5000TQ Avant Starting Problems

[Steve Sears]

Oooorrr, instead of tempting fate trying to bend the pot metal piece.....how 
about $10.17 plus shipping for part number 443905855A ?  The link is at:
http://europartsamerica.com/parts/product_details/443905855A
Getting the old switch out involves a bit of precisely located drilling on 
the steering column lock casting to push a retaining spring in.  The new 
unit comes with a set of keys, but if you want to retain your original keys 
you can carefully drive out the roll pin that connects the pot metal piece 
to the lock cylinder and swap cylinders.
I ordered said piece because the starter was becoming flaky - even on a 
reasonably full battery.  As it turned out, the culprit was the splice in 
the main battery cable running from the starter to the battery - when under 
a heavy load - ie, when the starter was engaged - the cable at the splice 
would heat up nicely....enough to carbonize the insulation and scorch the 
wire within 10" of the splice. 
http://gallery.quattroworld.com/d/9160-2/Img_4660_1.jpg
Replaced the cable with #2 welding cable to the starter and she's been 
starting like a dream ever since.
Cheers!
Steve Sears
1987 Audi 5kTQ
1980 Audi 5k
1962 and '64 Auto Union DKW Junior deLuxes
----- Original Message ----- 
> Date: Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:36:06 -0800
> From: "john at westcoastgarage.net" <john at westcoastgarage.net>
> Subject: Re: Re: 5000TQ Avant Starting Problems
> To: Stephen Sherman <spsherm at msn.com>
> Cc: Robert Myers <robert at s-cars.org>, quattro at audifans.com, Tony
> Hoffman <auditony at gmail.com>
> Message-ID: <4B719D06.20408 at westcoastgarage.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
>
> Stephen Sherman wrote:
>> <div class="moz-text-flowed" style="font-family: -moz-fixed">One other
>> thought. ~10 years ago on another 5000TQ Avant we had, I vaguely
>> recall a repair to the ignition switch that I did. IIRC there is a
>> shaft that connects the ignition lock tumbler to the electrical
>> switch, and over time that shaft twists some.  The repair was to twist
>> the shaft back a bit to get it closer to its original alignment.
>>
>> This ring any bells with anyone? I no longer recall the symptoms this
>> had, but if it causes the electrical switch to not rotate far enough
>> into the start position, seems like it may be related...
>>
>> </div>
>>
> That shaft is pot metal.  Twisting = breaking.  John