20 questions / answers

[jackr@internet.kronos.com]

     Do the people in this group work for a living?  Even in the digest 
     version, this is a time-consuming list.  Anyway, I'm not busy at work 
     the past two weeks (that's why I subscribed and you see me here), so 
     here are my comments/questions on back issues after being at Watkins 
     Glen...
     
     >>I mean I understand that an unlocked diff transfers some power as 
     >>opposed to a disengaged transfer case but how much?  When the center 
     >>diff is locked, is this the same as a 4wd with the transfer case 
     >>engaged?
     
     A differential transfers 50% of its power in two directions.  Thus, a 
     quattro has 50/50 power split between the front and the rear.  A 
     disengaged transfer case transfers no power at all, so it is 2-wheel 
     drive.  A differential will unfortunately transfer up to 100% of its 
     power to the direction with the *least* traction, so that is why there 
     is a differential lock, which makes it identical to an engaged 
     transfer case, as someone already pointed out.
     
     >>Bose stereo (bleah!)
     
     I always hated the Bose stereo (didn't buy a nice used 200Q with one 
     because it gave me a headache [stupid!]), but now I'm stuck with two 
     of them and they are not as bad as I thought at first.  I have one in 
     my Corvette, and one in my V8.  You *must* turn the bass *way* down 
     until it sounds naturally balanced. The normal Bose bass setting is 
     teenager-on-drugs boosted to the max.  Once it stops being oppressive, 
     it doesn't sound nearly as flabby and in fact is fairly clean and 
     deep.  Turn the treble up some (or lots), until it sounds balanced.  
     At that point, it is a pretty satisfying system, good enough that it's 
     not worth replacing unless you're really into expensive car systems.  
     (I'm not.  I put my stereo money into my home, where there isn't 
     engine and wind noise.)
     
     >>Someone had posted an A4 comparison and it gave the dealer cost at
     >>roughly 27,500.  So I figured I could lease one for THREE years only 
     >>and make the payments around $300/mo which would make my total 
     >>investment around 11,800.  If I got $9,000 for my CQ, I would be 
     >>spending $3,000 more with the A4 which I would spend on the fixings 
     >>for the CQ.
     
     You're correct until your three years are up, at which point you don't 
     own a car.  Add the residual into your equation.
     
     >>...the next S6 making 330 hp (rather than the 260 or so previously
     >>mentioned).  If the S4 gets the same engine...
     
     I thought the S6 was the renamed S4.  Is there an S4 which is A4 
     based?
     
     >>I mean its only a 10v but I was amazed.  Which brings up Question 2- 
     >>when and if a timing belt breaks (what is the norm re-place point) 
     >>will the valves shake hands with the piston??? :-(
     
     I just asked Ned Ritchie of Intended Acceleration this exact 
     question...  The 10valve typically doesn't break its cam belt very 
     often, and when it does, it doesn't blow the engine.  So you are only 
     stranded, not looking at major repair costs.  The V8 should get its 
     cam belt replaced every 60K miles, not 90K like Audi originally 
     recommended.  It *does* tend to break its cam belt sometime after 60k, 
     and it *is* expensive to repair. (We only discussed my cars.)
     
     >>...bomb...BOMB...bomb...etc
     
     OK.  I finally figured out what a "bomb" is.  It's a hydrolic pressure 
     accumulator.  And it even was explained what it does.  So...
     
     Someone who test drove my 4kq said I needed a new hydrolic pressure 
     accumulator based on how it felt like his brakes [that just needed a 
     new one].  How do I know I need a new bomb?  The car stops great, 
     though break pedal travel is unsettling if you are not used to it.  
     The comments about initial force requirements being higher seem 
     reasonable in a normal system, since force required to lock the wheels 
     ought to be higher at higher speeds.  Shouldn't threshold braking from 
     very high speeds require gradually reduced braking pressure?
     
     Anyway, 1) what's "bomb" stand for, and 2) how do I know if mine's 
     broke?
     
     BTW, you don't have to snip your belt to test your brakes w/o power 
     assist.  You just roll it with the engine off.  Yes, it's always hard 
     to stop a power-assisted car when the engine is off.
     
     >>IMHO
     
     Some abbreviations I can figure out (like BTW), but what the heck is 
     that one?  How does one learn these things?
     
     
        4K engine specs were requested by someone
     
     I didn't read this carefully, but I think it was just a stock 86, 
     which would be the same as my 84.
     
     Off the top of my head (subject to error):
     110HP @ 5500
     Red Line is 6500 (Don't you have a tach?)  Yes! there's a limiter, and 
     the car bounces hard off of it.  (Hit it thrice in 13 years.)
     I don't know the torque figure, but it's not very high either. 105 or 
     115 @ ?(4000 maybe?)
     
     >>...Infinity ad...
     
     Why the hell is there an uproar over allowing an Infinity ad in the 
     Quattro Quarterly?  If they want to advertise, let 'em.  It's their 
     money. (Wasted, in my opinion.)  And if QCUSA wants to accept the ad, 
     let 'em do that, too.  Should they be afraid they'll lose members to 
     the Infinity club?
     
        Wagon info was requested...
     
     My wife had an 85 fwd 5000 wagon for a while (after the cheap choices 
     offered post "60 minutes").  I was initially disappointed she chose a 
     wagon, but eventually extremely impressed with how solid-feeling that 
     car was while driving it.  I also think it was the most beautiful 
     wagon ever.  I later realized it looked like an enlarged coupe.  It 
     was expensive to repair, however.
     
     
     And finally, about the Watkins Glen QClub event...
     
     It was great!  There ain't *nothing* like blasting around a 
     world-class race track in your very own car.  There also ain't nothing 
     that makes you want your car to be better handling and faster...
     
     Dunlop D40M2's are nice in both the wet and the dry, but they really 
     are a street tire, not a track tire.  I like 'em a lot on the street.  
     I had no complaints in the rain the first day of the event.  Racing 
     tires are the way to go on the [dry] track.  The Dunlops worked OK and 
     were *lots* quieter than the cheaper street tires I used last year (on 
     the 4kq).
     
     To answer my own question, I eventually chose to use the automatic 
     transmission in manual mode in order to prevent downshifts when 
     accelerating out of turns where I would tach-out before track-out in 
     the lower gear.
     
     That little Mazda 323 GTX sure did keep up with some fast machines, 
     even on the straights!  Is that engine stock?
     
     There are still about 16 slots available for the Lime Rock event 
     August 18-20.  The entire park is rented by QCUSA, so you have both 
     track time as well as use of the skid pad, small racing oval, etc.  
     Chief instructor for the event is Stephen Early, who teaches for the 
     Skip Barber school at Lime Rock.  (He'll be there with his S4.)  If 
     you are interested, contact:
        Quattro Club, USA
        New England Region
        RD#1 Box 34, Stonefence Road 
        Richmond, VT 05477 
     Be sure to mention my name if you join, as there is a membership drive 
     on, and I could win some sort of prize, though allegedly Ned Ritchie 
     already has a gazillion new members signed up and no one can reach 
     him.  (I've got... none!)  [Is this called "spamming"?  And how did it 
     get that name?]
     
     Jack Rich
     84 4k Q (maybe not for sale after all - too fun)
     88 Corvette roadster
     90 V8 Q