RE: 200q alternators...

[JustaxPHX@aol.com]

> Bottom line, the alternators in the quattros, especially the 200tq's are
barely up to
> the tasks demanded of them.

During the summer here in Arizona, the heat outside the hood can rival that
under the hood in other parts of the country.  After 12 years of owning Audis,
it's my experience that the typical alternator will last about as long as the
typical battery: three years, and if you're willing to live with intermittent
problems, perhaps four.  As a result, I've gotten to the point that I usually
replace both of them at the same time, just to buy some peace of mind.

Although my '89 200q uses the expensive 115-amp alternator (complete with the
different bracket and mounting ears), my '85 Ur-Q still has the cheaper (but
wimpy) 90-amp version ... when he was in town last week dropping off the sport
seats I bought from him, Avi Meron showed me one of the rebuilds he's having
done that boosts the output to 120 amps yet still fits inside the original
case.  I don't know how much he's asking for them but when I replace the one
in my Ur-Q next time, I'll definitely consider going this route...

JG