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Hello,

I have a Volkswagen Golf with a 110 hp engine, which I've now upgraded to 130 hp with an aftermarket chip.
Unfortunately, the transmission, which was already geared too short for the 110 hp engine, is even worse. At 180 km/h in fifth gear, I'm already at 4000 rpm, and at the top speed of 205 km/h (with a chip), it's 4500 rpm, which is almost hitting the rev limiter. Also, the power starts to decrease above 4000 rpm. Is there a way to install a transmission with longer gearing? Or would the 6-speed transmission from the 130 hp PD engine fit? Maybe you can find one cheaply from a salvaged vehicle.
Thank you for all the suggestions.
Jean.

Hi.

Have you already considered all the "disadvantages" of a significantly longer final gear ratio?

It starts with the illegality because you probably won't get a (costly) emissions test report for the modification.

Furthermore, you would lose at least a portion of the gained traction force with each gear change – try entering these values into a traction calculator and pay attention to the average acceleration value.

Now the engine is "revving up" at top speed, but according to your words, it's in the early over-rev region with a reduced fuel injection amount, which means the thermal load is already reduced.
With longer translation times, you save some RPMs, but the thermal load is correspondingly higher.
Where the real motorheads might discuss what is more harmful. . .

For my part, I would definitely prefer to enjoy the "acceleration monster" and sacrifice those last few possible km/h of top speed – when and where can you even reach that anyway? Opportunities for enjoying good acceleration are much more common, in my opinion.

And for the money saved from the transmission conversion, I would treat myself to something meaningful.

'Yes, it's about the gear ratio. It has incredible power, and if you're already at 2200 RPM at 100 km/h, you have acceleration that few gasoline cars can match. However, I often drive long distances on the highway, and at a constant speed, I would prefer a slightly longer gear ratio, ideally having a sixth gear. If you have about 1000 fewer RPM at cruising speeds of 160-180 km/h, it feels much more relaxed. You can always downshift when needed. It would also positively affect fuel consumption. Interestingly, even my old G3 TDI with 90 horsepower had a longer gear ratio.'
And something like 10 km/h more wouldn't hurt .
Jean.

Hello,

Someone once had the idea about using larger tires in the forum.
So, if new summer tires and rims are already planned for purchase, it might be a good idea to inquire with the TÜV (German technical inspection authority) about which tire and rim combinations are approved for use. It's possible that the speedometer reading would also need to be adjusted.
For example, changing from my current tire size of 205/60-15 to a 215/60-16 would result in approximately a 6% higher speed. This translates to an increase from 199 km/h to 211 km/h.
Assuming the engine speed is 4000 RPM at a cruising speed of 180 km/h, it would decrease to only 3780 RPM afterward.
Unfortunately, the 215/60-16 tires are a bit more expensive than the smaller ones. However, a set of ATU alloy wheels together with a set of tires should be roughly equivalent in price to the effort and cost of a transmission swap. Sadly, my summer tires are practically brand new...
I couldn't find any information online about people using 215/60-16 tires on an Audi A3. Does anyone know if there is enough space in the wheel wells, or does anyone actually use this size?

Best regards, Rainer.

Hello,

I just had my new summer tires installed too, but that's a good idea.
What about the possibility of getting a TÜV (German technical inspection) approval with a different gearbox? You mentioned something about a new emissions test, which seems like something different than the regular emissions test. Is it the same thing as the regular emissions test, or is it something else?

Okay, everything is purely hypothetical for now. But I think I'll need a new clutch in the next 30,000 km (I slightly overheated it while maneuvering with a heavy trailer). It would be a waste if you then had to replace the entire transmission. I also heard that the drivetrains on the 130 hp PD models were reinforced. Mine are already starting to make a bit of noise (but not dangerously so yet).
Okay, so how about it, would a 6-speed transmission fit? What does the TÜV (technical inspection authority) say about it? How much would a transmission cost?
(If it gets too intense, I'll probably skip it anyway, but I would still be interested.)

Greetings.
Jean.