...my audi hates me...

[Nate Stuart]

> I decided that since the air temperature sensor (the one next to the
> throttle switch) was the most grime-covered of all the sensors, I
> should look there first for intermittent connections.  When I
> disconnected the wires, one of the terminals released a bunch of black
> goo.  Don't know what that was, don't want to know.  I suspected that
> the connection there was pretty damned intermittent, also since the
> two male spade connectors that are supposed to make the connection
> were held together with nothing more than OEM-looking shrinkwrap!

That air intake temp sensor has no removable terminals, it is spot welded
onto the wires of the harness, with a little rubber booty over the end of
it.

> A few trips to Radio Shack later and I have quick-connects soldered
> and crimped onto the sensor wires.  I no longer doubt that connection.
> However, it doesn't seem to help anything (I'm reading the right
> resistance...)

But now that sensor apparently does have a disconnect method :)

> Enter the New Problem!
>
> Now, I get 1.0 bar boost, until about 4500 rpm.  Then, it starts
> climbing to 1.1 and 1.2, and then the car starts stumbling.  I can
> keep it floored and I'll get some acceleration and then a severe
> hiccup and then more acceleration and then another hiccup.  These are
> on the order of (very roughly) one per second.  The boost gauge sits,
> happily oblivious, at 1.2 throughout.
>
> Also, I don't know if this is new, but when I do a wot run, when I get
> 1.2 bar boost and let off the throttle, I hear a sound like air brakes
> being released.  I haven't driven with windows open next to a concrete
> divider (sound reflector) for a while, but I don't remember ever
> hearing this before.  Is it supposed to do that?

No, it's not supposed to do that. You have an air leak somewhere in the
intake path, before the throttle body. Most common place to start looking
is the michelin man hose between the TB and the intercooler.

> Is there any way that this could be related to my messing with the air
> temp sensor?  I had never noticed this problem before, but I thought I
> re-did everything I had undone, and don't see how I could have caused
> this.  But the timing is suggestive.

Well, the MM hose is right next to the temp sensor, a stray belligerent
swing of a pointy, or hot tool could have nicked it I guess.

-Nate
'89 90tq
www.newtsplace.com/90tq