924Board.org

[Lovecake]

Hi all, my '82 924 has recently developed a starting problem that's causing me no end of confusion and frustration. Apologies in advance if this is a little long-winded...

When I first bought it, the car didn't start easily - it would crank over fine, but wouldn't fire up, and would splutter for a few seconds after shutting the key off. After many attempts it would usually start. I bought a new battery and swapped the cheap aftermarket ignition coil for the original Bosch one from my parts car, and this seemed to fix the problem.

I've used the car as a daily driver for over a year since then and she's performed admirably, the engine sounds perfect when it's running and has started fine, until this current problem arose.

I was going to try to to start the parts car, and decided to borrow back the good coil. Unfortunately, the top of this coil had become brittle with age so when I went to remove the nut holding the wires on, the post broke off instead. Without much hope, I attatched the original coil that I had previously removed, and to my surprise it worked and the car started right away.

I drove it fine for about a week until one morning I tried to start the car only to find the symptoms that it had when I bought it - cranking forever, coughing every now and then but not starting - which I duly attributed to the old coil.

Now here's where it gets weird... I wasted some time trying to start it, before having the idea to steal the coil off my dad's broken-down runabout. Lo and behold, she started first turn of the key with that coil in place. Happily confident that I'd found and fixed the problem, I drove it for a few more days, until it yet again refused to start yesterday morning. I literally drove it home at 11:30pm, then went to start it at 9:00am and got nothing, not even a splutter, just the engine turning over and draining the battery.

Now, logically the problem lies in the coil, or is at least electrical - the car started fine until the good coil broke, and the starting problem is the same as what it was when I bought the car. However, i tested the plugs and they are sparking, though weakly, with either of the coils that I've got, and once it eventually started yesterday (after many hours and recharging the battery) it ran fine. I'm also perplexed as to why both coils seemed to work reliably for a while, than stopped.

This has got me wondering whether I have perhaps got a coincidental fuel problem that is being masked by the coil issue - after all the cranking yesterday, I couldn't smell any petrol, and the level on the oil dipstick didn't change at all as it perhaps would be expected to, although I could hear the fuel pump.

To sum it up, I guess I'm just after some advice as to what course of action I should take in order to find the root of this confusing problem.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for any suggestions you might have.
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'68 VW bug
blue 1979 924 N/A (wounded/parts car)
red 1982 924 N/A

[Nobbi]

i would suspect a broken cable connection on the alternator/Startermotor.
I dont think it s the coil itself, maybe the resistors? Ignition-switch ?
Just what comes to my mind quickly...

Nobbi
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NA 924 - april/1977- 4-speed-audi gearbox.
500.000 km with fun.....and new toy:Porsche 944 S2 Cabriolet.Other car Daimler c-class cabby,brandnew..Plus : DEUTZ 4005 tractor Built 1967

[Smoothie]

+1↑

+Check and clean any connectors near the coil, both plug-in and screw-lug types. Often just an unplug-replug's enough to renew the plug-in connections. -But have a look also for corrosion and scrape clean if found.
_________________
"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."


'82 924T, US version, dark green metallic, 5 speed Audi 016G gearbox

[RC]

+2^

Doesn`t sound like the coil. Check for power, nominal 12V at coil + while cranking over. Possibly resistors, cable or connections from starter solenoid #16 (black wire) especially 3 terminal connector near brake booster that joins it to the black/yellow wire leading to coil resistor.