The Project Pad

Hairball II wrote:
So what is the best tranny solution for high hp audis like Hanks? What part of the tranny seems to fail the most.

It depends on what your using the car for. The tdi transmission with the flexible main shafts save the first gear but have been known to shear off with very high horsepower and hard racing conditions. The regular main shafts have been known to gall first gear with similar abuse.

The 1-2 collars are problematic, mostly due to the shifter design of the C5 and B5 cars, as 1-2 collar problems are almost non existent in C4 cars. There are updated pieces which fix this issue, but you won't find a factory transmission with those pieces installed.

The later tdi transmissions (2003 and up) had a pump, standard capacity sump but the first and second gears are even shorter than the standard 01E (3.75/2.14).

Since the terms better and best are entirely subjective here are three scenarios taking into account engine and car use.

The "Best" transmission utilizing factory parts would look like this for a low displacement street car would be:

Allroad TDI high capacity sump with pump
4.11 final drive
3.50/1.89 first/second
1.32/.93 3rd/4th -- There is also a 1.43/1.07 but 4-5th spacing would be pretty wide.
.73 5th
.60 6th
Updated 1-2 shift collar parts

The "Best" transmission utilizing factory parts would look like this for a large displacment engine

Allroad TDI high capacity sump with pump
3.89 final drive
3.50/1.89 first/second
1.23/.87 3rd/4th
.68 5th
.56 6th
Updated 1-2 shift collar parts

The "Best" transmission utilizing factory parts would look like this for a track only car

Allroad TDI high capacity sump with pump
4.35 final drive
3.50/1.89 first/second
1.43/1.07 3rd/4th
.86 5th
.76 6th
Updated 1-2 shift collar parts

However there are power limitations to the stock internals, at about 600 wheel hp in a racing environment I've seen, 3rd gears shear and first gear loose teeth with drag racing.

ShavedQuattro wrote:Sam, I have always been able to get them unstuck from locked second scenarios. They are never the same, but they are driveable. My current five speed has a very stiff 1-2 but I have driven it for a thousand miles that way. The technique is as followed:

The trick is getting third back first. When it happens don't stop the car for any reason until first is back. In order to get it , you have to get third first. Rev matching at lower rpms with the clutch disengaged is the best. You have to put you shoulder into it and really force it, but even the worstbones will finally conk in. Once that painfully 2-3 is done once, it will get easier as you basically rebroach the sliding mechanism. Once you have done 50-75 reps of 2-3-2 you are ready to do the same to 2-1-2. This is even harder to force than the 2-3. Once you get it once, it gets slightly easier.

Now this is the part that some simply can't do. Once in first, tap the shifted down so it just barely falls out of gear. Then try and force it into first while going 20 mph without the clutch. This grinder and makes awful noises, but it gets the burr knockd off. Then the trans is back to 80% and sucks at 1-2. All of is hard on the 1-2 slider and hub but those are the parts that are goobered anyway.

Ed can attest to this technique used in practice.

pkw wrote:Ed, thanks for posting that.