No start condition - 1988 90Q - IT'S ALIVE!

[John Lagnese]

I have just gone a few weks on my 97 Jetta fixing minor leaks and other
nuisances until I found the culprit of my poor cold running problem. It
was simply the distributor cap. Its one way to keep the vehicle in top
form.

-----Original Message-----
From: quattro-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:quattro-bounces at audifans.com]
On Behalf Of Huw Powell
Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2011 9:32 PM
To: Radek
Cc: quattro at audifans.com
Subject: Re: No start condition - 1988 90Q - IT'S ALIVE!

That's great!  Yes, you may have "accidentally" fixed some air leaks, 
also that "airplate was hard to move at first" thing may very well have 
been necessary.

On 8/4/2011 9:00 PM, Radek wrote:
> Ok, that car has a mind of its own.  All we did was remove the
throttle body, lubricate all shafts and linkages, deal with the issue of
sticking large butterfly (electrical cable that links WOT and TPS
switches was getting in the way of the butterfly shaft, not allowing it
to rotate freely), then reassembled everything and now it's running like
nothing ever happened!
>
> I can think of two possible explanations:
> - by moving the air measurement plate up and down with pliers, perhaps
we forced a sticking plunger in the fuel distributor to get unstuck;
> - by reconnecting everything again, got rid of some vacuum leak we
were not aware of before.  Actually, there are two very small pipes on
the throttle body, facing forward, of which one was plugged with a
rubber cap, the other wasn't.  I put a cap on the other one, but they
are so small, I'm not even sure they pull any vacuum.
>
> Anyway, the car is running again, the plan now is to check ignition
timing ,deal with high idle and set fuel/air mixture.
> Thanks for all the help and encouragement : )
>
> Radek.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Radek
> To: quattro at audifans.com
> Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 10:26 PM
> Subject: No start condition - 1988 90Q - THIRD UPDATE
>
>
> Hi guys;
>
> Thanks to all who chimed in, we managed to get the motor to run
briefly by removing the igloo and pulling the air measuring plate up
with pliers.  So it seems to be a fuel issue, probably somehow connected
to the throttle butterflies not operating properly.  Planning to
dismantle throttle body tomorrow, also double check for vacuum leaks and
change fuel filter.
> Thanks.
>
> Radek
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Radek
> To: quattro at audifans.com
> Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2011 10:47 PM
> Subject: Fw: No start condition - 1988 90Q - SECOND UPDATE
>
>
> Played with fuel pressure regulator (attached a vacuum pump to it) -
no difference.
> Changed idle stabilization valve - no difference.
> Advancing ignition timing seems to help - instead of a single fire we
get two or three, but still does no start.
> An observation - does not fire at all with fully depressed throttle,
but will fire with throttle off.
> When firing, sometimes loud knocking can be heard, seems to come from
the intake manifold - backfire?
>
> Also, throttle body butterflies seem to be weird.  The small one opens
and closes smoothly, but the large one only opens fully in one shot at
WOT then, when slowly released, snaps back with a loud ping.  Is it
supposed to work like this?  All levers and springs seem to be in place.
>
> Planning to switch ECU tomorrow, hate to think about contortions
necessary to get deep into the passenger well.
> Cheers;
>
> Radek.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Radek
> To: quattro at audifans.com
> Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2011 12:21 PM
> Subject: Re: No start condition - 1988 90Q - UPDATE
>
>
> Fully charged battery overnight.  Blinked out codes - nothing.
> Replaced ignition cap, rotor and wires with good looking old set - got
car to sputter a bit.  It seems to catch a bit initially and then no
more.  It is actually catching when cranked with foot off the gas - with
throttle open, nothing at all.
> Any ideas?  Is there a way to check fuel pressure on these engines
(NG)?
> Radek.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Radek
> To: quattro at audifans.com
> Sent: Monday, August 01, 2011 9:46 PM
> Subject: No start condition - 1988 90Q
>
>
> In  need of help again, my son's 90q is out of commission again.
> Here is what he reported:
> when trying to start the car, at the first or second crank he heard a
bang (a snap, something sounding mechanical) and smelled something weird
under the hood.  The smell, he said, smelled of friction.
> The car kept cranking, but no start.  Came back home on a flatbed.
>
> Here is what I checked till now:
> - starter cranks the engine
> - timing belt is OK
> - valve train is moving (took rocker cover off to see if sprocket is
not sheared)
> - has good compression
> - timing belt alignment is OK (crankshaft to camshaft)
> - distributor turns
> - smells of gas when cranked
> - seems to have spark (checked with wire touching enging block)
> - coil resistance checks out OK
> - Hall sensor works (blinks a diode)
>
> Where to look next?  I'm going to blink out error codes tomorrow,
mosquitoes chased us out tonight.
> TIA
>
> Radek
>
>
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