88 5kq Will not start on damp January day, temp in 50's

[Ed Kellock]

Back in about '95 or '96, I had this happen on my '87 5kcstq.  I started it
up and hid under a gas station canopy during a brief hail storm and then it
wouldn't restart when it was safe to leave.  I finally got it restarted.
Later, I think due to advice from the list, I cut open the throttle position
sensor and found that it had once been flooded with water for some time.  I
reheated the solder joints in there and it ran better than ever before (in
my ownership).  Nice cheap fix.

Ed

On 1/31/06, Kneale Brownson <kneale at coslink.net> wrote:
>
> Run the engine when it's dark out and spray a mist of water around the
> wires.  Bet you'll find you need new wires.
>
>
> At 04:52 PM 1/30/2006 -0500, SJ wrote:
> >Car wouldnt start today. Tried to catch once . .then it just cranks.
> >
> >Sprayed starting fluid into one of the bonnet hose inlets. No reaction,
> it
> >just cranks.
> >Took off Distributor cap, looked for carbon arc traces . .didnt notice
> any.
> >. cleaned the cap insides. Tried starting - nope, it just cranks.
> >Weather condition - rather warm for January, 50+F. Humid, damp .
> >
> >Over the last 2 weeks or so, I have noticed a bit of a miss under load
> when
> >the engine was not fully warmed up. One plug maybe misfiring .. it was a
> >subtle sympton.
> >
> >Put the battery on a charger. Came back after about 2 hours or so.
> Weather
> >dried up a bit. Tried starting the engine . .vrooooom!
> >
> >I wrote about a similar problem before which happened to my other audi >
> 90
> >100Q. No start on rainy damp day, temp around 50 F.
> >http://www.audifans.com/pipermail/quattro/2003-December/085586.html
> >Subject was: "Odd engine problem on a rainy day . . chug, chug, chug,
> chug"
> >
> >Looks like I'm having the same problem. Last time it was a no spark/bad
> >spark/crossed spark that was causing the symptom due to carbon tracks
> inside
> >the distrubutor cap.
> >
> >I ordered a new cap, rotor, and plugs. Will put them in tomorrow.
> >I will write an update post in a couple of days after I test out the new
> >parts.
> >
> >SJ
> >85 Dodge PU, D-250, 318, auto
> >85 Audi 4k - - sold but still on the road
> >88 Audi 5kq
> >90 Audi 100q
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >--
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> >
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