trevorswaine
Member
This all relates to the TDi75, and in particular the early version.
I’ve always felt that the gearing is too short, much more related to urban use than the open road. I’ve found it an effort to get it to 70mph as engine noise increases with higher revs, and fuel consumption suffers. So with a dodgy 3rd gear it was time to look at alternatives.
Initially I went for an EXB gearbox from a VW Polo. This was excellent, with each of the 5 gears about 10% taller; 60mph equated to 2,000rpm, just about right, and 70mph wasn’t too stressful. But this gearbox also was dodgy – 2nd to 3rd gearchange was fine, but 4th (or 5th) to 3rd didn’t work very often.
I think I’m right in saying that the later A2 TDi can take the 6 speed MYP gearbox from a VW Passat with minimal problems, to do with the way the speedometer reads. Early ones can’t. So time to empty the piggybank and contact Eurotuning for their 6 speed conversion kit.
After a very long delay it arrived; over to Vince at Stealth Racing to convert the original gearbox and sort out 3rd gear. Then back to Rob & Marcus at WOM Automotive to refit it. In short, it’s brilliant, a real long legged cruiser at 70mph and I’m hoping for improved fuel consumption on long motorway journeys.
The cost? Not worth it in that it’ll take at least 25 years to pay off the saving in fuel by which time the car may still not be running, and being 65 years old now neither will I. But yes definitely worth it for the more relaxed feel of the car.
Ideal? Almost. My ideal would be a 7 speed using the EXB ratios plus this conversion, but including a low crawler gear for some of the really steep hills here in Cumbria such as Hardknott Pass:
Mph at 2,000 rpm 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
Standard 12 19 30 43 54
EXB 14 23 34 47 60
Eurotuning 12 19 30 43 55 70
Ideal 11 14 23 34 47 60 72
So if anyone wants the EXB gearbox to experiment with, let me know. It’s down at WOM Automotive.
I’ve always felt that the gearing is too short, much more related to urban use than the open road. I’ve found it an effort to get it to 70mph as engine noise increases with higher revs, and fuel consumption suffers. So with a dodgy 3rd gear it was time to look at alternatives.
Initially I went for an EXB gearbox from a VW Polo. This was excellent, with each of the 5 gears about 10% taller; 60mph equated to 2,000rpm, just about right, and 70mph wasn’t too stressful. But this gearbox also was dodgy – 2nd to 3rd gearchange was fine, but 4th (or 5th) to 3rd didn’t work very often.
I think I’m right in saying that the later A2 TDi can take the 6 speed MYP gearbox from a VW Passat with minimal problems, to do with the way the speedometer reads. Early ones can’t. So time to empty the piggybank and contact Eurotuning for their 6 speed conversion kit.
After a very long delay it arrived; over to Vince at Stealth Racing to convert the original gearbox and sort out 3rd gear. Then back to Rob & Marcus at WOM Automotive to refit it. In short, it’s brilliant, a real long legged cruiser at 70mph and I’m hoping for improved fuel consumption on long motorway journeys.
The cost? Not worth it in that it’ll take at least 25 years to pay off the saving in fuel by which time the car may still not be running, and being 65 years old now neither will I. But yes definitely worth it for the more relaxed feel of the car.
Ideal? Almost. My ideal would be a 7 speed using the EXB ratios plus this conversion, but including a low crawler gear for some of the really steep hills here in Cumbria such as Hardknott Pass:
Mph at 2,000 rpm 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th
Standard 12 19 30 43 54
EXB 14 23 34 47 60
Eurotuning 12 19 30 43 55 70
Ideal 11 14 23 34 47 60 72
So if anyone wants the EXB gearbox to experiment with, let me know. It’s down at WOM Automotive.
