Re: 4th gen. quattro

[tdonohue@xnet.com (Terry Donohue)]

Peter Grul proposes the 4th gen. quattro systems:
>        The A4 quattro is advertised as having the "fourth generation quattro
>system." Here are my guesses on what the four gens. are....
   To add some more detail:  The first generation should be divided into
two subclasses, 1a, and 1b.  1a applies to the '83 UrQ (and earlier Euro
models) where you can only lock both diffs at the same time.  With 1b, '84
and later models, including the 4KQ, you lock then sequentially, certainly
the sexiest of all the options they've given us.  I even bought the parts
to convert my '83 to this arrangement, but sold the car before I could
install it.

>        Corrections? Comments? Anyone have any clue about why Audi didn't
>stick with the V8's double TORSEN setup? Seems like the best to me, although
>it takes all the fun out of manually locking the diffs.
     Fun is the major point in having this car-don't want to make it too
automatic.  Torsen's are expensive.  Also note that a few enlightened
manufacturers of high-performance FWD cars are starting to offer LSD's
(sorry, can't remember who at the moment).  With FWD, you can't use a
clutch-type since it tends to jerk the wheel out of your hands (for racing
only), but Gleason/Torsen types can work quite well in this application.
That could give we Audi Q types yet another differential with "locking"
action.

Terry Donohue
tdonohue@xnet.com
'90 200TQ