Re: Audi 200T hard starting

[Igor Kessel <e6941tb@ix.netcom.com>]

John Zacharek wrote:
> 
> It takes a good 5-8 turns of the motor, at least, before it fires.
> The dealer assured me this is common on the turbos.

Amazingly enough, but in '94 I was given _exactly_the_same BS line, when I was 
checking out for that 200, that I own now. 

> My 5000S always
> cranks right up on the 2nd turn at most, so I find it hard to believe
> that the turbo can do this.

Same here also, my '85 5000s would fire up on a quarter-turn. This present 200 was my 
first turbo car ever, so for a while I actually did believe that since turbos have a 
lower compression ratio/larger intake volume to fill, hence they indeed need more 
cranking time, blah, blah, blah.

Later I bought a bound set of Official Audi Repair Bulletins for '89 m.y. (there's no 
such thing as *too much Audi literature*;-) and it turned out that this problem was so 
common with the 200, that AoA had issued a bulletin, dealing with it. Now my 200 fires 
up on a quarter-turn.

John, replace your injectors with the new (Viton) ones. Your injector(s) are dripping 
fuel into the combustion chamber. The fuel sys loses pressure -> it takes longer to 
pump up required 80psi in order to open up the injectors (have you ever run out of 
fuel? How long did it take to start the car up after your friendly AAA truck refilled 
the tank? Same here.)

I know, the injectors are pricey (I paid $20/ea at Blau). BTW, Bentley explicitly 
suggests replacing _all_5_at_once. Here's a simple test:

On the cold engine: in the morning, turn the ignition on, but, before starting it up, 
open the fuse box and insert a fuse into the fuel pump relay as if you were to perform 
a routine computer diagnostic. Within 5 sec you'll hear the fuel pump buzz, 
pressurising the sys. Wait 10 more sec, pull the fuse out, turn the ignition off.
The buzzing will go away, the fuel pump will stop working, but the sys will be 
pressurised.

Now start the car up with the key. Did it catch immediately? If so, you are looking at 
a set of 5 new injectors. BTDT.

> Also, because this is the first turbo I've had, I'm not sure what is
> normal for boost pressure.  The gauge indicates that the most boost I
> get is about 1.3, and this is at about 5000 r.p.m.

That's perfectly within the spec.

> The gauge goes up to 2.0 according to the book...

Yep, I've seen it happen on a number of cars (say, like on my 200TQ =8)
You need to buy one of them modified computers, tho. Along with a silicon reinforced 
turbo hose. And a reinforced intercooler. And a V1 radar detector. Coz after you will 
have tasted the acceleration at 18psi at 7200rpm in 3rd, there's really no coming 
back.

-- 
Igor Kessel
'89 200TQ - 18psi (TAP)
'97 A4TQ - on order
Philadelphia, PA
USA