Complex hydraulic roof hose fix
Our A4 Cabriolet project is now complete, though not without a couple of extra dramas. The main one was that the hydraulic power hood wasn’t working as it should – leaking in rainwater from the front roof seal, as well as a fluid leak from the rear. This fluid leak was down to a terrible bodged repair to one of the hydraulic fluid pipes. The pipe was to the offside power hood ram and it operates at a few hundred PSI – so exactly how a 2ft long fuel hose and several jubilee clips was going to work for long is anyone’s guess!
The pipe would need to be replaced but here was the problem. A new pipe from Audi would be nearly £200 (really!) and used ones were seemingly a no-go. This is because whenever an A4 Cabriolet is seen at the breakers yard, anyone removing the pump would rather spend ten minutes cutting through several very tough and expensive hoses rather than spend five minutes removing two Allen screws and pulling the hose assembly from the pump.
However, roofmotors.co.uk saved the day with a used ‘number 23’ hose that would retail at around £35. Fitting the hose was a mammoth job and it took myself and Chris at Parkside Autos half a day, stripping-out interior and boot trim and threading the new pipe to the exact route of the original, past a complex hood hinge assembly. Do not underestimate this job – it’s incredibly difficult, requiring infinite levels of patience.
