94CutlassSLCoupe Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Well, I brought the Quad4 Cutlass out here to school instead of my usual '94 3100 Cutlass... For those who don't know, this is a 1990 Cutlass Supreme Base with a Quad4, 5-speed, UB3, PW, PL, PAnt. 1) Damn, this car is hard to get a consistent launch, the gas pedal is real sensitive...easily hits 2500-3k when barely touching it. 2) Has a lot better accelleration than the 3100, especially in the 3500-up RPM range 3) Its loud...good exhaust and a stock replacement 2" muffler and you can hear it buzzing away loud and clear...would be real loud if it actually had a free flowing muffler 4) UB3 Cluster rocks 5) Needs snow tires...1st and 2nd gear are worthless in snow 6) Gas mileage is fantastic...70 city miles (mostly in snow) and 330 highway (including traffic jam) and it still got nearly 32 miles per gallon. I really like this car...the bad thing about it is it seems to like the oil a little much (its coming out of the oil seperator that hooks to the timing chain cover and going into the Throttle body) Like i said i still have to get used to the gas pedal/clutch (I am used to V8, manual trans cars), but its a real fun car... The better question is why didn't they make more of them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 The better question is why didn't they make more of them? Quad4's had reliability troubles. I don't know to what extent, since there aren't many Quad4 owners here. Had they been able to get good reliability out of them, it would have made these cars a lot more competitive with Honda Accords and Camry's. They'd even have that fartpipe sound Honda people like so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bake82 Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 From what I hear, they blew alot of headgaskets which in turn took out the heads. I think was the main concern with concern to reliablity of the motors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Yeah...the headgaskets seem to be the issue...I have all the recipts for all the service ever performed on this car...and other than the Head Gasket and A/C this car has had almost nothing replaced...Except the Usual W-body stuff...rear calipers, parking brake cables, rear struts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SigEpCutlass Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 you better be careful with that thing over the winter mister! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 lol its hard to wreck when you can't get up to speed...Like the snow in the sig? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joey b Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Changing the water pump on a quad 4 will cost in the neighborhood of 600 dollars at a shop. And how about the thermostat? That thing is more of a PITA than the 3100. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Still, that's not any different than doing the Timing Belt on a DOHC or even having a shop change the alternator Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Yeah Davis has a quad4 5-speed. He says it's way quicker than his 3.1 (n/a) vert was. He also blew the headgasket. They sound like really cool cars but I wouldn't want one just cause of the reliablitiy issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeNZ Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 It is also an interference motor I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Those are quick little motors when they aren't broken. My friend had a W41 5spd equipped Beretta Z26 and it was pretty damn snappy......then he blew it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GutlessSupreme Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Were there ever any revisions or anything that fixed the whole headgasket issue? What exactly causes them to blow? Just a shitty gasket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeNZ Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Those are quick little motors when they aren't broken. My friend had a W41 5spd equipped Beretta Z26 and it was pretty damn snappy......then he blew it up. Heh my friend had one too, its was pretty fast, then the head gasket went. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 There obviously was a revision because the one on this car was replaced under recall free of charge by GM when it had 56k on it...and apparently that covered water pump replacement too. It has 125k on it now fwiw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Isn't the 96+ 2.4 Twin Cam motor basically the reliable de-tuned revision of the Quad4? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 its a quad 4 with balance shafts and tuned for more low end torque Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnatGoSplat Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Do any parts interchange between Quad4 and 2.4 twin cam? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirty Rockstar Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Isn't the 96+ 2.4 a reliable revision of the Quad4? From personal experience working on one, i will say this once... No.. Just as much a pain in the ass and un reliable as the Q4.. (Well, they stepped it up a little, I can admit that) But all in all, it is still a pile of shit.. One of those spin a bearing at 100k miles.. I hate all the these 4 bangers from GM.. All of them.. I think I can even convince ROSS that these are worse than his 3.4.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted November 28, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 do a google for Hot Rod's Quad Mods article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TurboSedan Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 http://hotrod.com/techarticles/73858/ that is a good article i was looking at that when i was thinking of buying a HO Calais International a few weeks ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 my friends moms haS a 98 GA w/ the 2.4 Twin Cam and theyve been pretty hard on the poor thing and its NEVER broke down once Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
THe_DeTAiL3R Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 my friends moms had a 98 GA w/ the 2.4 Twin Cam and theyve been pretty hard on the poor thing and its NEVER broke down once The Alero I drove with the 2.4/5-speed didn't really seem any slower than Z24 5-speeds, I don't think the weight difference is really that much. It's fun as hell slamming through the gears at 6000RPM! I want one, but I think I'm gonna look for one with an ecotec, since they sound like a better engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1990lumina Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 My friend's new to him Cavalier has the 2.4L....that's a fun little engine. His runs great, considering he only paid $500 for the car (blown diff in the tranny)... Anyway, I love driving that thing, alot of fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94CutlassSLCoupe Posted November 29, 2005 Author Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 That's why this Quad 4 is fun...try slamming through the gears at 6500rpm when it has 180hp! Even by today's standards, a 180hp 2.3L N/A 4-Cyl is pretty impressive Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prospeeder Posted November 29, 2005 Report Share Posted November 29, 2005 my friends moms had a 98 GA w/ the 2.4 Twin Cam and theyve been pretty hard on the poor thing and its NEVER broke down once The Alero I drove with the 2.4/5-speed didn't really seem any slower than Z24 5-speeds, I don't think the weight difference is really that much. It's fun as hell slamming through the gears at 6000RPM! I want one, but I think I'm gonna look for one with an ecotec, since they sound like a better engine. Well thiers is an Auto, lol, it is a mom mobile 4 door GASE With just about NO options, it hasl ike, powerlocks, thats about it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.