Re: Air temp sensors

[steveb@falcon.kla.com (Steven Buchholz)]

> Well, I have started driving the ur-quattro again. 

Glad to hear it Dave, congratulations!
> 
<<< SNIP >>>
> 
> So I hit a local shop and pick up an air temp sensor from a mashed
> 87 5000 turbo. The wires are soldered on, so I snip them close to the
> sensor tabs and head home. Resistance measures 500 ohms and
> increases when hot air is applied. 

<<< SNIP >>>

> What bond have I encountered? Has Audi developed a new
> way of joining two metals into one for maximum electrical conductivity
> (possibly even better than a crimp connection)?
> 
> Let me know how you 'netsters unsolder these wires.

I don't know for sure what was used for solder, but I always suspected 
that given the low resistance of the sensor they did whatever they could 
to minimize the chance that contact resistance would dominate the measure-
ment.  That is why I think the only connector in the chain is the one at 
the ECU.  Good luck getting the wires hooked up, and I'd recommend against 
putting a connector in the line.  Perhaps the thing to do is to splice the 
stubs of wire on the new sensor into the car's wiring.  Hopefully the wire 
they used was not made of unobtanium and thus impossible to use tin-lead 
solder on ... I suppose if that were the case you could use some in-line 
crimp lugs.  

Good luck!
Steve Buchholz
s_buchho@kla.com
San Jose, CA (USA)