1.6TD automatic

[arb]

i think if there was a way of modifying the ratio's on the automatic tranny, it might actually be a bit of a sleeper IMO...

take a 1.9TDI motor with gobs of torque on the bottom end, and make sure it has a VNT turbo...  that thing would sure love tall gears  :wink:

just driving mine around, it just loves low rpm and the higher gears.

surely it must be possible to get custom gears for these transmissions?? i had an '87 gas golf auto, and it was a load of crap.  off the line it wasn't too bad, but 1st gear was horrible.  it was soooo long, and then 2nd gear was sooo short, and 3rd gear was even longer.  4k rpm @ 120kph?  :roll:

a torquy diesel would love a nice long 1st gear.  in fact i would be a bit worried of snapping something in the transmission from all that load...  :shock:  :lol:

Before you do this, block the vacuum line from a gasser automatic and see how it drives. You will not be happy.

[jtanguay]

i think if there was a way of modifying the ratio's on the automatic tranny, it might actually be a bit of a sleeper IMO...

take a 1.9TDI motor with gobs of torque on the bottom end, and make sure it has a VNT turbo...  that thing would sure love tall gears  :wink:

just driving mine around, it just loves low rpm and the higher gears.

surely it must be possible to get custom gears for these transmissions?? i had an '87 gas golf auto, and it was a load of crap.  off the line it wasn't too bad, but 1st gear was horrible.  it was soooo long, and then 2nd gear was sooo short, and 3rd gear was even longer.  4k rpm @ 120kph?  :roll:

a torquy diesel would love a nice long 1st gear.  in fact i would be a bit worried of snapping something in the transmission from all that load...  :shock:  :lol:

Before you do this, block the vacuum line from a gasser automatic and see how it drives. You will not be happy.

i did not think that the old vw autoboxes used vacuum to switch gears (well maybe vacuum, but not vacuum sending) but simply pressure from inside the tranny from the load...

i guess a diesel autobox will have to be used (and modified  :twisted:) or get a solenoid valve to control the vacuum? hmmm i wonder if some paddle shifters could be adapted... YEA!!! 3 SPEED PADDLE SHIFT :lol: how useless would that be...  :roll:

[truckinwagen]

Also you are comparing a Neon to a VW diesel? Come on man the Neon is a POS as soon as it rolls off the line. There are some good parts we can use off them though and whither or not we like it there are guys out there making big power out of their Neons.

I was comparing a neon auto(what was suggested as a tranny) to a neon manual.

night and day, the auto feels like it is only running on three cylinders(it is not, I spent lots of time making sure that there was nothing wrong with my sisters car except the auto tranny after driving it) and the manual is actually a very quick car.

but I have never liked automatic transmissions, I really like the connection to the car a manual transmission gives the driver.

-Owen

[arb]

i think if there was a way of modifying the ratio's on the automatic tranny, it might actually be a bit of a sleeper IMO...

take a 1.9TDI motor with gobs of torque on the bottom end, and make sure it has a VNT turbo...  that thing would sure love tall gears  :wink:

just driving mine around, it just loves low rpm and the higher gears.

surely it must be possible to get custom gears for these transmissions?? i had an '87 gas golf auto, and it was a load of crap.  off the line it wasn't too bad, but 1st gear was horrible.  it was soooo long, and then 2nd gear was sooo short, and 3rd gear was even longer.  4k rpm @ 120kph?  :roll:

a torquy diesel would love a nice long 1st gear.  in fact i would be a bit worried of snapping something in the transmission from all that load...  :shock:  :lol:

Before you do this, block the vacuum line from a gasser automatic and see how it drives. You will not be happy.

i did not think that the old vw autoboxes used vacuum to switch gears (well maybe vacuum, but not vacuum sending) but simply pressure from inside the tranny from the load...

i guess a diesel autobox will have to be used (and modified  :twisted:) or get a solenoid valve to control the vacuum? hmmm i wonder if some paddle shifters could be adapted... YEA!!! 3 SPEED PADDLE SHIFT :lol: how useless would that be...  :roll:

Interesting point - I've always avoided VW automatics so I don't know if they are like GM, Ford, Chrysler (non-computerized) autos that all use vacuum as a load indicator.

