I know a few of the 16v boys have changed to a lower F.D & this has been recommended to me as a decent mod for the track...seeing as i dont have the funds/inclination to go for steel bottom end/solid lifters/hotter cams.... Question is, which F.D is best, what box is it from & what am i looking at price wise if I remove/fit my own box?? Lastly, what pros/cons have people noticed?? cheers, Chris
I thought I'd got an ad up here for a 3.9 8V FD.. but went looking and it's elsewhere (PM if of use). I used to run a 3.9. Alternative is 4.25, but hard to find, and a road compromise - too buzzy, and forget 90mph cruises. Those are really your choices. There is a 4.6 out there, but really it's just not on if there's road use. Fitting-wise, the internal diameter of an 8V crownwheel is ~ 1.5-2mm smaller, so if you have a 16V Quaife LSD, you'll need to get the inside machined out to fit the 600 ATB (no real alternative, eh?). There is more to fitting it I suspect, since it's 8V kit to start with - I didn't do it, but Alan did *another* one .
The 3.9fd is night and day better in a valver, matched with some 16V 2Y ratios its a peach - my current 02A cable box has mix and match ratios with a 4.2fd and these end up same as 2Y/3.94 - corkers and ok for road and track. But a word of warning. As the fd ratio goes up, the pinion gear gets smaller.....and weaker......on an already weak box with a tuned valver. To drive its better. For longevity, its worse IMO. Rob
Thanks Rob.... I guess the 'box strength/or lack of it is yet another issue to consider...I know it has already been fairly recently rebuilt (not long before I bought the car) & has been faultless so far, but certainly wouldnt want to compromise this... Decisions...Decisions
I've run a 3.89 in the Mk1 before which would be absolutly fine in a valver, the 8v used to run out of revs going over avon rise. Fitting the 8V final drive means you have to swap to a 8v 4th gear I think it is? The new box I have for the Mk1 has a taller 2nd gear so it will still do 60 in 2nd (at about 7400) with the 4.2 FD and the rest of the ratios are standard 2y ratios. that's a bit of a miss match of 8v and 16v parts but probably best to have a word with alan. I've got a couple of good Mk1 1.6 boxes with 3.89 FD's kickin about if you are looking for one.
So 3.89 seems to be the preferred option!.... Maybe I need to contact Mart (Hotgolf) reference building & take one of your mk1 boxes off ya hands Ray...
3.94 works very very well in mine... I went for the VW Motorsport () option on the crown and pinion so that i got the extra strength from the far superior metals used over the standard options for similar FD.
Aye,but that extra strength won't mean f*ck all if you rip teeth off 5th or any other gear and they go inside the box, final drive will still get mangled VWMS or not I 'm afraid. Chris,Brand new VAG FDs are around 200 should you need one BUT they are usually on back order (long wait). Yes you'll need an ACD 4th gear should you use an '8v' fd (same ratio as 2y 4th) Stealth use an 8v Quaife in their gearbox 'rebuilds' anyway for some reason. You'll find the when you change up you'll be straight into the power band 'on cam' blah blah blah.. I've got 3.89:1 FD in mine, it's *much* better on track and now I have a ACD 5th gear (0.89) it's more bearable on the motorway than using a 16v 5th. As an instance,with the stock 3.6 fd it was a case of using 2nd gear through the Mountain at Cadwell and it was hitting limiter over the crest (your front wheels take off!) with the 3.89 can do the preceding chicane and up and over the crest in 3rd, before it just bogged down. 020 gearboxes are depressing. My latest box is ok so far - thanks Hotgolf Edited by: GVK
Them VWM final drives are semi straight cut aren't they? They make a right racket, they do sounds kool tho.
at the end of the day its not like we are doing competitive racing here, just trackdays, chris your car is more than fast enough for having this kind of fun with, anything which could make it potentially less reliable i would be inclined to advise against
...I know B6 is a pretty competent machine as it stands boys.... Just wondering if I can gain any more pace on track on the (relative) cheap.... Engine wise...200BHP/160lbs/ft isnt going to be significantly increased without significant investment. Box is standard 2Y ratios & F.D with Quaife ATB diff! Chassis is on Koni coliovers with Eibach ARBs, so no real scope for improvement... Brakes are 304mm Brembo 4 pots with 2 piece AP discs & DS2500 pads.....once again top drawer stuff!! Poly bushed all round etc etc...... The way i see it, a slightly higher F.D with some proper track rubber will yield the biggest gains.... Car is already due a remap & ITB rebuild this winter & I obviously want to improve on it in any other relatively cheap way possible..as is the need for constant & improved Cainage Edited by: chrismc
I was going to suggest proper tyres too Another set of wheels for you then macca You could start upping spring rates etc, but that will harm the road useability of it.
jimmy8v on here is looking at a group buy of Yoko A048/32 type tyres, not much to be had in the way of discounts on these even to the trade, best offer I had was free carriage on 4 tyres, wooopeeeeeeeedoooo generous
I run a 3.89FD on 16v ratios (but FD box code gears) and its great! But I built a 4.25 FD 16v box for a friend and he cant get enough of it! Accelleration is immense. But topping out at just over 120mph on 195-45-15s does have its draw backs!
Macca, you could always lend me your compos for Mallory while your down under and I can wear them out for you Problem solved
May have discovered something interesting. Can someone give me the standard 2Y gear ratios so I can check it out first and verify that I am not going to make a t*t of myself!
