I'm trying to understand the Quattro I system a little better and have one question. . .

When the manual locks are not engaged on the Ur quattro system and one wheel slips will all the power be transferred to that one wheel since all three differentials are "open" differentials? Or is there some limiting device that will prevent all the power going to the wheel with the least amount of torque when the differentials are not locked? Thanks.

I believe each wheel gets 25% of the torque no matter what. None of it moves from end to end or side to side on the original system. Locking the diffs eliminates the spinning as both sides/ends are locked together (so you can theoretically spin in pairs or quad, but not singly). If nothing is locked and one wheel is on ice and spins, that wheel will get 25% of the torque, the other wheels still get their 25% each and should not spin.
This is how understand it, I could be wrong (it has happened before)
Jim
93S4

Actually, with the diffs locked, all wheels get 100% percent of the power its like welded spider spider gears on the front and back wheels.
if you put the car on a lift, engage the diff locks, put the car in neutral and spin one wheel, all the wheels will spin.

with the diff lock in the second position on older non-torsen trannies the front diff will still work and not be locked. I have tried this with my coupe and also have a vid. I drove it around in front wheel drive mode( no driveshaft and center diff locked) and did a burn out. Plus in the manuel it says when you do performance testing on a dyno you remove the driveshaft and lock the center diff. I currently rebuilding a quattro tranny, I got some cool pics of the wasted one that i can post later. Interesting what 90 miles and no oil in a tranny can do.

I meant that if there is always 100% total power, if each wheel gets an equal amount, that is 25% to each wheel (100/4=25). I think you meant that all power goes to all wheels evenly. Same thing. Main point being that is does not adjust itself in any way.

'83 Coupe quattro???
The CQ was introduced in 1984 as an '85-model (sloped grill, big bumpers).

Or did you made it an '83? :)<ul><li><a href="http://www.acgn.nl">Audi Coupe Club Holland</a></li></ul>

Plainly put, if one wheel slips, it gets all the engine power if the diffs are unlocked. Experiment with this on some ice sometime. Each wheel will normally get 25% until something gives.