RE: I got stuck in a quattro w/ a Torsen center diff. Twice.

[mickley@postoffice.ptd.net (Lou Mickley)]

Dave,

You mentioned...
>The fancy Torsen center diff is SUPPOSED to send power where it can best be 
>used. That is not what happed. In each  case, a front wheel (once the left, 
>once the right) was spinning uselessly. I could leave the car in gear and let 
>the clutch out; the wheel would spin lazily as the engine idled. NEITHER rear 
>wheel so much as shuddered. At the point was no better than any two wheel 
>drive car with a regular diff.
I noticed this same thing one (very icy) day trying to impress folks going
up a hill from a dead stop.  It seems the Torsen just could not figure it
out when all four wheels were on ice on an incline.

>Any other ideas as to what gives? I want a manually locking center diff!
Don't you have the manual locking diff button between the front seats next
to the emergency brake handle as on my 88 80Q 4-door?  I found when I
pressed that button, and it locked up the diffs, I got right up that icy
hill!!   Audi 1; Hill 0.  It will only work up to about 20mph and then
disengage, but at that point you're off and rolling!

-Lou M.
Bethlehem, PA