I recently put in a new starter and I don't think this is the issue. I don't think the battery is low either, but I don't know. In the last few days when I turn the key the starter kicks in at full speed but the engine doesn't start for a few seconds. Today I went to start it and it took a good 5 seconds and was juuuust barely running (while holding the starter) so I gave it a touch of gas to help it and it caught and started. It doesn't do this all the time. It seems like it happens after the car has sat for a little while (a few hours). An uncle of mine said it could be related to humidity, but I'm not sure what that means.

The car runs fine though. Just starting has become funky. I'll see if I can make a video of it (gotta wait a few hours). The temperature is around 0 C outside so it's not terribly cold. I'd appreciate any ideas.

Thanks.

I know I don't start well if I get less than 7 or so.

Wait, yes it is! LOL.

I'd start with the fuel pressure regulator, then move onto the fuel pump.

your cam position sensor is dieing. The CPS throws a '2113' blink code. The fuel pump does not throw a code. It just dies. See the threads yesterday and before.

But when the car is running even at full throttle nearing 7000 rpm I have no issues. Could it still be the pump? If it is then this is definately something I'll have to have a mechanic do for me.

Anyway, I went to the car and tried to make a video of the bad start. But of course it worked perfectly and started without an issue after sitting for a good 4 hours. Hah, great. I also tried to figure out how to "check the codes" and scanned through my manuals. I have no clue. My car is a 97 with the second generation computer connection thing (in the center near the hand brake). I don't have any special cables or connectors. I understand you can enable some kinda of blinking light to tell you the codes but I don't know how.

Thanks.

<ul><li><a href="http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/trouble_shooting/ecuf20v.html#fcs4">http://www.sjmautotechnik.com/trouble_shooting/ecuf20v.html#fcs4</a</li></ul>

Pull the manifold pressure line (it would be a vacuum line if not turbocharged)and see if any fuel comes out whilst sucking with a my t vac. Yes? FPR city!

we (me &amp; Keegan) chipped it the car ran wicked fast. Strong enough to get me into trouble with the Washington State patrol; a little issue called Reckless Driving. Anyways, had little boost related gremlins that we'd been dealing with at the time and ever since. I think it has to do with the OE hoses having to deal with the 1.9bar of boost.

In any case for the last month &amp; a half the car had seemed to constantly drop in performance ability. It increasingly felt like some how there was a restriction in either air or gas and that the motor just couldn't get enough (like a vacuum cleaner starving for air.) Then one evening about a month &amp; a bit ago I ran the gas tank absolutely bone dry... i squeezed every last ounce of fuel out of her and emptied the lines too. Needless to say this wasn't very good for the pump (which I believe was already in a state of progressive mortality). Anyhow this seemed to push the pump over the edge and ever since I've had a weird surge of RPM as the engine settles down on idle.

Then just recently (3 days ago) I ran into major problems. The engine power-loss became VERY apparent, and it was just like there was No Go. The idle dip&amp;surge became worse too, and then at one instant pulling up to a red light the engine just dived through idle and died. I managed a restart and kept the rev's up as I moved through the intersection and pulled off into a parking lot. Idle was very poor and again had this overwhelming sense of "restriction" in the engine. I was across the city (Edmonton) at this point and decided "**** it, I'm getting home", so I coaxed and limped and persuaded the S4 all the way back where I'd just come from... idle fall-through and poor power continued to manifest.

When I got home I started searching this forum and as well posted some questions. If I reflect back now on the indicators, a lot of them door seem to be "substance related" and all really felt like a no-gas situation. This is when I found some corroborating evidence that fuel pumps often die giving these tell-tale signs; which is why I've decided first off just to replace the pump. That same evening I went out and used Vag-COM to pull the codes and search through the engine systems (mind you none of them really directly related to the fuel pump or fuel flow). I had to start the car in order to do this, and the engine fired up no problem (as per your situation). I went to bed miffed but reasonably content. The next morning I went to start the car to go to work and she wouldn't light. The engine would catch very momentarily but then go straight to dead. Took lots of cranking and eventually I forced it to start with the old "floor the gas pedal and turn the key" trick. I headed down the street but the resistance &amp; idle problems were still bad. Also between shifts the rev's fell a lot faster than usual. A block away from my lot I said "screw this" and turned around to go swap vehicles for my beater Golf. The S4 has been sitting on the street ever since.

This S4 has *almost* 300,000km (293,000 to be exact) and I wouldn't be surprised if this was its original fuel pump.... maaaaybe its second. Regardless I am going to change it out and see if all the issues right themselves. I certainly hope this is the case.

My other suspects for the **** performance &amp; fuel mileage I've been experiencing are:

-entire ignition system. but I am going to 1.8T coilpacks after Christmas, so if that's still a problem it'll be fixed in 2007

-Oxygen Sensor (I have a new NTK unit to go in)

-Boost hoses. (need money to buy Samcos.. but getting these is just about top priority..except for that I need money)

good luck dude. I just did 1/2 the FP R&amp;R this afternoon, it's not that difficult at all.. except for huffing gas kinda sucks and I too have a full tank that will need to be siphoned.