88 80q shutting off, work your magic.

[Scott DeWitt]

I think you answered your question. The fuel pump. Exact same thing happened 
to a 5000 I used to own. Driving along merrily with the fuel pump in full 
song, then the tone changes and engine dies.

The other issues will result in the car running poorly, but not dying.

Scott
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Megan Bigelow" <megan at meganbigelow.com>
To: <quattro at audifans.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 02, 2005 12:25 AM
Subject: 88 80q shutting off, work your magic.


> Howdy! After spending $1200 at the mechanic for a new alternator, battery, 
> timing belt job, and etc., I figured I could shove myself further into the 
> national pastime of massive credit card debt by pursuing this problem my 
> girl seems to have.
>
> It's the needle-in-haystack variety for you puzzle solvers out there. Or 
> is it? I'm hoping this is a common ailment I'm unaware of, and someone 
> will simply tell me to replace the hooseyhwatzit and tune the whatchamebob 
> and all will be fine.
>
> Ok.
>
> I am having a problem with my dear old 88 80 quattro. We're driving along 
> (or idling at a stoplight, since this happens at all motion and engine 
> speeds) and suddenly my car shuts off.
>
> Nothing dramatic, no heroic sputtering or noises attempting to maintain 
> the engine running, she just shuts off.
>
> If this happens at a stoplight, I know it is about to happen because the 
> pitch (noise) of the fuel pump will increase for about a second before the 
> engine cuts out (the sound is higher). Then the engine loses power quietly 
> and the dash lights come on.
>
> If this happens while driving at 70 MPH, I know the car has shut off 
> because I can feel it in the gas pedal, it clearly is doing nothing 
> enginewise as I push on it. THe dash lights do not come on immediately, 
> but after a few seconds they do. One solution I have found is to quickly 
> flick the keys from the DRIVE position (as they were before engine cut 
> out) to the OFF position and back to DRIVE again. The engine seems to 
> recatch, but without the use of the START position (before the dash lights 
> come on. If they are already on, I must use the START position to start 
> the car normally (if starting your car while driving 70 mph can be 
> described as normal--only here.)
>
> Sometimes, this happens rapid fire again and again (car turns off, I turn 
> it on, car turns off, etc., I pound the dashboard, curse and mutter, then 
> turn it back on.) Usually when this is the case the check engine light 
> comes on. Tonight I pulled the codes and got a 2123 (full throttle switch 
> closed or bad wiring) and a 2132 (a
> broken connection between the fuel and ignition computers). Great.
>
> My questions are:
>
> 1. What do these codes mean? Are they related to the shutting off problem?
>
> 2. Do you have any suggestions as to what to fix NEXT so I can have a car 
> that does not shut off on the highway at 70 mph, in the city traffic, on 
> the back open roads, or basically anywhere motor vehicles may traverse? :)
>
> 3. What happens when the WOT switch is bad or closed? What happens when 
> it's open, for that matter?
>
> I replaced the ignition switch last summer, the fuel pump relay this past 
> winter. The mechanic has replaced the coolant temperature switch at the 
> bottom of the engine radiator hose (the pluggy one) and the ISV hoses 
> (which were collapsing) this week, to no avail. I am using a general 
> foreign repair shop right now that I don't want to trouble with a very 
> specific problem on an old tired Audi. :)
>
> Any suggestions? I'll send cookies.
>
> Megan
>
> 1988 80q
> _______________________________________________
> quattro mailing list
> quattro at audifans.com
> http://www.audifans.com/mailman/listinfo/quattro
>