Re:dead Audi (again) :-(

[Peter_C_Schulz@ccmail.ed.ray.com]

Lee Levitt wrote of his tribulations:

    From: llevitt@idcresearch.com
    Date: Fri, 14 Apr 95 11:21:16 EST
    Subject: dead Audi (again) :-(

          SFD! My wife's 200 is Dead Again. Battery low. You might
          remember that this happened over the weekend and my mechanic
          gave the car a clean bill of health - charging system
          charging, no weird loads when the car is off, etc.
          This morning it didn't start again. Fast ticking indicating
          that the battery had *some* juice. Put it on the trickle
          charger for 10 minutes and it started right up.
          So back it goes for further diagnostic work. Anyone have any
          thoughts on what it could be?
          New battery, new belts, 60K on the odometer...
          Thanks in advance...my wife is *real* unhappy about
          this...her $aab stranded her a couple of times last summer
          and she's not looking forward to another tempermental car.
          So, of course, it's *my* fault! HELP!!!!!!!!!!
          TIA,

          Lee Levitt
          llevitt@idcresearch.com

Lee:  
Questions to ask:

How long did you have the car until this problem originally manefested 
itself?

Has anything electrically been done to the car? Such as after market 
alarm, or stereo ?

Has the alternator ever been replaced ?

Recommendations:
1. check the ground leads from the battery to the chassis.  If you can 
check them with an ohmmeter.  Paint can make a very good insulator.

2.  Check the diodes on the alternator.  If they're breaking down, the 
alternator will put out ac voltage to the battery, and that will kill 
it.

3. Make sure that all the wires to the alternator are properly 
connected.  My VW had a charging problem that was finally corrected? (at 
least improved) by running a ground wire from the alternator body to the 
engine and chassis. VW finally added this feature at the factory.

4. Test the current draw on the battery with the motor off.  This will 
tell you if a short or an accessory is draining the battery.

5.  Make an offering to the Audi Gods...

That's about all I can think of...

Peter Schulz
1990 Coupe Q

PS> Had a low voltage problem with my old 16V Scirocco.  Went through 
Diehards every two years.  Had to disconnect the battery if the car sat 
for more than a few days.  Finally solved by autocrossing friend who 
bought the car after it's tranny did the ol' VW self-machining trick.  
He ripped out the supposed "Professionally installed Car Alarm System", 
which I had done by one of the TOP installers in the country- and paid 
alot for the supposed "professional" piece-of-mind...

Morale - if its electrical, and not stock, suspect it.