4x5x5

This has me pulling my hair out. The V8 has finally stranded me, 2 weeks ago.

Turn the ignition switch and nothing, well not quite nothing, you can hear the relays clicking. The load reduction, the tranny relay and the relay 'near' the SEM switch in the center console.

I swapped out the standard Bosch relays to see if they were at fault, same deal. After a number of cycles of the ig switch the relays stopped clicking.

There was no degradation of starting effort, or ig switch fumbling etc. It always worked fine, then nothing. Good dry weather etc. (fun getting a car on ramps that won't start, it took me a week!)

Though only ~70K on the car I assumed the starter. All is fairly clean under there for 17 years old, I assume the starter is original. Audi covered the starter copper ground wire with a shield so helpful but probing it and I guess it as as green as most. Initially The wire to the starter from the ig switch showed 8V. When I jumpered the solenoid with a solid 12V and the car started as always no drama. I rechecked the wire from the car and this time got 12V, I figured maybe I had a bad ground on the DMM before. Plug everything back up and the car is fine through 10 immediate cycles and then leaves me dead again 2 days later. (car never died while running)

As I 'know' the starter/solenoid is OK I get a new ignition switch, no difference. All the down stream electricals, as near as I can tell from Bentley, from the tranny relay all work with ig switch on, dash power, lights, etc. I tried to feed 12V to the 'out' of the auto tranny relay that Bentley shows feeding the starter solenoid and no luck. I can't get under the car right now to run 12V directly to solenoid because of where it died. Any BTDT? Can this still be starter? Any way to jumper 12V to the solenoid wire with out getting under the car, just so I can move it?

Ideas welcomed!

itsav8

If this isn't an intermtant wiring problem...you have a bad starter.

Kneale Brownson

My thoughts too.

Can you jack it up and put stands under to get to the wire? I'd just replace that wire that was showing you limited voltage initially. Then go for the starter if that doesn't do the trick.

4x5x5

<center><img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/53330/iggy1.jpg"></center><p>Well that's the deal with electrical R&amp;R, good 1 minute and crap the next. Initially I got 7.6 Volts at the solenoid wire. Then I sent 12V direct from battery to solenoid and fine start. Rechecked for 12v at solenoid wire with a different ground and saw 12V, then buttoned all up for 48 hours and a dozen no problem starts. As a few suggested I may peel back the cover on that solenoid wire to check for corrosion underneath though it looks fine. The solenoid ground wire is sheathed so i can't confirm what I've seen in every other Audi starter I've had, that it is very green. I may have a wrench cut it off and reweld one on to see it that is it. The starter has never worked less than 100% which I have never seen in a failing starter. On the plus side, the ig switch was starting to fail mechanically, the molded in spring mount was broken and spreading so (9 oclock in the pic) at least that was not a total waste.

Kneale Brownson

I've seen that liddle wire to the starter full of corrosion under its insulation for two or three feet.

I don't know what that ground strap on the starter does. I've never seen one that wasn't green either. I've also never seen one with sheathing. Starter itself grounds to the bell housing where it mounts. You MIGHT check the engine ground wires. If they're all corroded, that could lead to the intermittency you're experiencing.

4x5x5

I assume the copper braid provides the ground for the solenoid via the starter body which grounds via the engine. This is where every I5 staret I've had to replace has gone bad. I'll go through the engine common grounds as soon as I can get the car off the ground. I'll also peel back the solenoid wire for just the reason you mention, thougnit looks like more than 6 inches may be tough, might try to find the source in the car and replace the whole thing.