Re: Lock De-icers...

[iduff@nes.com]

This got sent to me only, I think Brett meant to get it to the list...

Ian Duff
'90 Coupe Quattro
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Original Text
>From Brettd@tiac.net (Brett Dikeman), on 2/1/96 8:53 PM:
To: <iduff@nes.com>

>My manual (90 Coupe Quattro) says lifting the door handle will fire them
>up...
>
>Ian Duff.
>-------------
>Original Text
>From Glen Powell <gpowell@acacianet.com>, on 1/31/96 2:24 PM:
>To: <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
>
>How does one "turn on" those lock de-icers if one is locked out?
>
>Just wondering.....
>
>-glen
WHAT?  You gonna tell me you got go-damn built in lock de-icers?  Shit!  I
want 'em!  =) Talk about extraneous stuff like hot/cold coffee cups!
(Although I would think the deicers are much more practical.  How the heck
do they work?  I'm getting ideas about how to "install" one into the
driver's side handle to heat that whole area of the handle, lock included.
When I took off the rear door handles, cleaned them with a mototool wire
brush and lubed 'em-work like new!  Easy to do, too!  Noticed there was
some space in the handles, but I have not taken off the front doors because
of the lock mech. and more work involved.

On the older style(ie non-flush) handles, I found something that does work
fairly well and would pass as a low-budget de-icer:  Clean off snow if any,
Take off gloves if you're wearing them, and put the outside sides of your
hand on top+bottom(stand in front of handle, left hand->top,
right->bottom), and quickly rub the handle front+back quickly.  Doesn't
work if you've used armor-all to make he handle look pretty :)).  If you
press in towards the center enough, your hands will start to get reaaalll
warm, and the handle gets pretty hot too-and after a little while the ice
inside the lock melts...I've had varying degrees of luck, but better than
'nothin, I guess.  An electric one is still much more nifty!

Driver's side lock keeps freezing.  Sometimes it works, sometimes doesn't.
Pass. side always does, but it's a pain in the ass. I think there's some
water in there, so I'm thinking of squirting some isopyl alcohol through
the keyhole, but I'm worried it might affect the lock(ie clean out any
graphite or other lube.  Would adding more graphite help instead?
Sorry, dumb question, but I had to ask.  Would really suck if I had to
replace the lock!

Brett
'87 5kCST _no_ lock de-icers.