who knows what weather we are
in
>for....
>
>Nick
>1991 Audi 100
>