Automatic IDI, myth or reality

[RAMMSTEIN]

I've heard about the A2 having an optional auto box.

Is this true? :?:

Someone told me it was so slow you could run faster... :shock:

[BlackTieTD]

i seem to remember driving an automatic diesel mkII when i was at the dealership... but i could be full of *** or just tired.. if they were an option, they are incredibly rare.

[addautomotive]

A few years ago I was looking for a good (or not too bad) used car, and saw an ad for a Jetta Diesel nearby. Didn't think to ask if it was a standard, because I thought they all were. Not this one. Automatic, and if I recall, it wasn't even turbocharged. I took it for a spin just for the novelty. The only thing it would have been able to pass was Vanagon diesels and iceflows. Scary.

So yes, they do/did exist.

[type53b_gtd]

You could get an 85 or 86 normally aspirated diesel Jetta with a 3 speed automatic.

Thankfully, few people did...

[RAMMSTEIN]

Thanks for the replies guys!

I guess the bicycle pedals were standard on this one if you wanted to pass! :wink:

[TDIMeister]

There's also a Mk1 Jetta turbo diesel that had an automatic with an "E-gear."  Basically is was the same (crappy) 3-speed automatic with no lock-up torque converter, but the different with the E-gear was when you're idling in gear the transmission would disengage so as to not put any load on the engine, the premise being to save fuel  :roll: .  I think this disengagement also happened when coasting in gear.

I know about this because we looked into buying one such car many moons ago.

[VWRacer]

Geez...to think of the silly extremes VW used to go to to sell cars. But can we get them to add a .50 OD gear? Heck no! :evil:  :roll:

[addautomotive]

Now that you mention it... I think there was a "coasting" E gear on teh car I drove. It was a Mk II.

[BlackTieTD]

Now that you mention it... I think there was a "coasting" E gear on teh car I drove. It was a Mk II.

is that with a manual transmission?

edit: removed my endless banter.

[addautomotive]

it was an automatic

[scopefrfd]

my friend had a 83 rabbit automatic with the e tranny.  When you were on the highway and you were coasting downhill the tranny would let the engine drop down to idle to save on fuel.   It was actually a very fun car to drive.

[TDIMeister]

Except a Diesel engine is still burning fuel to maintain idle while it is not burning any when coasting (i.e. being driven), making the whole exercise counter-productive from a fuel-economy standpoint...

[chrissev]

Except a Diesel engine is still burning fuel to maintain idle while it is not burning any when coasting (i.e. being driven), making the whole exercise counter-productive from a fuel-economy standpoint...

They use almost no fuel when they idle.  They are great in traffic jams because you sit there and use next to no fuel, and hours can pass without your fuel gauge moving at all, while everyone else is running out of gas.  When they are at speed and connected to the road, the diesels use more fuel than when they are idling, even if there is no power being applied to the wheels by the engine, simply because the engine is reving faster so injection is happening more often.

[VWRacer]

Except a Diesel engine is still burning fuel to maintain idle while it is not burning any when coasting (i.e. being driven), making the whole exercise counter-productive from a fuel-economy standpoint...

I know that TDIs do that, TDIMeister, but don't the old IDI engines still inject a small amount of fuel while coasting?

Stan

[QuickTD]

but don't the old IDI engines still inject a small amount of fuel while coasting?

If they do continue to inject fuel on the overrun it would be a very tiny amount. With your foot off the pedal and the engine spinning fast the governor flyweights will overcome the governor spring tension and push the quantity adjuster all the way back. In this position the injected quantity will be minimal.