Hi, I have a 87 S4 T2 with late 88 T2 engine, which uses high impedance injectors.

Here is what happened. I started up my car this afternoon and besides some rough idles and leaking noise everything else is fine. The car started right up and puts up good power.

I took it for a ride around the corner and came back the car died, and would start and dies right away. I opened the engine bay went through all the wires and made sure nothing was shaken off or something. When I was just about to put the intercooler back on (stock tmic), I accidentally smacked the intercooler against the back side of alternator, normally it's no big deal, not a heavy smack. But guess what, the back side of alternator sparked on contact with the intercooler, it's not a tiny spark, it's a big *** spark that if I had fuel on the surface it would ignite spark. I tried it again and it wouldn't spark.

Now I'm confused about what is up with the car again.

 

Check your fuses, sounds like you blew a fuse when the intercooler hi the alternator.
Check both fuse boxes, engine bay and under dash one.

 

ok so whats your issue? is it still doing what it did before the spark, or are you not getting any power? lol and i like how you made a spark, then tried to do it again...

 

The car died before the spark happened. The car would not start before I even opened the engine bay. Right after the car died, the fuel pump resistor starts to click like crazy for 10 seconds. All fuses are good, both engine bay fuse and interior fuse.

Currently the car would start, and dies right away. And I get random clicks all over the car when the key is at ON, sometimes from fuel pump resistor, sometimes from somewhere around the interior fusebox. When I turn the key to on, there are 3 places that click once, ceiling near the interior light, fusebox area, and fuel pump resistor.

The OEM cooling fan comes on when I disconnect the 15A Engine fuse or the 6.5A meter fuse in the interior fusebox when key is at ON. The interior fusebox clicks when I touch the hazard fuse as it wobbles.

Hmm, I guesss somewhere deep down inside my soul I wanted this car to explode. That's why I tried it again :p (JOKING)

Here is my spec for the car

1987 S4 TII with a complete late 88 T2 engine.
- fuel pump rewired
- resistor relocated to rear
- RB Rev II complete system


Maybe I should just go stand alone?

 

Also, when the key is at ON position, the OEM Boost gauge is at 400 mmHg

 

Usually if you short the alternator output cable to gnd you blow the MAIN FUSE in the engine bay. Evidently this did not happen if you can still spin the starter

 

The cooling fan 'problem" is normal. Pulling the fuse causes a relay to relax and supply power to the cooling fan..........if memory serves.

 

I'm confused if the car starts now or does not start NOW.

HUGE air leaks will keep it from starting if the starter is spinning and all else is normal. Turbo inlet duct come off etc and have cracks in them at the turbo. Go look at the turbo inlet duct flange at the turbo. No cracks allowed.

 

it cranks and it starts, but dies right away.

 

does it stay running when you give it gas?

 

Sounds like a disconnected afm and/or a very large vac leak.
Did you reinstal the intercooler?

 

it doesnt stay idle even if I floor the pedal. The intercooler was mounted and tightened. I noticed the hose that goes from turbo compression housing to wastegate actuator is loose. TID is in good condition and secured with zipties.

 

wastegate hose wouldnt matter. and id invest in some real clamps, not zip ties. plastic gets old and brittle. but it sounds like an afm issue as stated by Sharingan

 

will look into vacumn leaks tomorrow. Also when I push the button for the front washer, the rear washer came on, and when I push the rear washer the rear washer came on again. Currently front and rear wiper is not functional, front washer is not functional either.

 

btw can anyone verify if I did this right

Emission removal

Engine Ground

 

wellllllll.......... ends up being the car ran out of gas. I'm ready to be hit in the face now.

 

LOL, happens to the best of us. At least you haven't spent hundreds of dollars replacing parts trying to fix it.

I would guess the spark was just built up static. I can easily get 1/2" sparks by taking my coat on and off a few times.

 

well, I was parking the car, and forgot to put it back to neutral. When I let off the clutch the car jerked forward and died. After that the car wouldn't start. The stock boost gauge reads at 40 mmhg hitting all the way to top when the key is at ON position. I know this is not normal because it should sit at about the middle of the gauge. Does that mean the car shook something off and caused a massive vacuum leak? I've looked and reconnected all the vacuum hoses and all of them were intact. When I disconnect the MAP sensor wire the gauge goes back to 0 mmhg when key is at ON. I reconnected the MAF and the hose and it still does nothing. Not even starter fluid can start the car.

 

when you say not even starting fluid works, im assuming youre at least getting cranking then. and if spraying an extremely flammable liquid in doesnt work, id have to lean towards you not having spark.

 

Sorryfor not clarifying, the engine cranks. With starting fluid the engine would start and die right away. I do have spark because as I am cranking the rpm junps up and down.

 

well in a crank no start situation, you ahve to run down the line of what you have:

First: Spark, just because you have RPM signal doesnt mean you have spark, CHECK IT

Second: Fuel, Check to see that you either have A) Fuel Pressure, and B) Fuel Volume

Thrid: Air Supply, check that everything is tight, and that the air filter is not clogged

Forth: Check all vacuum sources for leaks.


As for shorting out the TMIC on the Alt, you may have created what i like to call "Ghosts" in the machine. I had this happen to me after someone I was working with shorted out a screw driver to the positive battery terminal. turned out some of the harness on the inside fused itself together.

i know you may not have all the tools the check the things above, but its a guide to what SHOULD be done

 

Just finished checking on the car today

I pulled the spark plug out while connected to the wire, and crank the engine, I see the spark firing on all 4
I jumped the fuel pump from battery, the pump turns on.

I put the plug back on, crank the engine, while the pump stays jumped.
Pull the plug out. Dry plug.

I took the jumper off the pump, have a friend crank the engine while I listen to the pump with a screw driver

The pump turns off when the car is cranking. Even if I disconnect the pump from harness and jump it from battery and have it stay on. The car still won't start when I crank, and still gets dry plug.

The MAP sensor gauge hits all the way to the top at 40 x10 mmhg instead of regular 15 mmgh range when key is at ON. I can't find any vacuum hose disconnected. When I crank the car while holding WOT, the MAP gauge jumps up a bit more.


I just don't understand why the car was running perfectly a second ago, and will not start after a stall.

 

sounds like the injectors arent firing, there is no easy way for you to test unless you have a noid light set, power probe/logic probe, or you have an Oscilliscope.

you can try to see if you can hear/feel the injectors clicking but its not a very accurate test for you to do.

see if you can get someone to test that for you, im not 100% sure what triggers the injector pulse, im guessing the CAS (crank angle sensor)

 

no, the big terminal on the alt is live, which is why its got a cover, and why you're supposed to disconnect the battery when you work on the car