Hello,
According to my knowledge, the compression ratio of an engine primarily determines its efficiency.
While browsing the Bücheli repair manual for the Golf 3, I found that the 3 different ZKD (cylinder head gasket) options for the VP 37 engine (to be used depending on the piston overhang) apparently differ in increments of 0.1 mm.
With a compression ratio of 19:1 and a bore of 95.5 mm, the (assumed cylindrical) combustion chamber has a
calculated height of approximately 5.31 mm.
If the bore height is reduced by the specified ZKD grid of 0.1 mm, the target compression changes from 19.0 to approximately 18.69 (19.36), which is a change of approximately 1.7%.
This effect could, for example, be relevant if the piston overhanging measured in engine production is exactly at the "selection limit" of the ZKD (1, 2 or 3 grooves...).
One mechanic might then use the thinner head gasket and give the engine a compression ratio of 1:19.16, while the other prefers to use the thicker gasket to build an engine with a compression ratio of 18.83, considering it to be more material-efficient.
If the compression ratio is completely off (using the thinnest instead of the thickest, and vice versa), compression ratios of approximately 19.7 or 18.4 instead of the target value of 19.0 are conceivable.
IMO, engines with such different compression ratios, if otherwise identical (and also undergo the same break-in procedures), should have different performance and fuel consumption – the only question is how large the differences would be.
The answer seems to be in the efficiency, but when searching in the forum, I haven't found a direct relationship (formula) between (geometric) compression and efficiency.
-> Machine builders and graduates to the forefront:
Who can calculate / reliably estimate the performance and consumption-related effects of the aforementioned? Deviations from an ideal value of 19.0 in terms of compaction?
Perhaps this explains, at least in part, the performance fluctuations of the TDIs.
