Torsen Torture, pt. II...

[quk@isham-research.demon.co.uk (Phil Payne)]

In message <199803111413.JAA31687@camel8.mindspring.com> audidudi@mindspring.com (Jeffrey J. Goggin) writes:

> For all its clever engineering, the Torsen is a dumb device and I think once
> everyone focuses on how it works, not how it works in a particular model of
> car, we will quickly reach a consensus.  Then, and only then, can we begin
> to explore how its character might manifest itself in one particular chassis
> or another ... otherwise, I fear that we'll forever be caught in the riptide
> of "my car does this/my car doesn't do this" and go round and round in circles.

I hold the opposite view.  Until I can recreate the problem to my own 
satisfaction, it doesn't exist.

I have too much experience (a lot of it recent, since I'm becoming known as the 
UK's MB engine expert) of people coming to me and describing symptoms that I 
can't understand, can't reproduce on my own car, and finally can't even 
reproduce on _theirs_.
 
As I've posted several times - I've thrown the ur-quattro about so much over 
the last four years and 80000 miles that I'm _certain_ I would have seen this 
hypothesised effect.  I haven't.  Hopefully, I'll have my car back tomorrow or 
Friday, and then I can try some experiments.
 
If, indeed, there is this exposure with a central torsen differential - where 
is the public documentation?  Where are the recalls to change percentage 
limits?  Where are the cautions in the owners' handbooks?  A quick search on 
Alta Vista reveals that _lots_ of cars use torsens in different ways - but 
there's nothing, absolutely nothing, to support some of the wilder theories 
of operation posted here.

Dave couldn't find a problem with his RS2 - Roger Galvin didn't find a problem 
with his 200TQ.  By the weekend, I should know more about the ur-quattro.  

-- 
 Phil Payne
 UK Audi [ur-]quattro Owners Club