'90 80q no start

[isham-research.freeserve.co.uk at pop.pol.net.uk]

> I've got a weird problem with my '90 80q. It's been sitting for about a
> month, and now when I try to start it, I only get an electric motor
> sound; I'm assuming it's the starter. I jumped the car to make sure the
> battery had enough juice to turn the engine over sufficiently. It almost
> sounds like the starter is not connected to the engine-no engine noise
> at all. Does the starter turn the crankshaft? How does it connect to the
> engine? Anything simple I should check on?

Pull the distributor cap off and see if the rotor arm is turning.

I also have a neat little spark cell - it's a kind of neon tube you put
in series with #1 spark plug to see if the engine's trying to fire.
You can get much the same effect by tie-wrapping the removed plug to
the engine hoist bracket.  Don't handle the plug while you're doing
this - a full belt from a solid state ignition system can be dangerous.

--
 Phil Payne
 UK Audi quattro Owners Club
 Phone +44 7785 302803   Fax: +44 7785 309674