Re: Non-Audi Technical Question

[raf40@oes.amdahl.com (Richard Funnell)]

Mike,

I know even less about boats than cars, but here's a few thoughts.

>Sorry guys, this has nothing to do with Audi's (although my Quattro jump
>started the boat yesterday.)  What kind of lubricant should be used on the
>starter gear to help it kick out when the starter is engaged?  This should
>apply to a starter on anything, Audi's, Volkswagens, Porsche's, and V6 Mercury
>150's I'd assume...  I'm working on a boat that has been sitting for three
>years, the starter gear will spring up when the starter is engaged, but
>sometimes it won't go back down.  Lithium grease?  WD40?  Graphite?

I would use a light lube like WD40 or penetrating oil and work the thing
until its loose.  I wouldn't want to leave any lube on the part in case it
gets inside.  Lube and brushes inside motors don't mix well.

>Also a question for you electircal guru's out there:  There is a hydraulic trim
>pump on this thing.  It takes twelve volts, straight from the battery into a 90
>amp fuse (looks like a relay to me)

...it's probably a circuit breaker.

 and then goes to the pump motor.  We hooked
>power up to this thing, then tried to raise the motor.  Nothing.  A little
>voltage testing showed 12 Volts both before and after this 90 amp fuse, so we
>ruled it out.  After an hour of tracing, I tested the Ohms of the fuse.
> According to the meter (SunPro 7670) the fuse was blown!  Bypassed the fuse,
>motor came right up.  We hooked the fuse up again and tried it, still measured
>12 volts before and after the fuse, but the motor went nowhere.  How is this
>possible?  If the fuse is blown (obviously it is) why would the meter still be
>registering voltage going through the fuse, but not registering any ohms
>passing through?  This has me baffled, TIA for any ideas.  We now return you to
>your normally scheduled Audi program.

I'm probably telling you stuff you already know, but the breaker probably
has some very high resistance even though it is blown.  If the circuit is
open on the motor side when you do the voltage test, it will read 12 volts
on the motor side of the breaker since there is virtually no current.  If
you close the switch to raise the motor, and measure the voltage on the
motor side of the breaker at the same time, you should see the voltage drop
to zero.

Good luck.


Richard Funnell,
San Jose, California
'83 urQ