Re: This is perverse, but ...

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

In message <375C092C.B2C659B9@cisco.com> Scott Fisher writes:
> Phil asks:
>
> > Not a rattle or a puff of smoke between the three.  Do Audi engines
> > _need_ a good thrashing to survive?

> And I think Paul is right about why, too.  When I bought my '83 Coupe
> (no turbo, only one diff) a year ago, it had spent most of its time
> sitting in a parking lot, as the "spare car" of a good friend.  It had
> the wrong fuel pump relay in it (which has the rev limiter built into
> it), so it had not seen higher than 4800 RPM or so in several years.

Yes, there are a _LOT_ of cars driving around with understressed motors
because of defective WOT switches, bust hoses, etc.

Audi's engine management systems seem to gracefully degrade in a way that
effectively protects the motor.

> So I drove the *hell* out of the car for a year, while putting it right
> piece by piece.  Got the correct 5-cylinder relay, and now it'll pull
> past 6000 -- but not for a month or two after I got the relay, at least
> not without pinging.

Yes, we see that too.  I just replaced the 'Michelin man' hose on Roger's
200TQ - and a week later the long one under the intercooler blows!

--
 Phil Payne
 UK Audi quattro Owners Club