Erratic Starting

[Kneale Brownson]

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Does it crank more slowly with the colder weather?  Maybe it is the engine
speed sensor?  I think the 20-valve engine has to hit at least 25 rpm to
trigger the fuel pump relay.



At 09:39 AM 11/02/2001 -0500, John Holt wrote:

>Similar problem to Tim Herilla.......
>
>
>Recently, on an erratic basis, my 1990 90 coupe quattro will not start. By
>this, I mean that the starter will crank but the engine will not catch.
>There seems to be no logic to whether it will start. For instance, I could
>try first thing in the morning and it would start. Three hours later it
>would not OR I could try three days in a row and it would not start but on
>the fourth day it would start and then five hours later it would not.
>
>When it will not start, there is no spark from the coil to the distributor
>but there is gas. Used a known good coil/distributor wire with no change in
>the problem.  I have checked the coil module with Bentley manual and it
>falls within spec. When it starts, I can drive it all day and it will start
>each successive time but it is the first start of the day (whether it be
>morning or night) that seems to be somewhat elusive. I've stretched my luck
>far enough on long trips so the coupe is grounded, so to speak, until I
>resolve this starting problem.
>
>Living on a hill, I have twice been able to jump start the car by popping
>the clutch. Difficult to start this way....  but it worked each time before
>I ran out of hill. I have no idea why popping the clutch would cause the
>Coupe to go from no coil spark to sparking. My only thought is that it
>could be the engine timing reference sensor but I don't understand why it
>would not sense the pin ( no spark) and then sense (spark) just by engaging
>the clutch.
>
>I am not able to get codes as the fuse blows immediately on insertion
>before I can read codes. This is unrelated to this starting problem as the
>car performed well in the past with this same fuse problem.
>
>It may be temperature related. I bought the Coupe in August and it has
>started perfectly until the last couple of weeks when the below zero
>night-time temperatures are setting in ands coincidentally so has the
>problem. Yesterday and today were 60F (15C) and it starts every time.
>
>
>Any thoughts appreciated.
>
>John.....
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