Fun with code pulling ('89 90) - long and boring

[Mike Robinson]

Huw,

I have had the same 2132 code before.  You should really check to see what
the other codes are.  I know the Bentley gives a good description on how to
pull codes.  As far as the 2132 in my 88 90q, I never solved it.  At the
time, I also got the knock and oxygen sensor codes.  I replaced the two
sensors (done it twice now) and have not had the check engine light on since
then.  The 2132 code disappeared with the fixing of the other two codes.
After fixing all the codes, the car runs like it did when I picked it up
with 130,00 miles on it.  HTH

Mike Robinson
1988 90q 254,000 miles

On 4/15/03 10:46 PM, "Huw Powell" <audi at humanspeakers.com> wrote:

> Having realized that this whole stored code thing might actually be of
> benefit to me in terms of seeing if my 90Q is running right and stuff, I
> started doing some playing today.
>
> OK, the other day I did, too, but reading the codes after turning off
> the engine just shows you what 4-4-4-4 looks like.  Nifty.
>
> So today its like 85 degreeeees out and I'm tired of the sometimes
> sluggishness the car has, the long cranks back when it was brutal this
> winter, and the stumbly sort of thing it would do after shifting when
> accelerating hard from a cold start.
>
> So I come in from a run to the local mall, I mean recycling center
> (picked up an oak kitchen cabinet and some old Genesis speakers), and
> leave the engine running.  Pop hood, hop out, open fuse box, jam spare
> fuse in to the fuel pump/jetronic relay.  Struggle to pull it out.  Memo
> to self: wire a little switch to the those underdash sockets this decade.
>
> Hop into car and wait.  Interminably.  All I'm getting is the 1.5 second
> or so on/off cycle of the engine light.  (Did I mention I installed the
> check engine light bulb last time I decided to play with this feature?).
> So I get out and rough up my knuckles some more reinserting and
> removing the fuse (life is hard).
>
> This time I get a code.  2-1-3-2.  I redid the fuse thingie, but we'll
> ignore the later codes, since as Phil used to say, you fix the first
> one, then retest, as any others may be caused by the first fault.
>
> Go inside.  2132 is not on Mr. Mockry's site.  But it's in my Bentley -
> "California only," by the way.  It says - no signal.  The fuel and
> ignition ECu's aren't connected to each other, or the car, or something
> like that.  Check wiring and ECUs.
>
> Well, since I have a spare ignition ECU lying around, either from
> another '89 90Q or a 91 80Q, I'll swap it in (since it's easy to get to).
>
> Out with the screw, off with the kick panel, and chuck the zip-loc
> baggie and zip ties that were installed to protect this ECU when it was
> replaced due to water damage, before I owned it, with one I sold the
> shop from an '87.5 Coupe.
>
> Hmm, different part numbers... heck, let's try it anyway.
>
> The car starts... I go out to beat on it a bit on the nearby highway and
> the swamp road.  Seems to run ok at least (I'd love to say it snapped my
> neck back with newfound power, but this was just an ECU, not a
> turbocharger...).  Redlined it or so a few times, pulled it hard in a
> few gears, and returned to the parking lot with no tickets, and no
> injured (but miffed looking) pedestrians out for their evening black fly
> strolls.
>
> Check the codes (memo to self - do that little switch installation this
> weekend).  This time they are a happy 4-4-4-4.  Hmmmm.
>
> A little test drive just now also seemed, well, a bit "different."  The
> highway cold hard pull for just a moment, say one rev, hesitated at the
> 1-2 shift, then smoothed out and pulled.  3 and 4 were very happy to be
> engaged and grabbed their share of the fabulous 0-60 time like they
> always sometimes used to.
>
> It also *seems* to start a little more eagerly.
>
> So it might not be the knock sensor, or carboned up valves/pistons, or
> nasty old age.  It might have just been the wrong computer messing with
> my timing. It might just be the warm weather.  We'll see how this goes
> over the next few days.
>
> --
> Huw Powell
>
> http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi
>
> http://www.humanthoughts.org/