Subject: RE: Report-1990 V8 Quattro Idle Problem too

[Larry Smeins <lsmeins@ball.com>]

>Date: Thu, 13 Nov 1997 07:43:44 -0700
>From: Larry Smeins <lsmeins@ball.com>
>Subject: Subject: 1990 V8 Quattro Idle Problem too

>I've been having exactly the same symptoms on my 87 5kcst.  In my case
>it is after a cold start and it will take about 30 seconds of running
>with accelerator held down before it will idle properly.  After
>unsuccessfully looking for a vacuum leak I took it to the dealer with
>instructions to fix it.  They failed on the first try, cranked up the
>mixture, so I took it back.  They report that the connector contacts
>were corroded on a temperature sensor and cleaning the contacts has
>fixed the problem.  I'll be picking the car up later today and will
find
>which temp sensor it was and whether it really is fixed.

>Larry

Sorry to report that cleaning the temp sensor contacts did not fix my
car.  The temp sensor that was worked on is the water temp sensor.  I
picked up my keys and went out to start the car after it had been
sitting in 20 F weather overnight.  It fired and started when cranked
but immediately died and did not want to restart.  I had the mechanic
come out and he successfully started it by holding the accelerator open
a small amount and keeping the Rs up once it fired and cuate.  No
surprise, that is how I've been getting it started for some time.  He
said that was the proper way to start the car.  Doesn't seem that's how
the owners manual describes starting.  He said I needed to teach my wife
how to start the Audi, it was she that was afraid to take the Audi on
overnight trips for fear it wouldn't start.  He then said I could be in
for a lot of bucks for small improvements if I wanted him to continue
working on it since the starting characteristics were common on Audis
with as many miles as mine (205 k miles).  I guess I'll have to roll up
my sleeves and go to work on it myself.

Larry