my girlfriend just bought an 87 5000Q. i was a vw man, but i love the audi so far. decent shape ~100k. of course it has a few problems including the following:

1. leaky heater core (i disconnected it and recirculated the line back into the engine for the time being)

2. looks like a leaky rack: sludge/fluid buildup on top of tranny housing below rack. however, the fluid reservoir level hasn't dropped in two weeks since she bought it.

3. instrument cluster lights out. someone mentioned that it could be eany number of relays located in trunk, door, etc. any others known? likely alternative causes?

4. front passenger window doesn't work. these things go all the time, right?

i want to fix this stuff for her, but haven't been able to find a used bentley manual yet and i know she doesn't want to throw down for a new one. i was just wondering if anyone had any tips or suggestions for fixing any of this stuff especially for the heater core and rack, including typical job times (i just got back into school and have precious little grease monkey time). is it worth installing a used/pulled rack or should i suck it up and buy rebuilt? also, the car runs well, but it has less power/acceleration than i expected. i know it's not a turbo but... could anything be off? any and all info and time saving tips are greatly appreciated. thanks much!

jon

 

My condolences. Just kidding. Sort of. My mom had an '85 5000s. The steering racks are bad news. Especially if somebody didn't know and put regular power steering fluid in there. It needs the Pentosin mineral fluid in the green label (11s?). That stuff is not cheap and if it leaks, and you keep having to put in additional fluid, you're eventually going to have to replace the rack (maybe the pump if it leaks.) It's not cheap either (~$300-$400). All of the relays and fuses should be under the hood. If you're engine isn't running very strongly take a minute and check for fuse #24, I think. I've seen a 4000 and 5000, where that fuse has been missing. I think that fuse goes to the computer. If it's gone, then it will run like a dog. If I remember, it's in the side row next to the main row of fuses. The window is typical. Try Blaufergnugen. I bought a new regulator for my mom's 4000 from them. You'll probably just have to replace the heater core. The dash lights are either burnt out, the fuse is blown or you have some bad wiring. Unfortunately, you're girlfriend didn't pick the most desirable car from a service standpoint. Have you heard about the "bomb"?? Good luck.

 

Used Bentley's don't go for cheap unless it's a friends friend sort of deal. I see them all the time up for auction on ebay. There are always several people bidding on them and the winning bid is usually in the $80-$90 range. I am always amused at this because you can buy them brand new for under $100 anyway. The best deal & biggest bang for the buck is a used Haynes on ebay, $7-$8 gets you one and even though they are nowhere near as detailed as a Bentley, they have decent descriptions/procedures, good photo's and diagrams plus you have this list and other info sources with lots of btdt info to help you out.

As long as the pentosin level is ok and the stuff is not pouring out, you can easily hold off on rack replacement for a while. It's not that difficult a job, you do have the time to do a little research and get all the parts and tools you need, also don't fool with used, buy a remanufactured rack with a warranty.
The heater core is a job better left for a weekend. When you're in there you should also replace the blower motor. Being at the end of Feb, if you can hold off, this is another job that can be planned for properly at a later date.
Your window regulator may not be broken, it could be the switches. They are a poor design and get dirty and loose contact easily, they are cleanable. If the regulator is no good, it is a fairly easy job to replace.
With anything electrical, start with the basics bulbs, fuses, connections, etc.. This is where the Bentley is very useful, trouble shooting electrical problems. As you may already know, this one of the early Audi's weak points.
Engine power - You can't expect to much from the normally aspirated I5 especially with the extra weight of the quattro drivetrain. Check/replace all the routine stuff: all filters, plugs, rotor, d-cap. Use heavy amounts of techron and run/rev her hard.

HTH and Good luck,

Tom Serrago
85 5KS Avant
99.5 A4 TQMS