Compatibility of quattro rear ends

[Chris Semple - Force 5 Automotive]

> I burned up the rear end on my '87 4000cs Q and I
> found a couple in a junkyard nearby.  They both say
> they are '84's but one has the older body style ('83
> perhaps?).  Are the rear ends compatible with mine?

Hi Kevin, sorry to hear you smoked one up, that's hard to do! Any of the
4000q rear diffs will work, all bolt in and have the same final drive. You
can tell the '84 and early '85 units by their one-piece casing. The later
ones have detachable ears/tail housings. The diff lock arrangement on the
'84's is slightly different due to the cable-to-centrediff setup, but
shouldn't affect the rear lock. You can pull the "extra" off before you
install. Might also be a good time to reseal the left side seal, they always
weep a bit. Don't pay too much for a rear diff, they're cheap money.

-Cheers
Chris Semple
Concord NH
'87 4000q
   '83 TQC
      '93 E350 Club
         '92 Gti 8v
            '90 V8q