80 won't rev...what happened?

[Dave Glubrecht]

Yes I have seen this before.  Sounds like you are correct.  In my case a
piece of sheet metal came disconnected in the muffler and plugged the
exhaust.  The severity of the blockage will determine the rpm range you get.
In my case the car would run fine for a while then the piece would flap up
and block it and it would not rev much more than idle. Shutting the car off
would let the flap down and it would run fine again.
Now can you answer my what happened? previously posted.

 Dave G



----- Original Message -----
From: "EBavely" <veetesse at hotmail.com>
To: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 03, 2002 8:08 AM
Subject: 80 won't rev...what happened?


> Hello all...
>
> Another strange one on the way to work this morning.  My 88 80 fwd (2
liter
> 4cyl, but that doesn't matter for this story) was cruising along just fine
> at around 80 mph (going with the rush hour flow) when suddenly it seemed
to
> lose power and bog down when I got on the throttle.  Seemed like it
wouldn't
> make more than about 3500 rpm.
>
> I got off at the next exit and left the car running.  My initial thought
was
> that a sparkplug wire had popped off or that there was a restriction in
the
> fuel system (just filled up this morning) somewhere.  The car seemed to
idle
> fine though.
>
> I heard hissing from under the car, so I got out the junkyard dropcloth
> (gotta have one in the trunk just in case, right?) and checked it out.
> Seemed like the hissing was coming from a previous exhaust repair just
> beyond the cat.. the type where the PO used some kind of bolt-on "splice
> sleeve" rather than welding.  Hmmm... exhaust restriction?  plugged cat
all
> of a sudden? Did the timing suddently jump a tooth?
>
> Continued on the way to work... still same behavior.  Pulled over again
and
> looked at the rear muffler... seemed to have an unholy crack or dent in
the
> side of it.  Never noticed that before and the car isn't loud at all...
more
> hissing.  By this time, I was kind of late to work, so I limped back on my
> way taking the backroads...thinking to myself what I'd do to get home
> tonight.
>
> Turning up the drive to work, there was a clunk from under the car and the
> engine returned to normal.  Power came back and the engine wanted to rev
> again.  Bizarre.
>
> I'm thinking maybe a part of the aging exhaust had dislodged and got stuck
> somewhere in the system and caused a restriction.  That would kind of
> explain the hissing up front (increasing the pressure upstream and forcing
> more air out of the bad repair) and the lack of power.  Maybe the engine
> couldn't breathe and was being smothered...
>
> Anyone ever seen this before?  Any other ideas?
>
> Looks like I'm exhaust shop bound...to see what my options are for a $500
> car with over 200k miles.  The stock exhaust would probably cost more than
I
> gave for the car.
>
> Maybe I'll ask the guys to get creative and do one single side pipe out
the
> passenger side ahead of the rear wheel...oh wait, this is a daily driver.
>
> Elliott Bavely
>
> 86 4ktq
> 83 CGT
> 81 Coupe ITB
> 88 80 Fwd
> Other varied VAG products.
>