RoaringFork
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You know how it is... how it really is!
I owe the GM one and I’m sure he’ll call it in the favor. Hopefully free labor modifying his turbo 997.
I’m still taking crap from the used car salesmen!
‘06 Family hauler (1 Viewer)
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You know how it is... how it really is!
I owe the GM one and I’m sure he’ll call it in the favor. Hopefully free labor modifying his turbo 997.
I’m still taking crap from the used car salesmen!
RoaringFork
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- #22
Vultures...
Sounds like you know how it is too!
I was asked to bring our bobcat(for snow removal) over to the main building from the used car building. Couldn’t find the keys, and left my phone on my tool box. I asked a used salesman to call chris and ask where the keys were... he pulls out his phone and calls Chris. He says “the a$$hole that bought the land cruiser wants to know where the bobcat keys are”... he said it as a joke, and it was funny. They’re all still reeling from it!!
So true about more buyers than good cruisers!
aging fleet
SILVER Star
Is that your C5 allroad also?
My wife and I owned a bunch of VAG products over the past twenty years, I think the C5 2.7t allroad is what pushed me over the edge. It never left us stranded, but from day to day, I never knew which system would start leaking. Valve cover gaskets, air-springs, boost hoses, you just never knew.
My wife and I owned a bunch of VAG products over the past twenty years, I think the C5 2.7t allroad is what pushed me over the edge. It never left us stranded, but from day to day, I never knew which system would start leaking. Valve cover gaskets, air-springs, boost hoses, you just never knew.
RoaringFork
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Is that your C5 allroad also?
My wife and I owned a bunch of VAG products over the past twenty years, I think the C5 2.7t allroad is what pushed me over the edge. It never left us stranded, but from day to day, I never knew which system would start leaking. Valve cover gaskets, air-springs, boost hoses, you just never knew.
@aging fleet Good eye... it’s funny the things you find in the background of cruiser pics!
Yup, that’s my daily... I too have owned many VAG vehicles. I have an abnormal infatuation with the C5 and 2.7t... but I’m getting over it as I transition to a family man.
allroads can be maintenance whores, since I can wrench on them it’s not so bad... the one picture has 194k on it.
I should start a thread in other makes for my allroads... but no one would read it!
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aging fleet
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This was me at full crazy, '05 AR, '95.5 S6 Avant, and an '02 S8. Your LC looks great, good luck with it.
I too have a 100 AND an Audi fetish. I have a 2014 S8 and the wife has a 2011 S5 (V8).
RoaringFork
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Beautiful pic! Ducks unlimited, nice...
Do you still have the the C4? Sweet ride
Ok, maybe you would...
The brown one pictured is a stroker 3.0l, turbos, etc.
I have an 04 V8 allroad manual swapped
I just sold a stage 2 B5 S4
Old Audi’s are fun!... so are new ones
RoaringFork
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Anything with the 4.0l is a beast, especially the S8... the S5 is also acceptable!
RoaringFork
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Back to the 100, we can come back to Audi’s later...
Just to get a better feel for this truck, I towed my trailer to run some errands. I had to retrieve a fridge, and drop off a plate compactor. the errand was uneventful, but when I got home the cruiser impressed me again. After parking the trailer where it belongs and chalking the tires, I had an idea... I raised the AHC to H, grabbed the wood block I rest the tongue jack on, lowered the jack till touching the block, opened the lock for the ball, then lowered the AHC to L... I wish I took a video of the ball lowering out of the tongue, it came right out... another plus to AHC, I wonder if I could raise the ball into the tongue??
Just to get a better feel for this truck, I towed my trailer to run some errands. I had to retrieve a fridge, and drop off a plate compactor. the errand was uneventful, but when I got home the cruiser impressed me again. After parking the trailer where it belongs and chalking the tires, I had an idea... I raised the AHC to H, grabbed the wood block I rest the tongue jack on, lowered the jack till touching the block, opened the lock for the ball, then lowered the AHC to L... I wish I took a video of the ball lowering out of the tongue, it came right out... another plus to AHC, I wonder if I could raise the ball into the tongue??
