RE: Audi 100Q - Voltage on startup

[Paul.Heneghan@bbc.co.uk]

On Sat, 14 Oct 95 09:39:25 -0600, mcwasil@interaccess.com said

>When I start my 1990 100Q (79K miles) the voltmeter reads about 10.5 -
>11 volts. It will stay at that reading until the engine RPMs reach
>about 2300-2500. It has only been doing this for about the past two or
>three months. Once the RPMs hit 2300, then the voltmeter will read
>13 - 14 volts.

>Is this normal? Or a harbinger of bad things to come?

I had a 1980 Jetta GLi that did this.  The charging warning light would 
glow dimly until the RPMs hit 2000; then the light would go out and 
stay out.  I replaced the alternator and it still did it.  Then I 
inspected the connections to the back of the alternator and found that 
they were very corroded and loose.  I filed them down until I saw clean 
metal again, bent them with a pliers so that they would grip properly, 
and the problem went away.  I kept the old alternator as a spare, but 
never had to use it.