[Biturbos4] Biturbos4 Digest, Vol 62, Issue 7

Wed Jan 21 11:48:34 PST 2009

Chris, 

As you said, it was 14 volts when you shut it off but dropped during driving. 
The manual says that if it ever drops under 12 volts while driving to take it in for service. No "idiot" light needed. :P
As for the generator light, it only comes on when the volts stay low, but since yours was partially charging, it didn't. Congratulations, you outsmarted the dummy light!

Joel
-----Original Message-----
From: biturbos4-request at www.audifans.com

Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 12:00:02 
To: <biturbos4 at www.audifans.com>
Subject: Biturbos4 Digest, Vol 62, Issue 7

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Today's Topics:

   1. Re: Brewing electrical problem? (quickaudi at gmail.com)
   2. Re: Brewing electrical problem?
      (Long, Scott G A1C USAF AFMC 88 SFS/S4W)
   3. Re: Brewing electrical problem? (Chris Newbold)
   4. Re: Brewing electrical problem? (docwyte at comcast.net)
   5. Re: Brewing electrical problem? (Chris Newbold)

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:52:56 +0000
From: quickaudi at gmail.com
Subject: Re: [Biturbos4] Brewing electrical problem?
To: biturbos4 at www.audifans.com
Message-ID:
	<1091132778-1232402223-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1134913363- at bxe031.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>

Content-Type: text/plain

Chris, 

The voltage regulator and the brushes are probably your problem. They can be removed as a unit and replaced if you give an Audi dealership enough info. BTDT. 

If you are good, you can replace them on the car. Required a lift and some time, but I replaced them. 

Joel

------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:47:13 -0500
From: "Long, Scott G A1C USAF AFMC 88 SFS/S4W"
	<Scott.Long2 at WPAFB.AF.MIL>
Subject: Re: [Biturbos4] Brewing electrical problem?
To: <biturbos4 at audifans.com>
Message-ID:
	<7A7F9CC06FD4524B97F41B9C957CA8A80282382F at VFOHMLAO02.Enterprise.afmc.ds.af.mil>

Content-Type: text/plain;	charset="us-ascii"

Probably the alternator getting weak.  Modern alternators have built in
voltage regulators.

Scott G. Long, A1C, USAF 
Client Support Administrator 
88th Security Forces Squadron 

-----Original Message-----
From: biturbos4-bounces at diablo.audifans.com
[mailto:biturbos4-bounces at diablo.audifans.com] On Behalf Of Chris
Newbold
Sent: Monday, January 19, 2009 8:04 AM
To: Bi-Turbo Audi S4 Audi Fan Group
Subject: [Biturbos4] Brewing electrical problem?

The voltmeter has acquired a new behavior in the last few days that I
suspect is foretelling some electrical issue in my near future...

Cold start : Turn key "on" : almost 12v -- about normal given ambient
temps around 20degF
Start engine : cranks normally
Engine running : ~14v on the gauge -- this seems normal
Voltage stabilizes around 13.5v -- normal, too
After ~10 minutes : voltmeter gradually starts dropping from ~13.5v --
uh oh
After ~20 minutes : voltmeter barely at 12v when RPMs > idle
Barely ~11v at idle -- yikes!

Turning off all electrical consumers results in a slight up-tick, but
still under 12v.

No other signs of trouble (e.g. battery warning light, etc.). Engine
still seems to crank normally.

I suspect that something is about to let go, but what? Battery?
Voltage regulator (is this separate or built-in to the alternator)?
Alternator?

-Chris
2001.5 S4 Avant 6spd
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------------------------------

Message: 3
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:29:27 -0500
From: Chris Newbold <chris at newbold.org>
Subject: Re: [Biturbos4] Brewing electrical problem?
To: "Long, Scott G A1C USAF AFMC 88 SFS/S4W"
	<Scott.Long2 at wpafb.af.mil>
Cc: biturbos4 at audifans.com
Message-ID:
	<46dd55720901200629n368f9150uea330a9f6749ad6d at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Yup, alternator's dead, and so am I here at the roadside :(

Would have been nice for the car to give some advance warning it wasn't
charging the battery over the last few days...

Sigh.

-Chris

On Jan 20, 2009 9:23 AM, "Long, Scott G A1C USAF AFMC 88 SFS/S4W" <
Scott.Long2 at wpafb.af.mil> wrote:

Probably the alternator getting weak.  Modern alternators have built in
voltage regulators.

Scott G. Long, A1C, USAF
Client Support Administrator
88th Security Forces Squadron

-----Original Message----- From: biturbos4-bounces at diablo.audifans.com[mailto:
biturbos4-bounces at di...
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Message: 4
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:40:50 +0000
From: docwyte at comcast.net
Subject: Re: [Biturbos4] Brewing electrical problem?
To: Chris Newbold <chris at newbold.org>, "Long,	Scott G A1C USAF AFMC 88
	SFS/S4W" <Scott.Long2 at wpafb.af.mil>
Cc: biturbos4 at audifans.com
Message-ID:
	<012020091640.2060.4975FE920009296A0000080C22165514060A9B97990C010B at comcast.net>

Content-Type: text/plain

It did.  Your voltmeter was going down during driving.

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: Chris Newbold <chris at newbold.org> 

> Yup, alternator's dead, and so am I here at the roadside :( 
> 
> Would have been nice for the car to give some advance warning it wasn't 
> charging the battery over the last few days... 
> 
> Sigh. 
> 
> -Chris 
> 
> On Jan 20, 2009 9:23 AM, "Long, Scott G A1C USAF AFMC 88 SFS/S4W" < 
> Scott.Long2 at wpafb.af.mil> wrote: 
> 
> Probably the alternator getting weak. Modern alternators have built in 
> voltage regulators. 
> 
> Scott G. Long, A1C, USAF 
> Client Support Administrator 
> 88th Security Forces Squadron 
> 
> -----Original Message----- From: biturbos4-bounces at diablo.audifans.com[mailto: 
> biturbos4-bounces at di... 
> _______________________________________________ 
> Biturbos4 mailing list 
> Biturbos4 at www.audifans.com 
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------------------------------

Message: 5
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 13:26:31 -0500
From: Chris Newbold <chris at newbold.org>
Subject: Re: [Biturbos4] Brewing electrical problem?
To: docwyte at comcast.net
Cc: biturbos4 at audifans.com, "Long,	Scott G A1C USAF AFMC 88 SFS/S4W"
	<Scott.Long2 at wpafb.af.mil>
Message-ID:
	<46dd55720901201026g19cacc5cyd28f620e9e75eef4 at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

Yes, I know, I know. But "usually" when charging quits you get the red
"battery" sign warning...

I knew something was wrong, but it wasn't clear how dire the situation was,
particularly since it always read 14v for a while after every cold start...

-Chris

On Jan 20, 2009 11:40 AM, <docwyte at comcast.net> wrote:

It did.  Your voltmeter was going down during driving.

> > -------------- Original message -------------- > From: Chris Newbold <
chris at newbold.org> > > ...
> _______________________________________________

> > Biturbos4 mailing list > > Biturbos4 at www.audifans.com > >
http://www.audifans.com/mailman/list...

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End of Biturbos4 Digest, Vol 62, Issue 7
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