RoaringFork
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RoaringFork
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Update:
I’ve been working through a couple issues...
First, the backrest adjustment for the drivers seat quit moving backwards. My wife was driving it regularly for a week or so, eventually I wanted a turn. I planned to drive it to work, and did just that. She sits with a more upright posture, I adjust the seat to my liking. After work, I hop in and want to recline just a bit more and nothing happens. I check every other adjustment and they’re ok. I try moving the backrest forwards, and crap, it moves. I decide to cut my comfort losses and drive it home, maybe it’ll fix its self by morning... well it didn’t.
That weekend I would have a look in the switch to see if it could be repaired. To get the switch trim off with the seat installed, I had to move the seat all the way forwards. I removed the trim and removed the switch. You need a coupe small screwdrivers to get the switch open... this part is where things went downhill... I’ll admit, I was over confident going into this repair. I didn’t have the FSM handy(not that it would show switch disassembly, but maybe it does), and I was working in my snow covered driveway. So, I retrieve my spare pocket screwdriver from another car in the drive and mid stride back, pop that sucker open...
I catch most of the parts that came out of the switch but I know I missed some. I mark off the area in the snow and take inventory. I’m missing 4 rocker contactor things. I’m thinking I’m boned and now I have to buy a switch. A quick google and they’re $150... I give it some thought, grab a garden spade and the jet boil... scooping and melting I manage to find 3, the 4th is still out there, maybe I’ll find it this spring.
The problem with the switch is evident, there is poor contact from arcing. No big deal, a little clean up and a test, the back rest moves. Now I’m kicking myself because I could have repaired it for $0, now I might have to buy a switch. Google turns up nothing. MUD to the rescue. I’ve bought parts for my 80 from @slow95z so I reach out. He says no 100 parts, but he’s got a busted 80 seat switch he’d let go cheap. I roll the dice and luck out! The contactors are the same. Back in action, kinda...
This leads into the the next issue I’ve had to work through...
This is the switch opened up, circled is the rocker contactor thing. Far left is w/o contactor in place and the contact with arcing corrosion.
I’ve been working through a couple issues...
First, the backrest adjustment for the drivers seat quit moving backwards. My wife was driving it regularly for a week or so, eventually I wanted a turn. I planned to drive it to work, and did just that. She sits with a more upright posture, I adjust the seat to my liking. After work, I hop in and want to recline just a bit more and nothing happens. I check every other adjustment and they’re ok. I try moving the backrest forwards, and crap, it moves. I decide to cut my comfort losses and drive it home, maybe it’ll fix its self by morning... well it didn’t.
That weekend I would have a look in the switch to see if it could be repaired. To get the switch trim off with the seat installed, I had to move the seat all the way forwards. I removed the trim and removed the switch. You need a coupe small screwdrivers to get the switch open... this part is where things went downhill... I’ll admit, I was over confident going into this repair. I didn’t have the FSM handy(not that it would show switch disassembly, but maybe it does), and I was working in my snow covered driveway. So, I retrieve my spare pocket screwdriver from another car in the drive and mid stride back, pop that sucker open...
I catch most of the parts that came out of the switch but I know I missed some. I mark off the area in the snow and take inventory. I’m missing 4 rocker contactor things. I’m thinking I’m boned and now I have to buy a switch. A quick google and they’re $150... I give it some thought, grab a garden spade and the jet boil... scooping and melting I manage to find 3, the 4th is still out there, maybe I’ll find it this spring.
The problem with the switch is evident, there is poor contact from arcing. No big deal, a little clean up and a test, the back rest moves. Now I’m kicking myself because I could have repaired it for $0, now I might have to buy a switch. Google turns up nothing. MUD to the rescue. I’ve bought parts for my 80 from @slow95z so I reach out. He says no 100 parts, but he’s got a busted 80 seat switch he’d let go cheap. I roll the dice and luck out! The contactors are the same. Back in action, kinda...
