Fw: quattro quirks

[tturse@ps-b.com (Thomas Turse)]

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Turse <tturse@ps-b.com>
To: marriott@micron.net <marriott@micron.net>
Date: Tuesday, January 13, 1998 4:41 PM
Subject: Re: quattro quirks


>Thanks James.  I really appreciate your advice.  I am the previous owner of
>a long line of VW's (jettas, golfs,GLIs, etc..) and new the cars pretty
>well.  This is my first quattro, and I'm addicted.  I got a really good
deal
>on the car but it has its quirks.  Any thoughts on the cooling fan?  When
>and how often should it come on.  One mechanic, who new the cars very well,
>said it was coming on too frequently for the cold temperatures.  My old VW
>mechanic wasn't sure but said it would be good in the summer.  When the fan
>does come on it doesn't seem like it drops the temp on the gauge at all.
>Like on the GLI as soon as the temp reached a certain point, the fan
clicked
>on and brought the temp down very quickly.  Just trying to get an idea how
>hot these cars usually run and if the problem, if it is a problem, can be
>easily repaired.  Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
>p.s. what is "4ks and 4kq" in reference to your cars?
>
>Sincerely,
>Thomas C.  Turse
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: James Marriott <marriott@micron.net>
>To: Thomas Turse <tturse@ps-b.com>
>Date: Monday, January 12, 1998 10:26 PM
>Subject: Re: quattro quirks
>
>
>>Thomas Turse wrote:
>>>
>>> I've been recently having some minor problems with my 85 4000s Q.
First,
>>> I've been told that the cooling fan is coming on too early and too
>>> frequently.  I've replace the thermo-fan switch and thermostat with no
>>> change.  Also, when the fan comes on or off, the headlights and the
>>> heater/blower fan click/dim for a split second-
>>
>>As do most. Startup current is ~40 amps. Running is ~15 amps.
>>
>>> and the fan even comes on
>>> at full throttle- which I was told should not happen.
>>
>>You were told wrong. The 4kq only has a single-speed fan.
>>
>>> Secondly, the front
>>> differential is not locking.
>>
>>It's actually the center differential. The front is "open" and has no
>>lock control.
>>
>>> The rear diff. locks fine but the front one
>>> won't lock when control switched to position 1.  It can be manually
>locked
>>> from underneath and then the light comes on at the dash.  Could this be
>the
>>> plastic vacuum switch on the outside of the transmission.
>>
>>Likely the actuator servo on the transaxle. When you flip the console
>>switch, do you hear any hissing, like from a vacuum leak to the center
>>servo?
>>
>>> Finally, the
>>> parking brake light on the dash comes on and off intermittently from
time
>>> to time.  I disconnected the wiring at the brake handle and it still
>>> happens.
>>
>>You either have a short in the handle wiring or the fluid level is low.
>>The master cylinder cap has a "dipstick" that's wired into the light.
>>
>>hth,
>>James, Boise
>>'87 4kq
>>'86 4ks
>>'64 Falcon
>>
>>
>