Quad 4 question?

[Kyles93Z34]

I know that this is a 60* v6 site, but this is in the off topic category so...I was wondering what made the early 90s quad4 motors so badass. I think they had somewhere near 180 hp from that tiny 4 banger. Why did GM discontinue it? Wouldnt it have made a badass car out of a cobalt or cavalier. Slap a turbo on one and put it in the solstice or somthing. I was just reading my 1990 motortrend magazines and i came across some articles on cars with the Quad4 and it made me wonder why GM doesnt use it instead of the ecotec?

P.S. i'm just really bored and this was bugging me.

Kyle

[sharkey]

the quad 4 actualy was used till 2002. 96+ gm updated the motor calling it a 2.4l twin cam. it is just a redesign of the old quad 4, kinda like the difference between a 3.1 and 3100/3400.

the quad 4 with 180hp was the high output. it had no balance shafts, and high compression. they arent the most reliable engine out there, and they did shake a fair bit (no balance shafts). there was even a 195hp version, the W41, used in only olds quad 442's and achiva scx cars.

why did gm stop making the ho versions and just make a 2.4 lo??? my guess is they didnt sell enough of the cars, to costly, and to unreliable.

[geoffinbc]

Emissions killed the HO engine. It was a screamer buit was also prone to waterpump failure.

The Ecotec is a far far superior motor. Power output is no reason to think the Quad 4 is an awsome motor. The Ecotec can do the same without a problem.

[firechiken]

Quad 4 was known for head failure, too, at least the pre-96 version.

[road warrior]

Timing chains on the quad engines tend to get noisy and need replacing as the mileage piles up. Since this is an interference engine that is something that would need to be taken care of asap because if the chain slips or breaks the valves and pistons will hit. I know someone that this happened to. The car was a 1991 grand am vin d he would not listen to me when i told him the timing chain needed replacing and he kept on driving and then it slipped Oh well!

[Husky]

I like em. I drove a Cutlass Supreme with one and a five speed, and that four banger moved the car pretty good. A 3100 is strong, but a Quad4 is "Peppy".

[geoffinbc]

A local guy around here has one in his Chevette. That thing motors. Plus its RWD

[Doubt_Incarnate]

mantapart.com loves q4's. and the prices they charge. i wouldnt mine cool 195hp that revs to 8000 rpm, but who wants to wait till you get to 6500rpm to have fun? i like all my "balls" to kick in around 25-3500. the other cool thing about q4's is the w-41 was stuck to a 5 speed a with a torsen lsd. to bad the traniies wont bolt our 6's

[sharkey]

actualy, there is no documentation of the w41 tranny comming with a limited slip of any sorts. gm had aprox 7 race cars that had a tweaked w41 (they made around 215hp) that had limited slips on them, but they were never avalible to the public. however, the w41 tranny is a getrag 282 with different gearing. if you swap the v6 bellhousing/front case it will bolt up to a v6.