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

["Duff, Ian" <iduff@charter.com>]

Sounds like the ignition is getting wet, killing the spark. Confirm this
by pulling a plug wire, stick a screwdriver in, hold the shaft of the
screwdriver near (1/4") unpainted metal engine part, and crank (works
better with two people!) If you get spark between screwdriver and
engine, ignition is OK. No spark, check  distributor, rotor, wires, plug
gap. Good luck. HTH.

Ian Duff, New Bedford, MA
1990 Coupe Quattro

>----------
>From: 	John[SMTP:jb@access.digex.net]
>Sent: 	Friday, May 10, 1996 10:06 AM
>To: 	quattro@coimbra.ans.net
>Subject: 	4000Q that won't start after a good rain?
>
>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!
>
>Thank you,
>John
>