Difficulty starting - '90 80

[Robert Rossato]

It was around 50F over the weekend and yesterday it was high 30's and
raining hard all day long.  So, no ice.

Don't know when he last had the fuel filter changed.  But he is
definitely getting fuel at the start. A couple of times he was able to
get it running for about 1 minute and took the opportunity to move the
car to a better area of the parking lot before it died again.  Engine
ran normal during that time.  Could rev it up and down no problem.

It's very consistent in that it starts immediately each and every time
and then slowly dies after 5 secs.  I witnessed that when I went to pick
him up.  I'm thinking the cold start valve may be the only thing that's
working and once the fuel from that runs out the engine stalls.  Are the
main injectors and cold start valve controlled by two different circuits
such that one would work and not the other?  Kind of a dumb question I
guess as they would have to be, but I was wondering if they are tied to
a central control that if the main injectors wouldn't work then the CS
valve wouldn't work either and the car shouldn't start at all.  I forget
if these are a CIS system or if the injectors are controlled
electronically.  Obviously the cold start valve is electronically
controlled.  Again it's a 1990 80q.

I'm still leaning towards a bad fuel pump relay, but would that even
allow the thing to start?  My previous experience with a bad FP relay on
a VW Scirocco was that it wouldn't start.  Again the fuel pump is
audible at least at the start.  He can't be certain if it was running
for a second or so after it stalls like it normally would.

Bob

> -----Original Message-----
> From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com 
> [mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf Of Tony Hoffman
> Sent: Monday, March 28, 2005 11:32 PM
> To: Robert Rossato; quattro at audifans.com
> Subject: Re: Difficulty starting - '90 80
> 
> 
> How cold is it? Could be ice in the fuel lines also. When has 
> the fuel filter been replaced? I'd start with the easy stuff. 
> Next, crack the fuel line going to the CS valve and see if it 
> sprays while cranking. I usually put a rag over it to keep 
> from spraying all over. It does definately sound like a fuel issue.
>  
> Tony
>