BIG SHORT, dead 4kq

[Luis Felipe Patino]

You guys fixed it :)

After learning to read the current diagrams from
the Bentley, and the workings of alternators in
Mike Arman's post, I figured that Huw Powell's
idea that the voltage regulator was the cause of
my 4kcsq's symptoms had to be right, so instead of
buying a multimeter or other stuff, I took a
gamble: even though the oil-pressure light/buzzer
kept coming on instead of the normal check of
idiot lights after having replaced the regulator,
I called AAA to jumpstart the car. Wow, it started
immediately -- even though the buzzer came on loud
and clear under boost when I turned the key to the
ON/RUN position. The buzzer and light turned off
right away, and the in-car gauge showed 13-14 V
even after removing the battery booster!

We let the car run a few minutes, then the AAA guy
had me turn it off, and start it without boost, to
ensure that I wouldn't be stranded (nice guy!).
Just with those few seconds of charge the little
baby started all by its little self! it roared to
life :) This time (and every time after) the oil
buzzer didn't come on anymore when turning the key
to ON -- now it showed the idiot lights, as
normal! (BTW the AAA guy was all teary eyed: "Oh,
it's a quattro! it has all-wheel drive!")

I gather thus, that the alternator needed to spin
a few turns for the new brushes to make good
contact with the rings and finally feed current to
the field. Only then, did it finally stop showing
me in its "strange way," as Huw put it, that the
field wasn't getting current (i.e. the oil buzzer
instead of the alternator light).

I want to thank Huw Powell, Jay Rabes and nwloves
(didn't get your name, nw), for the
"bad-regulator" idea; Rich Andrews and Doug Hill
for instructions on installing the new one (and
for helping convince myself to 'delete' the a/c);
Bernard Littau for telling me "that it could still
be the alt" and to try charging the battery first;
Paul Cole for his detailed explanation of Audi's
cheesy '80s electricals (P = I^2*R, eh, Paul?);
and again Doug Hill for another battery-charging
suggestion.

Wow,

Luis

'87 4kcsq