Re: Need a Hella XL & 200 q problem

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Brian Armstead <barmstea@ibb.gov>
To: Quattro List <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Wednesday, February 17, 1999 1:40 PM
Subject: Need a Hella XL & 200 q problem


>Listers:  Busted one Hella XL pulling out of a driveway last night.  My
>world is very dim now.  Anyone have a single XL (or a pair) for
>sale/trade?
>
>Regarding my 200q.  When I first start the car in the morning, the volt
>meter will sometimes show about 10 volts, and the battery and check
>engine lights will illuminate even though the engine is running.  If I
>blip the throttle (get the revs just over 1600), the lights will go out
>on the dash, the voltage reading jumps up past 14, and I hear a noise
>that sounds like a compressor engaging (not a clicking sound, but a
>whirring sound as if some auxilliary pump just turned on.  The car has
>done this for about seven months now.  If the car is warm, it won't do
>it.  Never had the battery drain because of this, since the problem goes
>away as soon as you rev the car.  Alternator brushes are in good shape.
>
>Weird problem that I have never seen described on the list before.  Any
>thoughts?
>
Brian;

    Check the alternator belt tension. If it is slightly loose, it will slip
enough that the alternator will not charge at idle when you first start the
car. Once you rev the engine and the belt warms up a bit, it will charge OK
at idle. If it gets really loose, it will not charge at idle and you can
hear it slip. BTW, what is loose on this belt would be OK on Detroit iron -
these alt belts are a little undersized for the service. They need to be
checked frequently for tension if you are running in a new belt. Thank
goodness the Audi engineers made access so convenient!
    BTDT on my 200q.

HTH

Fred Munro
'91 200q  269k km