4kcsq starting problems.

[Mark Plotz <mplotz@gac.edu>]

        Entering week four of my quattro ownership and I couldn't love my
car more... except for a nagging problem that I have some times when I try
to start it. Here is the situation. When I first got my car, I immediately
had a problems starting it. I would get the car started, but then I would
have to rev the hell out of the engine in order to keep it going. If I let
the revs drop off, they would immediately fall below 1000rpms. Even if I put
the pedal to the floor, it would idle really low, sorta a Harley sound,
until all of a sudden the revs would pick up again to 3-4000, but whatever
the revs I would be able to modulate the speed of the engine. The problem
would repeat until the engine settled down again. This problem was "solved"
a few days later when one of the sensors in the engine was replaced by the
mechanic. It started better and idled smoother.
        Then the problems began about a week-and-a-half later. I started
having problems starting the car, but I could still get it started, at
first. Then I started having problems with it stalling in inconvient places
(the freeway at 65 mph, going around corner, etc.) After it stalled, if I
would wait about 5 minutes it would start again. Soon it would not want to
start at all. It would crank over fine, but there was no combustion.
        The car was towed and the fuel pump relay was replaced. According to
the mechanic it solved the problems of starting and it idled smoother. I
drove it about 500 miles that weekend and noticed two problems: a 4900 rpm
fuel cut off and after driving it for about 15 minutes, shuting off the
engine for about 2-3 minutes, it would not start. It started once again
after I pumped the gas pedal while starting, and after wiggling the fuel
pump relay. I don't know whether it was a function of time, or of what I
did. It was a wet day.
        The fuel cutoff was solved by simply replacing the wrong relay with
the right relay. I thank the list for this assistance with this problem.
        Yesterday, it was raining and I drove my girlfriend down to her
house. The car started fine and ran fine. It then sat for approxiametely 45
minutes until I started it again. I wiggled the fuel pump relay and pumped
the gas pedal after trying to start it again. It started and I had to rev
the hell out of the engine before I was able to drive it.
        This morning it started fine and I drove to McDonalds. It sat there
for about 10 mintues and then I tried to leave. Same symptoms as before. It
started and then I would rev it a little before I let it settle down into an
idle. Except it didn't settle down into an idle, but died instead. I tried
everything, but nothing worked. I went until the hood and gave the throttle
cable a yank. This produced the best results as the car started and I was
able to keep it alive by revving it before I tried to let it settle back
into an idle. The revs would drop off if I stayed off the gas for too long,
falling to about 200 rpms, despite the pedal being all the way to the floor.
If I held it there it would eventually pick pick up, after misfiring a
little bit and shaking a lot. After about 2 or 3 minutes of doing this and
scaring everyone in the McDonalds I stopped because I didn't want to hurt my
car. It is getting towed tomorrow by the guy I bought it from. And I am sure
that it will start tomorrow for him, but the problem will not be solved.
        Another problem, I don't know whether the two are related, is I get
a pretty good shock everytime I get out of my car. It has cloth seats.
        Thanks for all your help

Mark Plotz
mplotz@gac.edu
1986 4kcsq
1977 R100/7