5000TQ Avant Starting Problems

[Tony Hoffman]

Audi only used the relay on the automatic cars. It's essentially the
cutout for the neutral safety swtich. On the manual cars, there is a
"Z" strip that bypasses this relay plug-in on the fusebox. There is no
clutch interlock switch in any Audi (or VAG, for that matter) until at
least the early 90's from the factory.

On the subject of that "Z" strip in the fusebox. Locate it, and next
time you have a problem (if you do) it's an easy place to
troubleshoot. Simply run a hot wire from the battery jump post to that
strip (making sure the car is in neutral, of course) and see if it
cranks with that. If so, the problem is between the ign sw and that
strip. If not, the problem is between that strip and the starter.
Basically, if you suspect the starter or the ign sw, it will narrow it
down to one or the other.

Tony


On Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 1:44 PM, Stephen Sherman <spsherm at msn.com> wrote:
> Thanks Bob. I was aware of the solenoid acting as the high current relay
> for the starter. But some cars have an additional relay that switches
> the current to the solenoid as well. Not unlike headlight relays some
> folks put in; Ford used such a relay to its starters on mid 80's
> pickups. I was just curious if the 5000cs's used such a relay, and it
> sounds like the answer is no.
>
> BTW, is there a clutch interlock switch for the starter on these cars?
> Maybe some bad connections there (one place I have not checked)?
>