Q4, Biturbo, hydroplaning

[VLADDS@domain.elided]

About Q4
The additions to the regular gearbox, of the Q4 transmission, and possibly 
the modification of the gearbox were made by Steyr of Austria, I think. All I 
can tell you about numbers is that when it was launched (maybe in 1994?) , it 
replaced the regular Q. In US, as usual, the situation was different. Suffice 
to say that there were several years, in Europe, when both the '"regular" 
bodystyle 164 base or L, were sold at the same time with the LS bodystyle 
(badged in EU as the "Super" , with several possible motors, including a 
turbodiesel).
As i saw in one of the classic car magazines an article about the Lancia 
Thema 8.32, I would not be surprised if the Q4 would become subject to an 
article, in which case we finally get to find out all the details. The 
partsdisk that AlfaBill sells shows all the parts fro the Q4. I had a look, 
just for fun. The suspension is obviously different. I stand by my initial 
statement that the Q4 has an Mass air sensor instead of an air flow meter (in 
later versions). Not only do I have a photo under hood of a Q4, but the parts 
disc clearly shows what they call designation M3,M4 (of a Q4) with AFM, and 
designation M5,M6 (of a Q4), with MAS. The exhaust was with 2 catalysts in 
paralel and the rear and mid mufflers were positioned side-by-side, 
transversally, at the rear of the car. I have 1 or 2 performance figures that 
I have posted in the past, if you want them, I can mail them to you.
About the Biturbo, while with the tire sizes I have it will only fishtail in 
wet or snow, it DOES, very much so, show its teeth, if you lift off  throttle 
in a curve. Indeed, it doesn't feel as described about the 911, a heavy rear 
pendulum, but the final result if you don't take action, and the action to 
keep the car safe throughout the curve are the same. 
About burning rubber, if one had a childish desire to burn rubber, one would 
discover that the Biturbo is not a good car to do that with. Before breaking 
the rear wheels loose, because of the rear suspension layout with the 
crossmember flexibly joined to the chassis, the whole car would shake. It's a 
Biturbo thing :o)
As long as it's dry and you stay constant on the gas, I like the handling of 
the car in a curve.
About FWD hydroplaning, I hydroplaned in my VW Scirocco, around 70 MPH, and 
Hondas and other irelevant FWD cars, at various unamazing speeds. The 164 
holds the speed record , I pushed the envelope quite far, and did not find 
the hydroplaning limit yet, with a good alignment and correctly pressured 
Falkens.
Vlad
'91 164L
'85 Maserati Biturbo S

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