Hello, every one I need some information I have an 86 5000 Turbo Quattro, I have had some problems with the control on the drive from all wheel to front wheel or rear wheel drive, it makes some noises and slows down to a stop, it sounds as if there is thumping comming from the area under the gear shift, any Ideas, as to where I can get some information??

RRhatt

 

For starters, your car is full time all wheel drive, the controls in the dash only determine whether the center and read differentials are locked. If you're driving around on paved roads with the diffs locked, you could be doing serious damage to your car, and creating a situation that could cause the vehicle to become unstable (especially in a turn. The diff locks should only be used in slippery conditions (snow, ice, sand, gravel roads, etc), and the rear diff shouldn't be locked unless you're stuck and need to get out. On the later cars (80/90q, 200q) the center diff is a TorSen unit that automaticaly locks when needed, and the rear diff, if locked, automacticaly unlocks at 15mph to avoid damage and loss of vehicle control.

The clunking noise that you're hearing is probably the center diff binding after trying to negotiate a turn with it locked, the front wheels make a slightly wider arc than the rear wheels, therefore the fronts will make a few more revolutions than the rears. If the center diff is locked when you try to do this, it will cause a bind and try to "release any built up tension" in the drive train. Likewise, if you try to make a turn with the rear dive locked, it will bind even worse than the fron and cause a rear tire to break loose and loose traction (exactly the opposite of what the Quattro drive system was intended to do).

If you have an owners manual, I suggest that you read the section on the Quattro system. If you don't have an owners manual, I suggest that you get one and then read the section on the Quattro system before you do any more damage to your car.