'89 200q solution then more problems

[John David Anderson]

Well inspired today after trying desperately to trade the car off to a
20V owner for his clean '87 quantum syncro, I went out determined to
fix the friggin '89 or freeze my something off trying.  So as I'd
already been through most of the plumbing I decided to go through
electrical connections systematically, checked t-body switch operation,
cleaned all connectors, when I got to the multi function thermo switch,
it was ghastly, corroded as all get out, connector destroyed from
corrosion expanding and breaking plastic.  Cleaned it perfectly, then
just resoldered standard spades on with nice neat little heat shrink
strain relief boots.  The two pin thermo sensor connectors in that
manifold also prestty iffy, otherwise connectors mostly nice.  Pulled
all the fuses and all the relays and cleaned all those and applied
NO-OX-ID (great old stuff dad liberated from AT&T in the 70's.)  Also
changed the lower coolant hose while I was at it.  Now after all this I
expected absolutely nothing, I like not to get my hopes up and all.

SURPRISE!  Started quickly, and idled much more reasonably, still a bit
sputtery at idle but MUCH improved (I take that to be residual air
leaks, pulling the oil cap will stop the car instantly, the dipstick
will stop it fairly quickly.)  Now I was pretty amazed.  Turn her off
figure I'll clean the ECU contacts as well, and what do you know,
Intended Acceleration ECU.  The kid that traded it to me said something
about the owner before him chipping it and doing something to the
turbo, I took it for BS.  Anyway started her back up let it idle for a
good 30 minutes, warmed up real nice, then took her out, right for the
interstate (about 2 minutes away.)  The missing and stumbling from
before at 0.3-0.8 bar were GONE, it was still a bit laggy in those
regions I thought, but not stumbling at all.  So hit the interstate in
2nd, pulls strong to 1.4 bar (hey I'd only seen 1.3 before), 3rd strong
to 1.4 with boost on earlier about when I'd expect and perfect off
throttle. Then....

4th, only pulls up to about 1.3 and feels sort of "queasey."  5th pulls
only to 1.1 and this thing is definitely slowing down, downshift, a bit
of a surge but no real improvement and it starts this:

puh,puh,puh,puh,puh,puh,puh (about 0.5 Hz frequency on the puh's)
puh,puh,puh,puh, puhhhhhhfffffffft.  Stops dead, I coast over, do not
shut the key off, pop the hood interogate the ECU 4444, no codes.  Turn
it off, run the output tests, all OK.  Try to start it repeatedly, no
go, look for big blown off air hose or the like, don't see anything,
walk home, get her towed back.

Well it was fun for the 3-4 minutes it lasted.  Any thoughts?

Anybody want drivetrain parts (all solid without untoward noises or
vibrations), Intended Acceleration ECU, nice windshield (not even
installed yet), nice set of Boge front shocks (not installed yet),
perfect passenger grey heated Recaro, fair drivers, 80% Khumo's on
factory BBS alloys, all power toys work, etc?  I'm about serious on
this, this car has no kharma for me, or poor if it does...  Can also
steer you towards a nice '87 turbo 2wd parts car (not really parts it
purrs like a kitten and runs strong, but it is an '87 autobox afterall)
probably available for $800 or so, maybe less.

John
janders1 at mix.wvu.edu