I think any auto can be converted to manual paddle shifting :-) This you might be happy with. Kid of a manual with no clutch :-)

[RabbitJockey]

i actually had a rabbit 1.6d with an automatic, heres a movie of it doing 0-60, i didn't drive it conservatively at all and i constantly got 40mpg or better.  it was a great car i miss it, but on the highway it was terrible,  the motor was really screaming, i think i had it going 80 or 85 before but that is not a speed i would ever consider cruising at with one of these cars.  the long gears were really nice for acceleration as you can see, but third gear is just too short.  in the movie it got kind of weird around 50mph i think it shifted to third too early because i unknowingly didn't have the pedal down the whole way, so it went to third then back to second real quick.  the starter was a *** i definitely had issues with that it would get hot then either the solenoid wouldn't engage or it would just grind.  i replaced the starter and then it would only do this very rarely.  over all, if you want something to run around in the town and country with, the automatic is great i loved it, but if you want it for any highway use forget it unless its for short trips like under 10 miles.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys6jVBWt3ms

[jtanguay]

i actually had a rabbit 1.6d with an automatic, heres a movie of it doing 0-60, i didn't drive it conservatively at all and i constantly got 40mpg or better.  it was a great car i miss it, but on the highway it was terrible,  the motor was really screaming, i think i had it going 80 or 85 before but that is not a speed i would ever consider cruising at with one of these cars.  the long gears were really nice for acceleration as you can see, but third gear is just too short.  in the movie it got kind of weird around 50mph i think it shifted to third too early because i unknowingly didn't have the pedal down the whole way, so it went to third then back to second real quick.  the starter was a *** i definitely had issues with that it would get hot then either the solenoid wouldn't engage or it would just grind.  i replaced the starter and then it would only do this very rarely.  over all, if you want something to run around in the town and country with, the automatic is great i loved it, but if you want it for any highway use forget it unless its for short trips like under 10 miles.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ys6jVBWt3ms

i always enjoy the comments on youtube  :roll: that thing is DEFINITELY faster than a 5 speed off the line (if you didn't have it to the floor).  this almost tempts me to switch over...  i think the main reason for getting such great mileage is the fact that the engine stays in its efficiency range for a much longer period.  the first gear is so long that unless you have your foot down, it probably won't go more than 2500 rpm or so.  in this case the normal automatic transmission losses are counteracted by the requirement for higher rpm by the 5 speed transmission.  essentially, 2000 rpm is going to require roughly the same fuel in both transmissions, but the 5 speed will be going slower while accelerating (shorter gears).

look at the TD automatic

1st   2nd  3rd       Final
2.55 1.45 1.00 - - 3.13

gives a respectable 64mph @ 3k rpm!  now lets change 2nd to about 1.00, and 3rd to oh say... 0.50  :twisted: 1500rpm @ 64mph... would definitely require a 1.9TD to put out the required torque to handle that thing... or a hopped up 1.6TD

[truckinwagen]

well, to get your motor to stay in its efficiency range better, just shift sooner, thats what I like about manual transmissions, complete control

[jtanguay]

well, to get your motor to stay in its efficiency range better, just shift sooner, thats what I like about manual transmissions, complete control

true... but trying to accelerate for performance... its really hard unless you have a nice tall transmission.

[dubbinchris]

I have a factory TD automatic Quantum.  It's certainly not the lightest car ever in the VW fleet.  It has a cute little feature that will disengage the trans at stoplights and while coasting to save fuel if you put it in the "E" mode.  My only complaint is the 3rd gear not being tall enough.  It makes for rather noisy road trips.

So to the some of the posters earlier on...just source out and auto that was originally geared for a diesel.  

I've also heard that when it comes to the autos the transverse and the logitudal ones are the same, they are just bolted to different finals drives. I've yet to confirm this but if true you can souce it from either and likely make it work given the appropriate final drive.

[RabbitJockey]

I have a factory TD automatic Quantum.  It's certainly not the lightest car ever in the VW fleet.  It has a cute little feature that will disengage the trans at stoplights and while coasting to save fuel if you put it in the "E" mode.  My only complaint is the 3rd gear not being tall enough.  It makes for rather noisy road trips.

So to the some of the posters earlier on...just source out and auto that was originally geared for a diesel.  

I've also heard that when it comes to the autos the transverse and the logitudal ones are the same, they are just bolted to different finals drives. I've yet to confirm this but if true you can souce it from either and likely make it work given the appropriate final drive.

i highly doubt the transmissions are interchangeable, they may be the same basic thing with small differences.  i did love the E on my automatic, it took a bit to get used to, but i think that also helped with mileage, but u just gotta watch if ur having blow by problems haha, my engine started running away so i hate the brake to try to stall it out and then the transmission disengaged and the motor screamed its head off until i put my hand on the intake, that motor didn't survive haha.  i also agree though, i think a regeared automatic and a built td would definitely tear *** up, especially since you could preload the turbo