Re: 4-cylinder engine

[healey@chester.lerc.nasa.gov (jim healey)]

>I need some feedback on the (perceived) durability of the 4-cylinder Audi
>engines. A good friend of mine is considering buying an 88 Audi 80. The car
>is in as good shape as they come, regularly maintained, and running strong.
>The catch is that it has 107 thousand (California freeway) miles. I inspected
>the car and, if it were a 5-cylinder, I would have given the stamp of approval
>without a blink, but I have very little experience with the 4-cylinder engines.
>If this friend buys the car, she would be driving it about 10M per year.
>
>	Thanks much,
>	Jakov
>
Hi Jakov

The 4 is a decent engine often maligned as underpowered, but it'll get you
where you want to go, plus there is actually enough room in the engine
bay to see what you're working on.  One thing to check is the timing belt.
The 4 cyl valve cover gaskets only come in cork (that I've seen) and when they
leak they tend to contaminate the timing belt and shorten its life.

I assume with the 4 the car has automatic transmission, so the usual care
must be taken there, but the 4 won't kill the auto-trans as fast as say a 
turbo 5.

good luck
jim h