Safety Precautions When Working on the Ignition System

In the engine compartment of the Audi 80, a special label warns of high voltage in the ignition system, and this is not without reason: even in thin control circuit wires, voltages of up to 100 V with high current can occur, not to mention the dangerous high-voltage ignition voltage exceeding 30,000 V (but with low current). Although, fortunately, no vehicle owners are known to have been killed by the ignition system, touching uninsulated wires under unfavorable conditions can become very dangerous, especially for people with heart conditions. Therefore:

Touch, connect or disconnect all electrical cables and test equipment connections only with the ignition switched off.

Disconnect the battery only with the ignition switched off.

If the engine only needs to be cranked with the starter without starting, disable the ignition system (see the following section).

Before washing the engine, disable the ignition system.

To start the engine with a discharged battery using a quick charger, connect it for no longer than one minute, and the voltage must not exceed 16.5 V.

If a fault in the ignition system is evident or suspected, disable the ignition system when towing the vehicle (see the following section).

Do not connect a capacitor to terminal 1/- of the ignition coil.

Do not replace the distributor rotor with any random part. Its resistance is 1 kΩ and it is marked "R1" (models with 4- and 5-cylinder engines).

Use only 1 kΩ resistance with thick high-voltage ignition system cables.

Use only spark plug connector caps with a resistance of 5 kΩ.

Before carrying out electric arc welding work on the vehicle, the battery cables must be disconnected.