# VW diesel gear ratios



## rednrusty (Dec 12, 2011)

I am putting a 1.6 L NA diesel into a Geo Tracker. I have the option to use the Geo 3 speed A/T or the 5 speed M/T. I know the ratio options of the Geo and would like to find out what the A/T and M/T ratios were of the VW diesel transmission final drives and the differential ratios ? The Geo people are divided about this conversion ,go at it in the manner of not bothering to find out just what the total VW packages were. I hope to find out from people knowledgeable about VWs. I don't know squat about ANY of the vehicles,and I'm just trying to get from here to there! Thanks, Ken


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## Snarkle (Jan 22, 2012)

Be patient it may take some time for the Diesel gurus to see this.


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## krautwhlz (May 10, 2010)

Snarkle said:


> Be patient it may take some time for the Diesel gurus to see this.


 Ummm... yeah, it takes awhile to run the glow plugs to start the diesel computers  


*rednrusty* - ASSuming it must be a 2WD Tracker, is the engine transversely- or longitudinally-mounted in your Geo (Isuzu? Suzuki?) Tracker? That would sure make a difference on whether you look for used VW trannies in the Rabbit/Golf/Jetta pile or in the Dasher/Quantum/Fox heap, and also, therefore, which ratios are available. 

As far as gears to match a VW 1.6L n.a. diesel, just a reminder that it has its torque peak at 3,000rpm, and winds to a horsepower peak @ 4,800rpm, really not too far off a lot of the typical small, multi-application Japanese gasoline 4-bangers. If that's true for your Tracker's oe engine as well, maybe your best shot is to adapt the engine to the oe 5-speed manual trans. That would minimize having to futz around with modified mounts & custom fabbed shift linkage. IMHO mating the VW 1.6L n.a. diesel to any auto trans would be a real bad choice. VW didn't even do that in their roughly 1,900 Lb Rabbit coupes, and I'll bet your Tracker's weight is well over that. 

BTW It's the 1.6L *TD* that grunts out a torque peak @ 1,950rpm, and even that engine is better with a manual trans, especially in any vehicle weighing over a ton. 

J.R. 
SoCal


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## VW Fox (Aug 1, 2000)

Doing a quick Google image search is looks like Geo Trackers have their engines mounted longitudinally. If that's the case, here are the gear ratios for 4- and 5-speed manual transmissions for the B1 (Audi Fox, VW Dasher), B2 (Audi 4000, VW Quantum) and BX (VW Fox) with 4-cylinder engines. If the engine is transverse or you're mounting it transversely as part of the swap, here's a page with gear ratios of manual transmissions from transversely-mounted engines. 

You may want to consider swapping in a 1.6L turbo diesel. 1.5L NA diesels pumped out 48HP, 1.6L NA 52HP and 1.6L Turbo Diesel 68HP (easily increased). Depending on whether you're mounting the engine longitudinally or transversely you'll need different bolt-on parts (exhaust manifold, oil pan, oil filter housing, oil pump pick-up, etc.). Also be aware that there are differences between early and late 1.6L turbo diesel engines (mechanical- vs. hydraulic lifters means they have different blocks and heads which aren't interchangeable). I suggest reading the vwdiesel.net forums for diesel-specific info, including swaps. 

One other tip: if the injection pump needs a rebuild consider getting a performance rebuild done (for either NA or TD) by Giles at PerformanceDiesel.ca. Same or better fuel consumption but with more power.


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## rednrusty (Dec 12, 2011)

The diesel is an '82 Rabbit1.5 L, transverse mounted engine, going into a '95 Geo Tracker, 4 WD convert, with a 3 speed A/T. I intend to swap in 5.12 axles and use 16" 225/80-16" tires. I need to know how VW controls their A/T shifting on their diesel powered cars. Ken


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## rednrusty (Dec 12, 2011)

rednrusty said:


> The diesel is an '82 Rabbit1.5 L, transverse mounted engine, going into a '95 Geo Tracker, 4 WD convert, with a 3 speed A/T. I intend to swap in 5.12 axles and use 16" 225/80-16" tires. I need to know how VW controls their A/T shifting on their diesel powered cars. Ken


 Sorry ,I meant to say a 1.6 L diesel


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## krautwhlz (May 10, 2010)

In support of *VW Fox*’s recommendation of a 1.6TD motor… checking around a little, it looks like a ’95 Tracker 4WD with manual trans has a curb weight around 2250Lbs, so your auto trans version would probably be closer to 2300Lbs. The Tracker’s factory 1.6L gas engine was rated as producing 80 hp @ 5400rpm (54% more than your 1.6L n/a VW diesel with 52Hp @ 4800rpm), while the Geo's torque rating was 94 ft-lbsq @ 3000 rpm (the 1.6L n/a VW diesel only has 71.5 Lb/ft @ 3000rpm; off by about 31%). Oops… moving in the wrong direction! Sorry to be a wet blanket, but the numbers don't suggest evidence of any upgrade.:banghead:

Your Tracker, then, is probably about 400-500Lbs heavier that the ’82 Rabbit diesel engine donor car (available only with a manual trans), and the Tracker’s automatic trans will drop the performance with 1.6L n/a diesel power even further. BTW that 2300Lb figure is close to the same weight as my 1.6L n/a Dasher station wagon, about 150Lbs more that my Dasher sedan, and honestly, I wouldn’t want either of them saddled with an autobox, even with the stock 175/70-13 size tires. Your Tracker’s tranny, being a 3-speed, will usually be winding the engine out a bunch just cruising down the road, what with 5.12 gears and no overdrive. Add dragging those 225/80-16 tires around, I doubt if you’ll see any fuel mileage benefit to the VW 1.6n/a diesel power.

OTOH the 1.6L turbo-diesel could make a huge difference, largely because of that stock 98 Lb/Ft torque peak @ only 1950rpm. And if you add an intercooler and adjust the injection pump a little, 125-130 Lb/Ft @ the same peak RPM should be quite achievable. Now that would be a noticeable improvement, yeah… maybe even with the automatic tranny! Your fuel MPG would also likely improve with the turbo & intercooler vs the n/a diesel or the oem Tracker gas motor.


J.R.
SoCal


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