TDI Transmission comparison

[UFO]

Swapping a DSG would be difficult, and it looks to me that the DSGs are getting significantly less economy than the 6 speeds too (but the gap is narrower than the slushboxes). I post on the mileage logs in tdiclub and all the autos get worse mileage than manuals.

If you have a specific highway speed that you drive, you can optimize your economy with a 5th gear swap, it sounds quite easy and there are a few ratios from which to choose. But if you want to go fast, you might have to get a chip tune so you can make enough power at the lower rpm of the 5th gear ratio.

[SwamiSalami]

yea, i guess the 5th gear manual swap would be cost effective and most appropriate for improving mileage.

[cleanspeed1]

I know it's off topic but on topic. Your transmission has 4 range changes with a lockup convertor, so theoretically 5 speeds. The thought is if your engine got something like a tow / economy tune up, boosting the bottom end torque and modifying the shift points and torque convertor lockup to match the power curve, it'll perform better than swapping a transmission, and be a far sight cheaper and less complicated.

EDIT- Looks like someone beat me to the punch on the chip tune.

Look up Illinois Dyno Center as one possibility and the TDIClub has plenty of knowlege about what works and doesn't.

[ChrstphrR]

Originally Posted by Ryland

Alot of the newer manual transmissions tend to be geared for performance driving, instead of better gas mileage now, so the mpg gap is closing with newer and newer cars.

That might be so, but not in this particular case of the TDI engined Volkswagens. The gasser manual transmissions you find in the GTI or VR6 equipped models are in that performance bent. The TDI 5/6 speeds are geared differently for the diesels, and, in general, they're more economy minded ratios.

Keep in mind, dieselbeetle -- irregardless of the 4 spd auto, or 5 (or not easily found in N. America 6 ) spd. manual transmissions for the TDIs are geared differently than any gasoline engined model. This means you have to get a tranny, if you're swapping, from another 1.9L diesel, or the gear ratios will make it undrivable.

If you dig around on places like TDIclub, you'll find people are quoting nearer the $1500-2000 mark for a 6 speed to be brought in from Europe. There's quite a bit of plumbing to change too, if you went from an auto to a manual.

Are you trying to see if you should justify the cost of a swap in your current car, or are you thinking about hunting for a manual transmissioned TDI Beetle instead of your current auto?

I haven't driven an auto model, but the only argument I can say is non technical: Driving the 5 speed manual is more FUN than an auto.

[Varn]

Traditional automatics have to be shifted and controlled by power coming from the engine via hydraulic clutches. They use a fair amount of power to get the job done.

I understand that some of the new dual clutch autoshifting manual transmissions have made a lot of improvements. No experience however.