1982 Coupe:Hot Start Issues

[Huw Powell]

> For instance, this
> morning she flashed right up.  I drove it for errands, complete with 2-3 hot
> starts, no problem.  Parked it in the garage and started fiddling with an
> electrical issue, and while doing so started it 6 times maybe to
> check the lights, with no problems.  I just came in from the shop and while
> there I started it and it was a bitch.  Been sitting for 3 hours and was
> still hard to start.

When I had my warm starting troubles, they were like that.  While 
occasionally an immediate restart would be troublesome (push starting 
the car across a busy Boston intersection because I stalled it!), it was 
the 15-30 minute waits that were most prone to be troublesome.

I may be mixing up two separate phases of hot start problems, drove the 
car so long it all gets mixed up, but there was definitely a time when 
we measured the starter current draw - it was peaking over 200 amps. 
Put a new (rebuilt) starter in, and it spun faster, started easier, 
maybe still a little long cranking on some warm starts, but much better 
overall.

It may not be your problem at all, but a starter current test is pretty 
simple, most garages should have an inductive meter to measure it.

What I think is most likely is a combination of problems - e.g., perhaps 
your starter is tired and pulls too much current, especially when 
heat-soaked, on top of wear or adjustment issues in the fuel system, or 
even electrical contact issues that make it a bit harder for the car to 
develop a good spark, etc.  Fix one thing, and it gets "better," but not 
"all better."  Keep chasing it and eventually you get everything.

Kind of like suspension clunks, they get smaller and smaller until 
you've replaced everything.  Then you have to turn the stereo off, open 
the window, and do silly things in parking lots to hear them at all!

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi

http://www.humanthoughts.org/