[s-cars] V8 Torsen Diffs

[Igor Kessel]

Mark Strangways wrote:
> Is  there no available parts (used) in NA for these. Why go overseas ?
> BTW, my post kinda read like I need to know why we where doing them, my 
> bad. I know why we where doing them, just want to know what gets 
> changed, the entire diff unit, or the guts inside.
> 
> How does the torsen compare to the locker I have in my 92 ?
> 
> Mark S
> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Igor Kessel" <KBATPO at comcast.net>
> To: "Mark Strangways" <Strangconst at rogers.com>
> Cc: "s-cars" <s-car-list at audifans.com>; "Robert Rossato" 
> <r0ssat0_987 at att.net>
> Sent: Sunday, January 23, 2005 11:13 AM
> Subject: Re: [s-cars] V8 Torsen Diffs
> 
> 
>> Mark Strangways wrote:
>>
>>> So what is the idea behind the torsen mod.
>>> Do we go out and find a V8, jack up the back and pull the diff.
>>> Or do we take the innards out for a transplant to the housing in the 
>>> //S ?
>>>
>>> Mark (wishing I was in South Fn, Carolina) S
>>>
>>
>> Mark,
>> The idea is to stop sliding about in the snow "like $hit in the 
>> ice-hole" (a Russian idiom) in the post 1995.5 cars equipped with the 
>> EDL joke.
>>
>> Yesterday I had a lot of fun in the snow. For the first time my 1997 
>> would go like a proverbial train on rails without wiggling its ass 
>> like a fish in the creek after I mash the pedal to the floor in the 
>> 3rd gear in a sweeping right-hander.
>>
>> Money well spent. My most sincere gratitude goes to Bob Pastore who 
>> not only researched this wonderful solution for our cars, but who also 
>> arranged a reasonably priced group buy of those differentials from 
>> Germany.
>>
>> -- 
>> Igor Kessel
>> two turbo quattros
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>>
> 
> 

Mark,
I tried to source it here in the states. Found only one, for $350 plus 
freight across the country, of the unknown origin and condition.
Then Bob Pastored came through with a pallet from Germany, tested, 
drained and cleaned for $325 ea. In my case the price included delivery 
'coz I am local to Bob. So Konstantine Bogach, Mark Pollan and I had 
jumped on the offer right away.  I am very glad I did. I am also glad 
that I forced myself to crawl under the car at -14ºC outside (+12ºC in 
my garage) and install the damned thing. Man, was I glad yesterday that 
I did!

One more thing. I am also glad that I replaced both axle seals as the 
preventive measure. The small one was $1.50 but the large one (122mm 
DIA) was ca. $65. After I popped them out and inspected them up close I 
realised that they both needed replacement. The contact lip was shaved flat.

As for the Torsen vs. Locker I am not sure I'd do that if I were you. I 
still keep the fondest memories of my unstoppable 1989 200TQ. If the 
snow performance of my my current 1997 S6 were anywhere near that car I 
would not bother with the diff. swap. Alas, my both EDL equipped
1997 S6 and the wife's 1998 A4 quattros albeit both on snow tyres sucked 
so bad they were pathetic. For a quattro that is. I clearly needed to do 
something about it.
-- 
Igor Kessel
two turbo quattros