This leads into the the next issue I’ve had to work through...
This is the switch opened up, circled is the rocker contactor thing. Far left is w/o contactor in place and the contact with arcing corrosion.
RoaringFork
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- #32
So the above took place over 2ish weeks. From loosing the contactor to searching and failing, to finding the 80 seat switch, to getting to my door, to having it ready to go back together. Well when preparing to put the truck back together I find the battery is dead. Kind of concerning, but no big deal at the time. I charge it up, and get it back together. The seat works great, life is back to normal... or is it??
Fast forward 2 more weeks...
My wife is a stay at home mom, so she kinda makes her own schedule. She likes to get out everyday, but weather and life sometimes keep that from happening. The cruiser sat for 3 days, drove it Sunday, tried to drive it Wednesday. Calls me at work “baby the cruiser is dead”. This is concerning to her, because she worries about “what if” and not being able to act if need be...
I charge it overnight and it starts in the morning no problem. I get to work and put it on our fancy charger, that will load test and charge accordingly. Good news the battery checks ok, no need to replace it. I check it for a draw and all good, max draw when “asleep”: 0.029A (29mA). I’m scratching my head, trying to make sense of it. Maybe she left something on, maybe there is an intermittent draw... I don’t know.
Back to the normal routine, driving it everyday or every other day, without any problems. Then comes the holidays, we have family in town, I’m off work for 4 days, the cruiser wasn’t driven at all. Come Wednesday morning, I’m going to warm up my car and ask the wife if she wants me to start the cruiser as well. She says yes, and I find the it is dead again. Now, I’m confident there is a problem, I check, nothing was left on. She is loosing faith in the reliability and it’s my responibilty to make her feel secure. I jump start it and take it to work.
I get the same, “battery ok, top up charge” result from our fancy tester. At first I get the same ~30mA draw, but I’ve got time and let it sit. After 30 minutes I re-check my meter and it’s showing 0.518A(518mA), way too much. Then it dropped back to 30mA, within a minute it was back to ~500mA for a minute or two, then back to sleep. Ok great I have a confirmed draw, now to find it.
Working on Audi’s for the last 12 years has exposed me to many parasitic draw concerns. Draws are not hard to figure out as long as you have wiring diagrams. One part of Audi draw diagnosis is not removing fuses. The systems are complex enough that pulling fuses wakes up other modules and voids the test. There are charts that correlate a voltage drop across a fuse into mA. I grab my meter, set it to voltage, and start checking all the fuses. I get to fuse 55(I think) which is the radio/audio/nav fuse and measure a 3.8mV drop. Reference the chart: 512mA. I have found the circuit, now to find the component. I’m using alldata wiring diagrams, not the best but better than nothing. The fuse powers the nav module, front and rear dvd, back up cam module and camera. I start with the nav module, unplug all the connectors and re-check, draw still present. The back up cam module is in the right rear, so is the rear DVD player. I figure that’s the next best place. I’m pulling trim off when 2 little orange lights catch my attention, the eject button is lit up and the light In the dvd drive is lit. I remove the dvd drive and unplug it... no more draw. I put everthing else back together and monitor the rest of the day... I believe it’s fixed.
The final check is underway. I’m gonna let it sit from today till Wednesday. If it starts, it’ll be back to being unstoppable!
Sorry for the long read, maybe the detail can help someone out if they stumble across this thread.
Until next time
Fast forward 2 more weeks...
My wife is a stay at home mom, so she kinda makes her own schedule. She likes to get out everyday, but weather and life sometimes keep that from happening. The cruiser sat for 3 days, drove it Sunday, tried to drive it Wednesday. Calls me at work “baby the cruiser is dead”. This is concerning to her, because she worries about “what if” and not being able to act if need be...
I charge it overnight and it starts in the morning no problem. I get to work and put it on our fancy charger, that will load test and charge accordingly. Good news the battery checks ok, no need to replace it. I check it for a draw and all good, max draw when “asleep”: 0.029A (29mA). I’m scratching my head, trying to make sense of it. Maybe she left something on, maybe there is an intermittent draw... I don’t know.
