GTI 5th Gear Ratio

[joe2612]

I do a lot of motorway cruising in my GTI, and since I’ve owned it and driven other cars I’ve realised how much the ratios are geared ( pun intended lol) to acceleration. At 70 the GTi does about 3.5k RPM which doesn’t make for great cruising with the engine screaming its head off.

4th and 5TH are so close together. My mates Ibiza , abet more power, does just under 3000 at 72 which I think is perfect.

Which leads me into researching other 085 5th gear ratios that would be suitable. Standard 5th in the GTI is 0.892 with 3.6 final drive, this gives 3400RPM at 70. A ratio of 7.4 would be perfect and if my maths are correct that would give 73 mph at 2830 rpm. This would also give a higher top speed ( 140

Do other people agree or am I just really bored at work lol?

*edit*

For those that need gearbox ratio knowledge refreshing ( me a few days ago) the ratio number coresponds to the number of time the input shaft spinds in relation to the output shaft. Lower ratio would give lower rpms providing speed stays the same.

[6N2 GTI 00]

Interesting thread Joe, I must admit I never paid too much attention to to the gearing in the GTI

It would be interesting to see if there are any differences with your car to other peoples on here in terms of motorway speed/rev gauge reading.
There are a couple of other factors to take into consideration such as wheel/tyre size, accuary of speedo and if any gearbox work had been carried out.

There was a thread a few years back on here regarding 2nd gear acceleration and what speed the car was capable of in that gear.
At the time it was believed the GTI could achieve 63mph in 2nd gear but I remember I tested my car and it was only reading 58/59mph before I had to change (valves were dancing on the bonnet) whereas other people could achieve 60+. When my box finally packed up it was replaced with an exchange box from a freshly reburished GTI (1st gear transmissions) and although it felt similar the ratios were very slightly longer, it could now pull 61/62 in 2nd and 3rd gear was also longer too.

Mine was a 1999 V plate GTI which would have been one of the very first so I know the engine code was different to the later GTI's but perhaps they made some slight alterations to the gearbox too?

Does anybody know if there are any alternative final drives available for the GTI box? Changing the final drive can have a huge impact on acceleration

[joe2612]

Final drives are all the same for the GTI at 3.600 . My gearbox no. is ETG and i believe all original boxes have the same ratios as standard.

Have my donor gearbox coming soon so will report back !

[6N2 GTI 00]

Shame there are such few parts available for the GTI in terms of transmission & engine

Keep us updated Joe

[joe2612]

I know! this gear is coming out of a 1995 6n lol!

[6N2 GTI 00]

Sounds interesting congrats on becoming a mod Joe

[Oskah]

This is interesting, I read this thread last night and checked my car going to work this morning, when I am driving at 70mph my rev counter needle is just past 3,000rpm I took it to 80 and its just under 4,000rpm. I thought mine was low geared (mind you I have been driving diesels for the last ten years) but Its not as bad as 3.5k at 70mph like the OP. It could also be that my speedo is out but I seemed to be passing the slower traffic and 70mph felt like, well 70mph.

[6N2 GTI 00]

This is interesting, I read this thread last night and checked my car going to work this morning, when I am driving at 70mph my rev counter needle is just past 3,000rpm I took it to 80 and its just under 4,000rpm. I thought mine was low geared (mind you I have been driving diesels for the last ten years) but Its not as bad as 3.5k at 70mph like the OP. It could also be that my speedo is out but I seemed to be passing the slower traffic and 70mph felt like, well 70mph.

Thanks for the input has the gearbox on your car ever been refurbished to your knowledge? (Most GTI's have these days)
There seems to be a lot of variation with the gearing albeit minor differences, it would be good to get more input from a few more members too

[joe2612]

Sounds interesting congrats on becoming a mod Joe

TY Ben

[Oskah]

This is interesting, I read this thread last night and checked my car going to work this morning, when I am driving at 70mph my rev counter needle is just past 3,000rpm I took it to 80 and its just under 4,000rpm. I thought mine was low geared (mind you I have been driving diesels for the last ten years) but Its not as bad as 3.5k at 70mph like the OP. It could also be that my speedo is out but I seemed to be passing the slower traffic and 70mph felt like, well 70mph.

Thanks for the input has the gearbox on your car ever been refurbished to your knowledge? (Most GTI's have these days)
There seems to be a lot of variation with the gearing albeit minor differences, it would be good to get more input from a few more members too

Not as far as I am aware, there is no mention of it in the service history but thats not to say its not been done at some point in the past. I have only owned her since feb this year

[joe2612]

Well i can report back and say this was a success!

[6n2stan]

Cool,so have you had a longer 5th gear fitted?

Have you still got enough torque to push on in 5th or are you dropping to 4th more?

[joe2612]

I have indeed Stan. The GTI still has enough torque to push it along but i woulden't go below 40 in 5th. Cruising at 70 is perfect though. Much quieter and more comfortable.

The ratio is from a 1995 polo 1.4 and the GTI has lots more torque than that!

[Endi_GTI]

Brilliant work Joe, very interesting. You must show me when i return from sea. Congrats on becoming a mod as well sadly i dont get to come on here very often as the sat internet is so so slow

When im back (mid Oct) ill be spending a lot of time on the racer if you are about at uni

[joe2612]

Brilliant work Joe, very interesting. You must show me when i return from sea. Congrats on becoming a mod as well sadly i dont get to come on here very often as the sat internet is so so slow

When im back (mid Oct) ill be spending a lot of time on the racer if you are about at uni

Ok Matt sounds good! GTI is FILTHY and i have no means of giving it a wash here so we'll have to have a cleaning session when you're back!