[s-cars] My dead S2

[Paul Heneghan]

Hello Irvin.

That's bad luck!  When I bought my S6 last year, I was very worried that
something like this might happen to me, but so far, I've been lucky.

You must see what error codes the ECU is producing - it will tell you things
like failed knock sensor, O2 sensor, crack position sensor etc.  You can
also try some of the output tests - injectors etc.

You can see the error codes either as flashes on a lamp or LED you connect
to a couple of sockets usually used for VAG to connect a 1551 or 1552
diagnostic test equipment.

I bought a VAG-COM (an emulation of a 1551) for a couple of hundred dollars
so I can keep tabs on what errors the ECU is producing - so far nothing.

There are some obvious things you need to do.
Check all fuses.
Check all grounds (i.e. you get the full 12V - bad electrical grounds due to
corrosion cause weird effects).
Check for air leaks in all intake hoses - I had a problem very similar to
what you describe on an old 80 quattro - it turned out to be a hose fallen
off - just about OK at idle, but cut out through mixture problems at any
kind of revs.
Check fuel delivery and pressure - if the pump is on the way out, it might
cope with idle, but won't be up to anything more - often accompanied by a
loud buzz from the pump.
Check the MAF - this is how the ECU knows how much air is going in so it can
calculate the required fuel.
Check for a clogged cat - did S2s get cats in 1993?

I'm presuming you do a bit of car maintenance yourself.  If not, then give
the car to an expert (probably NOT the local VAG dealer), get all your money
out of the bank and give it to him - it might just to the job!

Seriously, you need to find a 20VT expert.  It's worth getting in touch with
some people in the local quattro owner's club
http://www.audioc.force9.co.uk/home.htm or http://www.club-audi.co.uk/ or
http://www.quattroownersclub.com/.

You could also try Phil Payne - have a look at
http://www.isham-research.com/quattro/links.html
By far the best diagnostics website for Audi 20VT engines is
http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/

Good luck.

Let us know how you get on.

Paul

> -----Original Message-----
> From: "Irvin Duguid" <id at irvinduguid.com>
> To: <s-car-list at audifans.com>
> Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2003 01:09:39 +0100
> Organization: boo productions
> Subject: [s-cars] My dead S2
>
> This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
> --
> [ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
> Hi
>
> My S2 (K,1993) died suddenly on the 15th of March. It's been to two Audi
main
> dealers in Scotland and neither can revive it. Apparently it's idling ok,
> but when it gets any revs at all it misfires and goes mental. The ECU is
> not to blame as it has been tested and also swapped with another S2's ECU.
> Also my ECU went into the other S2 and it ran fine..
>
> My car was using coolant during the last two days I had it, it had to be
> topped up twice (co-incidence?). Apart from that, it was fine till
suddenly...
>
> Very sad without it and not entirely sure what to do since two main
dealers
> cannot rectify and are now washing their hands of it.
>
> Help..
>
> sincerely
>
> Irvin Duguid
> End of S-CAR-List Digest