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Battery died and car wont start
Car: Audi, A4, 1998, 2.8 - Back to Fix-It - Audi Repair Manuals
Q.I have a 1998 A4 quattro. The battery died and I recharged it but now the car won't start. Its turning over fine and trying hard to start but just won't fire. I checked all the fuses and they are OK. I'm concerned its a problem with the computer. Also tried jump starting so amps is not the problem. The car has been lying idle for about 3 months now. I need to get it back on the road.
Answer The 1998 - 2001 2.8L 30 valve motors (ATQ, AHA) are prone to "flooding" when cold. This condition is typically brought on after a short drive cycle on a cold engine. A classic example would be starting the vehicle cold, pulling it out of the garage, and shutting it off, attempting to start the next morning. When attempting to start cold in the a. M. the engine will be difficult to start, and run poorly if at all. This is usually caused by carbon particles (byproduct of combustion) getting stuck on the valve seats and not allowing them to seal. The reduction in compression does not provide sufficient pressure and the combustion event can not occur so fuel is unburned and the cylinders become "flooded" with unburned fuel.
This condition can be worsened if the vehicle is run on substandard fuel for an extended period. This engine is designed to run on premium "top tier" fuel. It can be run on mid-grade "top tier" fuel with reduced performance. Only "top tier" fuels have sufficient detergents to prevent the build up of carbon and fuel deposits in the injection system and combustion chambers. See toptiergas. Com for more details.
If this cold start/run condition is caught in the early stages, you can disconnect the fuel pump fuse (in the fuse panel on left of dash) it should be the third fuse from the bottom (blue/15) on the first row. There is a fuse legend on the inside of the cover to confirm location. Then try cranking over the engine for some time with the accelerator pedal to the floor, possibly almost one minuet and see if it begins to catch. If so reinstall the fuse while still cranking. If it does start try and maintain the RPMs at about 2,500 until it clears up. The vehicle must be driven and allowed to fully warm-up before shutting down.
If the cylinders are suspected of excessive carbon build up the Audi dealer should have a fuel injection cleaning system that uses Wynn's cleaning solution. It is run through the injector rail on a running motor in place of the vehicles fuel system which has been disabled. This cleans the injectors, the back sides of the intake valves, and the combustion chambers to some extent. When combustion chambers have excessive carbon buildup you can remove the spark plugs and poor the solution directly into the cylinders and let it soak for several hours, after which time it is expelled and the vehicle is restored to running order. As an owner I DO NOT recommend you try to do this yourself, there are many steps and precautions that are best left to a professional. What you could do would be to periodically run a can of fuel injector cleaner through the fuel tank to help reduce deposits.
If the vehicle is very flooded, I suggest after removing and drying the spark plugs, you disconnect the fuel pump fuse when starting it as described above. I have had instances where I had to remove and dry the plugs a couple of times. When you do have the spark plugs out, if you have a air blow gun with a long nozzle, I suggest blowing out the cylinders in an attempt to dry them. Then its just a matter of waiting for the carbon particles to clear from the valve seats. It also helps to have a strong jumper battery (not a charger) hooked up for this extended cranking.
Addition Looks like it could be bad news. No luck starting. When I took out the 1st spark plug, it is flooded with oil, not gas.
Answer How did the vehicle run when you parked it?
Has it or does it smoke?
White/blue or black smoke?
Does it smell of fuel after attempted failed starts?
Oil fouling is VERY RARE on this year, engine. I have NEVER seen it. I do not think this is the condition.
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