5ktq emissions woes

[qshipaz at juno.com]

Greetings,

The hangar queen ventured out of the hangar these past two days, boldened b=
y the temporary tags, hoping to get legal.
Patient is an 86 5ktq. Hasn't been registered since 12/99 in California, wh=
en it passed Cal emissions easily. I admit I have not done all the requisit=
e filters yet, although the LOF has just been done. 94K on the (working) od=
ometer. In AZ, a Quattro doesn't have to pass anything but the idle test (h=
ow would you dyno one??) and the equipment check (which it passed- car is b=
one stock, so far)
Idle readings were 363 ppm HC and 7.45% CO! Standards are 220 and 1.20%.

Clearly something is amiss. Fuel is mostly Chevron premium (but I can't vou=
ch for the age of what was in the tank before- probably no more than a 1/4 =
tank. And the car was driven around the neighborhood fairly frequently by t=
he MBZ/VW shop owner who previously was the TQ's custodian. Could this be e=
ntirely due to the fuel?

Thinking of Phil: "Don't guess. Pull the codes." I did. Tried twice, and ge=
t 4444, as well as a smooth idle at 900 rpm, only about 1.1 bar boost thoug=
h=2E I attribute this to the fuel quality waking up the knock sensor. O2 se=
nsor is my next guess- but wouldn't the code come up if that were the case?

I am aware that there are many possible factors here. IME, messing with the=
 CIS mixture screw only produces a foul-running car if you do not have a "s=
niffer" to check the emissions while you do so. So what am I missing? I cou=
ld just bring it to the shop, but I've gotten away from that for every bit =
of mech. work I've done on the Q or the Z-car in te last two years. Surely =
I can figure this out- idle testing only can't be that hard a goal to shoot=
 for. Any BTDTs will be much appreciated.

Last thing- there is a crack in the downpipe, behind the turbo, at the fact=
ory weld. I realize this is serious, and will be replacing it very soon, bu=
t I don't think this negatively affects idle emissions- or does it?

Before everyone jumps at me for not methodically giving it a full tune-up, =
T-belt, all fluids- think of this. I have driven the car approx. 20 miles b=
efore today. I have a bit of a philosophical problem with pouring hundreds =
of $ into a vehicle which currently has only a temp. tag and an open out of=
 state title. I can't get title or registration until I slay this emissions=
 dragon. Just a thought.

Quattro Kool-aid: I had fun on the freeway today. Haven't run a turbo 44 on=
 the highway in three years! The corkscrew ramps at double the posted 25 we=
re great. This is my first Quattro though I've had two other Audis- well wo=
rth it. But you guys knew that already... BTW no driveline vibes and the di=
ff locks work. At 94K, this is a low-mileage 5ktq!

Regards,
Rob




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