[V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle

Thu Jan 27 16:17:13 EST 2005

Dave,

thanks for the reply .  my ears are still ringing.  My battery doesn't have 
the red cover but I will go get one from Audi or a battery store this 
evening.  I've been driving it like this for a long time.  I even had 
Firestone replace it with another battery and they didn't keep the plastic 
on it,  This morning I did put a piece of plastic in its place.  Since, this 
just started yesterday I'm trying to figure out what I did to cause the 
problem.  Maybe I'm just grabbing at straws.

I remember slamming down my heavy briefcase over the rear seat.  That lead 
me to think that the connection might be damaging the battery and/or the 
charging system.

The battery is a Sears International Battery that was selected by Sears.  I 
have had good experiences with the International batteries over Audi's 
batteries as they are in all of my cars.

The vent tube is connected.

With the bench up I'm hearing a swirling noise coming from the bench area - 
possibly I'm hearing the fuel pump beyond.

Steve Kramer

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dsaad at icehouse.net>
To: <v8 at audifans.com>
Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 2:33 PM
Subject: Re: [V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle

> If you replaced the alternator, more than likely the regulator was 
> replaced too.
> It is built into the alternator. I hope the mechanic did not swap your old 
> one
> back on the new alternator.
>
> Your battery ABSOLUTLY HAS to have a cover over the POSITIVE post, and the
> battery has to have a vent hose. There is a very specific battery that 
> must be
> used (sorry - I don't have the type handy) or you WILL have at least two 
> very
> nasty problems:
>
> 1. Explosive and corrosive HYDROGEN GAS is constantly being generated by 
> the
> battery when the car is running.
>
> 2. If (or more likely when) someone sits on the rear seat over the exposed
> battery post, and causes a short to ground, you will have an instant fire,
> possible battery explosion, and probable injury to everyone in the car.
>
> Make sure you have the correct battery type and that it is properly VENTED
> through the tube in the floor.
> On some batteries, you connect the vent hose to one vent nipple on the 
> battery
> and then make sure to PLUG THE OTHER ONE or you will still release 
> hydrogen
> under the seat.
>
> Your symptoms still sound like a bad alternator. If you have been in deep 
> water
> you could have caused some sort of corrosion problem in the alternator.
> It could have just failed for no good reason too. It happens.
>
> (SORRY ABOUT THE YELLING BUT THIS IS IMPORTANT STUFF :-)
>
> Dave
>
> Quoting Steve Kramer <skramer at mac.com>:
>
>> I did have the alternator replaced last year but not the voltage 
>> regulator.
>> What do you use to clean the battery posts - ground locations.
>>
>> Dumb question -  Also could the battery short out if the posts touch the
>> metal on the rear bench.
>>
>> Steve Kramer
>> 1990 v8
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Buchholz, Steven" <Steven.Buchholz at kla-tencor.com>
>> To: <v8 at audifans.com>
>> Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2005 12:59 PM
>> Subject: RE: [V8] the dreaded blue wire debacle
>>
>>
>> ... by any chance has this crack mechanic pulled the regulator module
>> off the alternator to see if the brushes are getting to the end of their
>> life?  To be honest I've forgotten the details of the journey that got
>> us to this point, but I remember a similar chain in my younger days ...
>> I think it was on the old '78 Fox ... I went up and down the charging
>> system ... and all it took was getting the alternator rebuilt!  Think
>> about it ... most all of the other bits do not tend to wear or get moved
>> about ...
>>
>> Other items that can lead to charging system issues are the ground braid
>> from the engine block to the frame, and on some models there are poorly
>> crimped high current cables that can develop high resistance ... but I
>> don't think this applies to the V8 ... and even if it did would not
>> likely result in the ALT light coming on ...
>>
>> Steve B
>> San Jose, CA (USA)
>> >
>> > Well, it's happened again.  One week after having the cluster
>> > taken out and
>> > the blue wire fixed  I thought I was through with the blue wire thing.
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>
>
>
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> http://www.audi-quattro.org/cgi-bin/twiki/view/Audi/V8
> Have a V8 answer? ... Please help others by adding to the KB ... all 
> contributions welcome!
> 