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Engine - Ignition Conditions and Starting Difficulties

SECTION
2

GROUP
28

NO.
822

DATE
Aug. 1996

Ignition problems and starting difficulties

850

REFERENCE:
TP 3237912, Section 2(23,28), LH3.2 MFI/EZ 129K DI Engine Management Systems; 850 1992-
TP 2301202, Section 2(23,28), Motronic 4.3 SFI/DI Engine Management System; 850 1994-
TP 2308202, Section 2(23,28), Motronic 4.4 (MFI) Engine Management System; 850 1996-

Ignition conditions and starting difficulties

If an engine (frequently Turbo engines) is difficult to start or there are ignition conditions the cause can be the ground terminal on the chassis and/or excessive voltage drop across the contacts for the ignition coil and ignition driver stage due to oxidation. High resistance in the cable between the battery negative terminal and the engine can cause starting difficulties for cars within the following range of chassis numbers:

Model Factory code Chassis

854 1 195029-276445
854 2 194089-274775
855 2 096286-180613

This Service Bulletin covers inspection and corrective action for oxidation.

A





Treating ground terminals

Remove:
- ground screw (upper arrow in illustration)
- clean with emery cloth.

Check:
- that the cable terminal is intact.
- that the cable is correctly crimped in the cable terminal.

Install:
- new ground screw (P/N 946544-4).
- apply rustproofing agent (P/N 1161422-9) to screw and cable terminal.

B





Treating connector

Remove:
- connector from terminal (lower arrow in illustration).
- oxide from the contact surfaces by disconnecting and reconnecting the connector halves at least 10 times.
- blow clean with compressed air.

Check:
- that pins are intact and correctly located.
- that cables are correctly crimped in the cable terminals by pulling cables gently.

Grease:
- with low-temperature grease (6 grams P/N 1161427-8 or 30 grams P/N 1161417-9 or 125 grams P/N 1161236-3).

Install:
- contacts.

C

Replacing spark plugs

If ignition conditions and/or starting difficulties persist after A and B have been carried out:
- Check distributor and HT leads.
- Replace spark plugs.

D

Replacing battery negative lead

Note!
Carry out the following corrective action D (below) on cars within the range of chassis numbers in the table listed above if ignition conditions and/or starting difficulties persist despite A, B and C having been carried out:





Remove:

- central electrical unit ground terminal from battery negative terminal.
- battery terminal from battery.
- battery.
- battery shelf.
- battery wire from ground terminals 31/44 and 31/4.
- battery cable wire clamps from fender and engine bracket

Install:
- new battery wire, P/N 9441080-0.
- clamps on fenders and engine bracket.
- battery shelf, tighten to 10 Nm (7 ft.lbs).
- battery.
- battery terminal.
- central electrical unit ground terminal on battery negative terminal, tighten to 6 Nm (4 ft.lbs).

WARRANTY STATEMENT: Claims may be submitted under the New Car Limited Warranty when a manufacturing detect is present using claim type: 01

Operation No. Labor description Time allowance

28922-2 Corrective action for ignition conditions 0.3 hr
and starting difficulties.
28106-2 Replacing spark plugs per set. 0.4 hr
37106-2 Replacing ground lead. 0.5 hr