[urq] intermittent ignition cutout, tach drops to zero

[Thatcher Hubbard]

I'm I correct in the assumption that if the tach is bouncing around
that it's not a fuel-related problem, e.g. the check valve or a
clogged fuel filter?

The reason I ask is that this seems like a good excuse to rip out the
CIS and go to SEFI.  I had planned on using the 034efi system that
will do distributor-based ignition for now and going to coil-packs
later.

But if this is an issue with power somewhere, an EFI conversion seems
like it would make the problem harder to diagnose.  I guess I'll check
all of my ECU connections and dash connections.


On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 13:03:54 -0700, Ed Kellock <ekellock at gmail.com> wrote:
> LOL.  When I acquired mine, the glove box was in the trunk and the ecu
> was just hanging against the kick panel and partially resting on the
> floor.  I finally remounted everything before they Park City urq
> gathering.  I even still had the plastic cover off of the connector
> plug from back when I was troubleshooting, pin by pin, the no-start
> condition 2 years ago.  When I replaced the cover and then plugged it
> back into the ecu and clipped it down snug, the car would not start.
> I had (have?) a flaky pin and had to remove the plug cover and make
> sure the wires weren't streched or pinched and was finally able to get
> it back together and have the car actually run (bonus!).  I think it
> may have been the pin/wire to the ignition module.  Aha! you say...
> but I'm sitting here saying "but I didn't work in that area at all!"
> 
> I guess I'm going back under the dash.  I know there had been issues
> before I bought it because there were jumper wires run in different
> places, from the fuse box to the coil, from the fuse box to something
> or other under the driver's side of the dash, from the ignition module
> to another wire on the ecu loom.  All since removed and everything has
> been fine.  And... I didn't work in that area at all!
> 
> Irascible bitchcar from hell.
> 
> Ed
> 
> 
> On Tue, 15 Feb 2005 12:55:10 +0000, fdekat <fdekat at sentex.net> wrote:
> >
> > I too had such a similar problem on my '83 urq.
> >
> > I've not really 'solved' the problem, but have managed to make the symptoms
> > go away.
> >
> > I would get the same tach action, or sometimes it would bounce all over the
> > place. And if the 'event' happened under good boost, I'd get a most
> > spectacular loud 'BANG' out the rear. Sort of fun, the first few times. Gets
> > pretty tired after a while.
> >
> > Anyway, if it didn't fix itself, it could be cured by a key off/on cycle
> > (even 'on the fly' on the highway).
> >
> > Eventually, it started to happen when hitting good bumps, and I could
> > 'simulate' the condition by beating on the right end of the dash. I've
> > 'fixed' it by mounting the ECU back onto the glovebox end, as it was intended
> > to be.
> >
> > (When I got the car, the ecu was sort of hanging on the end of a tiewrap, up
> > behind the glovebox.)
> >
> > I was convinced that it was a flaky connection, but no amount of prodding at
> > the ECU connector, or moving it around could reproduce the fault. I'm
> > thinking that perhaps something on the ECU itself is the problem, but have
> > not really pursued the issue further, as it 'seems' to be ok now.
> >
> > (OK. So I'm an optimist! Who am I really fooling? The Audi gods will strike
> > when they see fit!)
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> >  =Frank de Kat=
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