Pleez help fast: 5KS No start!

[quk@sievers.com (Phil Payne)]

>> Quick question.......My 1987 5Ks will not start.  There appears to   
>>plenty of juice...but nothing going to the starter, and I don't think   
>>it's the shift lock...IS THERE A FUSE OR SOMETHING LIKE THE OLD FUSABLE LINK
>>SOMEWHERE IN THE CAR?   Please help.
>>   Paul Royal  87 5Ks 248,000 + (I hope)  

Is this the starter with the integrated relay/solenoid?

On this design, the starter relay is mounted on the side of the starter 
and doubles as a pre-engager, levering the starter's cog into the flywheel ring.

A very common mode of failure at high mileage is for the braided copper link 
between the "normally open" contact on the solenoid/relay and the starter's 
field coil to corrode through.  On some starters, there's absolutely nothing 
between this braided copper link and everything the environment can and does 
throw at it.

It's easy to see - it bridges between the back of the solenoid and the starter 
body.  You can see it from underneath the car.  10 years and 248k is about 
right for it to go.  Failure is catastrophic - corrosion reduces the effective 
cross-section available to carry the starter current until one day it goes into 
fuse mode.

I was told that this cannot be repaired because of the way the braid is welded 
into the field winding, and I needed a new starter for $250.  Bullshit.  I cut 
down into the post, pulled out the old braid, jammed a new one in, crimped it 
_hard_ and soldered it with a small blowtorch.  That was 30k miles ago.  I used 
a piece of a generic "small car" battery/chassis braid that cost around $1.

--
 Phil Payne
 phil@sievers.com
 Committee Member, UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club