Starting Tips

[Paul Kuettel <kuettels@iname.com>]

Hi All!

This is a particularly stupid question, with newbieness written all over
it...but...I'm somewhat at a loss for solutions short of risking a tow,
so I hope to harness the power of the Audi corner of the Internet in a
way that has helped me with many a Merkur problem.

Suspect: 1988 5KTQ

Symptom: Difficult starting.  New alternator, good battery, cranks fine.

Dilemma: REALLY tough to start last nite, but risked sending my nervous
wife on a 2 mile journey to City Hall for her council meeting.  Would
not start two hours later.  Coughed a time or two, otherwise just turned
over and over and over....

Today, after a cold nite's rest, the battery and starter did all they
could, but to no avail.

Now, I have a dead soldier sitting in front of our City Hall in the no
parking paint with a very tired battery (still enough left if only I
could get some fuel to ignite within the next few dozen cranks).  If I
can get it rolling, I will immediately postpone all Christmas spending
plans and deposit it at the nearest shop for a complete rejuvination. 
I'll bend over as far as I have to, so great is my frustration.

Politically somewhat embarassing, but Laura just got re-elected,
unopposed, for another 4 years.  I only hope our MARRIAGE lasts that
much longer, based on the automotive adventures she's endured.

Question: Did you stay this long?  If so, I would like to know if there
is some hose I can disconnect, button I can push, lever I can move,
circuit I can short in order to achieve ignition with what's left of the
battery.  I've already tried spraying starter fluid into the carb ;-)

Cheers and thanks for your patience.  I promise not to waste this much
bandwidth again, but this is kind of a test to see how tolerant and
helpful Audiphiles can be, compared with the infinitely sympathetic
Merkurist Cult!

Paul Kuettel

PS. One thing about Scorps and XRs--they start right up.  Everything
else goes to pot at one time or another, but I've never been stranded
like this!  At least not since I got rid of that '78 Scirocco.