gdm

So I'm driving home from work (yes, at 2:30 in the morning, yes, I'd been there since nine, long messy story) -- it's a beautiful night out, windows down, sunroof open.

I move up to one of the turns, right-hand at a stoplight from a two-lane 35mph to a four-lane 45mph (read: 60mph minimum to get pulled over). The roads are empty, I can hear the turbochargers begging me...aw, what the hell.

Get the engine up to about 2500, drop clutch, depress left foot sort of slowly (after all I'm turning), start to straighten out -- and suddenly lose all engine power. Tach needle starts to drop, I'm pushed forward, it feels like all the weight in the car has transferred to the front wheels. I've no clue what the hell just happened. Dash lights and headlights stayed up. Without thinking I dropped it back into second and pressed the gas, and away I went.

No way I hit the rev limiter...so what the hell happened? I'm completely stock, 2700 mi or so. Maybe related, maybe not: I was on a long trip this weekend and noticed that at one point the speedometer needle "flipped out." I was going about 80 and it began to suddenly twitch violently, moving between 65 and 80 or so. Adjusting speed slightly stopped it, and it hasn't recurred.

Any ideas?<p>--
gdm
'00 Silver/Onyx

2000 MTM S4

Maybe the throttlebody is out of wack or maybe your throttleboot is busted. Chipped or not? Mine blew out at 2600 miles then my wiring harness went at 5900 miles. 6100 and all is fixed and good but what a pain in the A$$.

gdm

I'm totally stock (no chip).

I forgot to mention that at the next stoplight I tried it again, and the problem didn't recur. So I don't think it's the throttle boot, a tear there should cause the fault to be easily repeatable, yes?<p>--
gdm
'00 Silver/Onyx

George @ BostonAudi

How long was it sluggish for? If it was 30 seconds (on the nose), the car went into limp mode. That seems to happen to people from time to time. Personally, I've never experienced it, but I know almost anything the car detects that could damage the engine will cause it to limp.

Bad gas is one culprit -- it detects knocking and will quickly act to stop it.

Do you know anyone with a VAG tool? There might be DTCs that tells what happened. I assume going into limp mode gets recorded, but can't say for sure.

Brent

Is it possible that you had your left foot on the brake a little? Throttle will cut out...

RS4.org - DaveH

I can brake and throtle with no cut out

Taner Halicioglu

hold the brake for about 3-4s while still giving it some gas, and the gas will get cut off

obviously try this when there are no other cars around

-Taner

gdm

It was sluggish for substantially less than 30 seconds, I think: my sense of time was pretty strange at that point. I would say maybe five seconds.

Doubt it's bad gas...I use the same three fueling stations (1 Amoco and 2 Mobil), 93 octane only.

I don't know anybody with a VAGtool, which sort of sucks, since I've also been wanting to reset the car to kilometres instead of miles.<p>--
gdm
'00 Silver/Onyx

gdm

I don't think I was touching the brake at the same time as the gas, but I suppose it's possible. I didn't notice the car being any slower off the line than usual.

I guess I'll have to find out if it threw any DTCs.<p>--
gdm
'00 Silver/Onyx