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Just wanted to check how other people drive the 1.0 engine - I find myself just changing up and down gear to keep it between 1500 and 3000 rpm where there seems to be most torque and pull from the engine. I have tried extending it from 4000rpm and beyond but it sounds awful like a coffee grinder and is reluctant to rev towards the theoretical 6000rpm red line indicated with no apparent extra power coming on tap. In effect you end up driving it like a diesel keeping it below 4000rpm - is that just the reality? My previous car was a 1.25 Fiesta Zetec - no ball of fire itself and to get it's 82bhp you had to rev it's (Very smooth) engine right up to 5000 rpm - this wasn't ideal and is the opposite of the Polo. I prefer the Polo in comparison as it's more relaxing and doesn't get bogged down due to lack of torque.

By the way - on cold frosty mornings I've noticed there is a rev limiter - you can't rev it beyond 4000 rpm presumably until it warms up to protect the engine.

Yes, I'm the same, it really doesn't like being revved at all, it feels breathless and pointless.
It's not going anywhere, it's not adding anything.
The noise doesn't bother me, all three cylinder engines have a strange note.
The only problem with not revving it is that you're not using all the power.
I can't see anything online telling me where peak power is, but I'd take a stab it's at least 4800rpm or more.
So if we're only revving it to 3000rpm, we're effectively only driving a 70bhp car or probably less.
Torque comes into it, of course, but it's still not nice that we're being 'discouraged' from accessing what little power there is by it feeling awful to even try it.
This is why I'm tempted to chip it, more power through the range will make it feel livelier at 1500-3000rpm and it should just feel nicer all round.

http://www.zeperfs.com/en/fiche6967-vw- ... -0-tsi.htm

You really have to rev it to get full power. This engines gives you full 95 HP from 5000 RPM.

Dreamscape wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 1:03 pm You really have to rev it to get full power.

It's too unpleasant to rev.

That's a con of downsizing. It just sounds this bad, I don't think it's harmful. Anyway, I've only test drove the new Polo (1.0 95 HP) and my feelings were that it's more than sufficient. I drive a 54 HP MPI on a daily basis though, so pretty much anything would be a huge step up for me.

Muldoon wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 11:42 am
By the way - on cold frosty mornings I've noticed there is a rev limiter - you can't rev it beyond 4000 rpm presumably until it warms up to protect the engine.

A rev limiter, kicking in at only 4k revs?

That's a new one on me - never seen anything like that on a VAG engine before. Must be a 3 cylinder 1.0 only thing.

From 2013 they brought in power limitation on a cold engine (defined as oil temp being less than 70C) - so you could still get up the top end, it would just take longer to do it. My GTI will go beyond 4k revs on a cold engine (not that I make a habit of doing so).

I think he maybe means in neutral?
If you rev it when cold in neutral, maybe trying to get the heater going faster, it stops at 4000rpm.
Haven't experienced an in-gear 4000rpm limiter when cold.

Again, the gearing doesn't help.
If it had shorter gearing, it would go through the rev band faster and might feel better.
As it is, with the high gearing, you can be the in the same gear for a loooooong time, watching the rev counter slooooooowly rise.
This adds to the impression that the car doesn't want to rev, it's just struggling against the gearing.

Andy Beats wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 1:28 pm I think he maybe means in neutral?
If you rev it when cold in neutral, maybe trying to get the heater going faster, it stops at 4000rpm.
Haven't experienced an in-gear 4000rpm limiter when cold.

Neutral limiting makes sense (not that I've tried revving at a standstill) - 4000revs is the engine speed you hold for launch control (again, haven't tried it).

I have no issues with sound at higher RPM. Maybe since my previous car was a 1.4 3cyl diesel.

Anyone else also find that the torque is limited in 1st and 2nd gear. I can understand 1st, but when pulling out as wanting to get up to speed, 2nd feels awful flat when compared to 3rd.

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Yes I'd assume the 4k limit is for the whole emission thing, and as the manual states to protect the engine.

Can't imagine a 4k rpm limit in-gear though.

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Adam_013 wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 3:56 pm Anyone else also find that the torque is limited in 1st and 2nd gear. I can understand 1st, but when pulling out as wanting to get up to speed, 2nd feels awful flat when compared to 3rd.

I can't see that they've limited it when it's only 175NM anyway.
It just doesn't have any torque, end of.
It's the first car I've had that you can floor it in first and there's zero chance of wheelspin, even in the wet.
Little torque + high gearing = lack of thrust at the wheels and no wheelspin.
But it's a long time since I've only had 175NM in a car, if ever.
My Leaf was 254NM and my Juke before that was 260NM.
My Alpina BMW diesel was 450NM.....

Andy Beats wrote:

Adam_013 wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 3:56 pm Anyone else also find that the torque is limited in 1st and 2nd gear. I can understand 1st, but when pulling out as wanting to get up to speed, 2nd feels awful flat when compared to 3rd.

I can't see that they've limited it when it's only 175NM anyway.
It just doesn't have any torque, end of. [emoji38]
It's the first car I've had that you can floor it in first and there's zero chance of wheelspin, even in the wet.
Little torque + high gearing = lack of thrust at the wheels and no wheelspin.
But it's a long time since I've only had 175NM in a car, if ever.
My Leaf was 254NM and my Juke before that was 260NM.
My Alpina BMW diesel was 450NM.....

Well true, maybe it's just me [emoji23].

Once I get mine back, I've got it booked in for 130hp, and 260nm. Should be better, just careful of the clutch. I'm sure it'll make the world of difference.

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Adam_013 wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 4:35 pm Once I get mine back, I've got it booked in for 130hp, and 260nm. Should be better, just careful of the clutch. I'm sure it'll make the world of difference.

Interesting.
The ones I'm looking at are around 120bhp and 205NM.
Should still be a decent increase.

Andy Beats wrote:

Adam_013 wrote: Mon Feb 04, 2019 4:35 pm Once I get mine back, I've got it booked in for 130hp, and 260nm. Should be better, just careful of the clutch. I'm sure it'll make the world of difference.

Interesting.
The ones I'm looking at are around 120bhp and 205NM.
Should still be a decent increase.

Oh definitely make a noticable difference.

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