Re: 90 questions

[Elliott Potter <epotter@abraxis.com>]

Chris Newbold wrote:
> 
> johnc@together.net wrote:
> 
> > I am about to return to the Audi fold (former '87 4kcsq owner, traded
> > early due to extreme stupidity), through the purchase of a 1995 90Q.
> 
> Welcome back.
 
Yes, you've found a great car!

> > I have driven a number of the 90 cars now, but find some variance in
> > power from car to car.  Most have a typical Audi diminishing return when
> > revving past 4000 or so.  Then I drove one recently that was much more
> > free revving, showed a steady power increase high up the dial, and
> > overall seemed to have much more than any of the other cars I have
> > sampled.
> 
> The latter car sounds more like the V6 that I know. It starts pulling
> around 3500; it should give you a little shove in the back just over
> 4000, where it gets serious. It should charge hard up through about
> 5500, where it softens a bit, but should still smack the 6500 cut out
> pretty quick.
 
Hmmm...This sounds a little more fun than mine!  I get an apathetic push
up to around 3300rpm, then a disgruntled shove until around 4300, then
some anemic noises and not much action until about 5000, then it moves
up again pretty quickly to 6500 (but doesn't accelerate much).  I'm
going to try to pick up my K&N tomorrow if it's in (stupid dealer
pitched the old one); it helps a bit.
Perhaps I'm being a little hard on it; I did a little stoplight racing
with an Olds Aurora last night and kept up with him until around 50mph,
where he got about 1/2 a carlength on me; then we had to stop for
another red light.  (std disclaimer; no other cars, small children,
puppy dogs, cops, curves, etc around; 12:30am, speed limit 45 anyway, I
don't normally do this, ...)
Anyway, it can pull a little bit--in stock form, it keeps up with other
cars; just not more.

> I'd bet that the "weak" cars you drove have something wrong with the
> variable intake manifold cut-over mechanism. The manifold has two
> sets of runners: long, narrow ones for low-end torque and short, fat
> ones for high-RPM breathing. A vacuum actuator is supposed to
> uncork things just over 4000RPM...
 
Perhaps it's an auto-vs-manual transmission thing?  Did you see any
difference (if you drove autos/manuals)?  It could also be any number of
service-related issues--filters, plugs, low-octane gas, etc.  Also some
listers have reported a number of clogged and/or brittle hoses around
the backside of the engine in the throttle body area; this could be a
common problem that you experienced.

Anyway, it's a nice car!

> -Chris
> 1993 90CS 5spd 71k miles

-- 
Elliott