forum.audiv8.com Foren English Audi V8 Forum my motor runs only with 4 cylinders!

Hello,

I have a 1992 Audi V8 and this morning when I started it the motor seemed to run only with 4 cylinders (I'm not sure) during about 20 seconds. There were jolts.
After 20 seconds the motor was OK again.

The car is always is my garage (23° Celsius) and this is the first time I see that.

Is someone has an idea what is this problem?
Is it a known problem?

Thanks
Sylvain

Bonjour Sylvain. My first guess is that you have no spark to half of the engine. Check the center wire going to the distributor.

Also, how many miles does your V8 have? It might be time to purchase a new distributor rotor for one or both sides. There are 2 types; screw on and glue on. I recommend the glue on type of rotor, but you do not have to actually use glue to hold them down.

Respect,

- Jeremy

Hello Jeremy,

My car has 174'000km (about 120'000miles).
How can I see if the distributor rotor is out of order?
Is it difficult to change it?

Thanks
Regards
Sylvain

It is difficult to believe that this part has failed already at 174tkm... It is easy to take the distributor off; only 2 bolts holding it on. It is difficult to find room for your wrench down there, however. The distributor rotor only cost me $20, so it might be cheap insurance for you to replace. Hopefully you have the push-on type (and the previous installer did not glue them on). If this is true, just pull it off (pry it off with a screwdriver and a SMALL amount of pressure, if you have to). If there is a screw-on rotor on there now, just remove the 1 screw and it will come right off.

I forgot to tell you that one common problem that causes what you are describing is a cracked distributor cap ($50). This can easily be caused if you had a front-end alignment recently done on the car, and they installed the tie rod upside down. This is possible to do, and the car will drive OK until you hit your first big pothole in the road, which will crack your distributor cap.

Good luck,

- Jeremy