3.2 JTS Q4 to rear wheel drive.

[Ascari32]

 As per the above title, just how feasible is this? My concern is not that it is difficult to disconnect the output of the inner Torsen Double "C" from the front wheel drive shafts, and "locking the output from the outer diff to the inner, such that all the drive goes to the outer diff output shaft to the transfer box, but the ability of the transfer box to handle the total power, given there is no longer a power split,  front and rear.

Leaving all else wrt the front wheels as it is - because the Q4 is so strong - should not compromise handling to any great degree - in respect of a conventional rear wheel drive car, such as a Beemer. But it is a question of whether the transfer box is up to it - perhaps it would need an external oil cooler and oil recirculation - I don't know. other than to say, it is going to get a lot hotter than it does currently as a Q4. Particularly as mine is North of 315 BHP.

Why? Why not! It is something Alfa should have done instead of creating a "Barn - Door on Casters", which is what front wheel drive 939 variants remind me of. All that weight and front wheel drive. Tut - Tut! not the Alfa Romeo I am familiar with.

Nice thing about old age - one can be cantankerous in challenging youth on exactly how much they know, or don't as the case may be.

But non the less, it is a good talking point, given this kind of conversion would not be overly expensive. Just a spare gearbox to use as a mule. 

[pasey25]

have you thought about buying a new Giulia. Seems like a lot less hassle, and a better car overall to boot. I'd have thought that the ESC and other safety electronics are going to have a problem with you disconnecting the front drive shafts.

[Ascari32]

Yes, I can see there would be issues. But that's the point - how can they be addressed? The front drive shafts could stay, but "Idle" in their bearings within the diff case? The drive gears being disconnected within the inner diff.

As the front/rear bias is determined by the loading within the Torsten "Double C", there is no ECU involvement. But the ABS would still be invoked on each wheel, independent of the Torsten.

Speed sensing, of all four corners would still be active, but would it cause instability, if invoked via ASR/VDC?

Indeed, could a ECU from a front wheel drive version be used in place of the Q4's? Reconfiguring some of the wiring - front to back.

But all the drive being channelled via only the outer diff of the Torsten - would the torque be too much for the transfer box? Or the rear diff for that matter?

Prefer the 159 to the Giulia, although the 2.9 is more than a bit special. And things "Can be done" to a 159 as very little residual values remain in that generation. So mine is different - which is important to me. Others may not like it, but hey - ho! Wouldn't want to follow the herd, differentiating only one from the other, by virtue of wheels or superficial add - ons.

And my cars have never been subject to lease/hire/PC - thingies, where the residual value goes against the next car I choose to replace it with. So there is no real financial penalty in modifying it - if the worst happened, everything could be transferred to another 159 or Brera.