Re: 4000Q that won't start after a good rain?

[Andrew Duane USG/PE <duane@zk3.dec.com>]

Hairy green toads from Mars made John say:

> Please help!  My '85 4000Q is getting harder and harder to start.
> In the morning after a rain, the starter seems strong, but nothing
> else happens - except that after after 5 seconds of the starter turning,
> I hear a small thump or clunk.  When I release the starter, sometimes
> I hear a tiny hint that it might be starting, but that's all.
> 
> I tried DRYGAS twice, and after a couple of hours it started.  But once
> I just waited a couple of hours without DRYGAS and it started.  But lately
> it's been raining a lot and I haven't driven my Audi in 2 days.  I am trying
> DRYGAS again this morning.
> 
> I tried jumping it (more volts) and that didn't help at all.  A visual
> inspection also turned up nothing obvious.
> 
> Some of my vaccuum tubing is a bit old - can a vaccuum leak cause this?
> 
> Why does it seem to happen after a good rain!?  All suggestions welcome!

Sounds like an ignition wiring problem. Have you checked:

	distributor (especially cap)
	wires
	plugs

My '89 100Q was a bear to start when it rained (or got really
humid overnight), and ran like sh*t for a couple of minutes.

It turned out to be a loose distributor cap.

-- 

Andrew L. Duane (JOT-7)			duane@zk3.dec.com
Digital Equipment Corporation		(603)-881-1294
110 Spit Brook Road			http://www.zk3.dec.com/~duane
M/S ZKO3-3/U14
Nashua, NH    03062-2698

Only my cat shares my opinions, and she's too heavy to care.