Back to the normal routine, driving it everyday or every other day, without any problems. Then comes the holidays, we have family in town, I’m off work for 4 days, the cruiser wasn’t driven at all. Come Wednesday morning, I’m going to warm up my car and ask the wife if she wants me to start the cruiser as well. She says yes, and I find the it is dead again. Now, I’m confident there is a problem, I check, nothing was left on. She is loosing faith in the reliability and it’s my responibilty to make her feel secure. I jump start it and take it to work.
I get the same, “battery ok, top up charge” result from our fancy tester. At first I get the same ~30mA draw, but I’ve got time and let it sit. After 30 minutes I re-check my meter and it’s showing 0.518A(518mA), way too much. Then it dropped back to 30mA, within a minute it was back to ~500mA for a minute or two, then back to sleep. Ok great I have a confirmed draw, now to find it.
Working on Audi’s for the last 12 years has exposed me to many parasitic draw concerns. Draws are not hard to figure out as long as you have wiring diagrams. One part of Audi draw diagnosis is not removing fuses. The systems are complex enough that pulling fuses wakes up other modules and voids the test. There are charts that correlate a voltage drop across a fuse into mA. I grab my meter, set it to voltage, and start checking all the fuses. I get to fuse 55(I think) which is the radio/audio/nav fuse and measure a 3.8mV drop. Reference the chart: 512mA. I have found the circuit, now to find the component. I’m using alldata wiring diagrams, not the best but better than nothing. The fuse powers the nav module, front and rear dvd, back up cam module and camera. I start with the nav module, unplug all the connectors and re-check, draw still present. The back up cam module is in the right rear, so is the rear DVD player. I figure that’s the next best place. I’m pulling trim off when 2 little orange lights catch my attention, the eject button is lit up and the light In the dvd drive is lit. I remove the dvd drive and unplug it... no more draw. I put everthing else back together and monitor the rest of the day... I believe it’s fixed.
The final check is underway. I’m gonna let it sit from today till Wednesday. If it starts, it’ll be back to being unstoppable!
Sorry for the long read, maybe the detail can help someone out if they stumble across this thread.
Until next time
Actually, Thanks for the long read. This is what is great about the forum. Learning what others have already learned.
RoaringFork
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Thanks @LongHaulCruiser,
You’re right, it’s the small tidbits of good info that can really help.
I posted the charts that correlate the voltage drop across a fuse to mA in @hidesertwheelin thread. I’ll post them here too, the more info that’s out there the more likely someone will use it.
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RoaringFork
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- #35
So you just set your meter to mV and measure across the fuses with the system energized to find the draw? Thats pretty clever!
My auto training stopped in 2000, so I am still of the "measure amps and pull fuses" mentality but I like your way better.
My auto training stopped in 2000, so I am still of the "measure amps and pull fuses" mentality but I like your way better.
RoaringFork
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- #37
With the vehicle off, set your meter to mV and measure across the fuses. An idle circuit will not show any voltage drop(0.00v) When you get to a fuse of an operating circuit, you will have a voltage drop across fuse(in my case fuse 55 measured 0.035v(35mV)). Using fuse type and rating, consult proper chart(in my case 10A mini fuse = 512mA) since my draw was ~500mA, I could deduce that was the circuit operating when it shouldn’t...
Edit for spelling
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RoaringFork
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Update:
The cruiser started after sitting since Friday, with single digit temps. I’m gonna call it fixed, but will be weary next time we let it sit a while.
I’ll keep updating as necessary...
The cruiser started after sitting since Friday, with single digit temps. I’m gonna call it fixed, but will be weary next time we let it sit a while.
I’ll keep updating as necessary...
I would buy a LI battery starter pack and throw in in the glove box for peace of mind.
aging fleet
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I've read more than a handful of threads over the past few years about parasitic draw situations associated with that circuit and I'm not sure anyone actually found the smoking gun. Nice work and thank you for explaining how you tracked it down.
