Re: 1990 200TQW Brakes Feel Weird

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <09DB74475204D1119C8200805F19D00305355C21@aeromsg1.ball.com> "Lawson, Dave" writes:

> About a week ago, I noticed a change in the feeling of the brakes
> in my 1990 200 TQ wagon. Before, the brakes felt what I considered
> "normal". Now as the pedal is depressed, you can feel the brakes
> grab slightly, then nothing for a while, then the brakes start to have
> some effect a ways down in pedal travel. A friend with a 1991 200
> took the car out for a spin and said that the braking "does not instill
> confidence". The hydraulic system brake light does not come on
> during braking and it does not stay on for an extended period of
> time at startup. The light is on for maybe 1 second.

IMO a second is a _long_ time.  There should be more than enough
reserve in the system to put the light out instantly.

> I am trying to decide if the problem is the brake master cylinder
> or the hydraulic brake booster or ???. I don't think it is the bomb
> as it doesn't have the symptoms that others have reported. If it is
> the master cylinder, I remember from Igor's posts that a new one
> is the way to go. If it is the booster, has anyone rebuilt one of
> these or is a new one the way to go?

They can't be rebuilt.

It might not be the problem, though.  Alternatives are low pump primary
pressure, low accumulator capacity, and a ferocious leak through the
servo.

--
 Phil Payne
 UK Audi quattro Owners Club