RE: difference between '90 & '91 coupes

["Duff, Ian" <iduff@charter.com>]

There are at least three major differences, arriving at different times.
1. Airbag, not sure when they arrived, but fairly obvious knee bar under
steering wheel on airbag cars, package shelf there on bomb-less ones.
2. Tubular header changed to a cast manifold starting with chassis
number 13611 (according to parts fiche).
3. Sway bars changed from just a front to front and rear starting with
chassis number 3682 (also according to parts fiche).

Things to look for:
1. Bad hydraulic pressure accumulator (aka "bomb"). Bomb is around
$250-300. Signs of a dead one are a.) the brake warning light takes
20-30 seconds to go out after the car is started, and b.) brake warning
light comes on briefly after you get into the brakes hard while the
engine is running.
2. Pentosin leaks. Could be steering rack, dealer will want upwards of
$1600, they are available for less than $500. Could be pump, for which a
rebuild kit is available for less than $100.
3. Clutch master and/or slave cylinder. Common symptom is the clutch
pedal will not return fully after depressing it, requiring an assist
from your toe. These are less than $100 each, and sometimes just
changing the brake fluid will bring them back to life.
4. Exhaust donuts died, letting exhaust rest on driver's side rear
halfshaft, wearing a hole thru exhaust. Exhaust is stainless steel, so
you can get it patched, and get 3 new chain reinforced donuts from
Techtonics for $6 each.
5. Stressed rubber bits (suspension bushings, engine/trans/rear
diff/front and rear subframe mounts) getting old, and not doing their
little bit. Car will feel *like new* when you replace them.
6. Electrical switch lights burnt out. Switches are typically around $60
each, to fix a $1 bulb available from Radio Shaft, for which there are
descriptions of "how to" in the archives.

HTH.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
Ian Duff, 1990 Coupe quattro 20v, Red/Black
quattro Owners Club member P877

Home: New Bedford, MA, USA
Work: Charter Systems, Inc., West Newton, MA, USA
------------------------------------------------------------------------
-

>----------
>From: 	Shaun Hoffman[SMTP:shoffma2@gonzaga.edu]
>Sent: 	Thursday, 07 November, 1996 04:26 AM
>To: 	quattro@coimbra.ans.net
>Subject: 	difference between '90 & '91 coupes
>
>
>	I'm looking at purchasing a '90 or '91 coupe and was wondering 
>what the differences are between the two?  Also, in the new Complete Car 
>magazine there's a good article about the new S8 (availble in Europe 
>only, unfortunately).
>
>Shaun Hoffman
>shoffma2@gonzaga.edu
>'85 4000s quattro
>
>