Golf RPMs

I just got a 2006 Golf GL 5-speed manual with a 2.0 liter engine, and at 70 mph the tachometer registers about 3600 RPMs. That's about 1000 RPMs higher than any other car I've owned running at the same speed, even cars with less horesepower than the Golf, and seems excessively high. The engine seems louder than I'm used to and straining. Is this normal for a Golf, or do I have a problem? Thanks for any responses.

Reply to
davidlfinkel
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Yes, VW obviously stuck some mystery gears in your transmission, you should definitely take it back and complain bitterly. Afterall if its overrevving and still "straining" you know both the engine and the tranny are messed up. I guess you are used to other VW's or what? You did testdrive the car before buying it, right?

Reply to
not

Hey thanks. Yeah, tested it (and loved it). Just not at 70 mph.

Reply to
davidlf

That sounds about right, nicely in the torque sweet spot to keep it really responsive for overtaking, etc. You don't say what you're comparing it to, but yeah the average North American automatic V6 is ticking over a lot less than that at 70 - but then again there's no feeling, no feedback and no guts till the slushbox eventually drops a gear and gets the motor back to where it should be... ;-) Enjoy your new Golf.

Reply to
John

anyway, its normal.

Reply to
Eduardo K.

What I was comparing it to: an old 1994 Saturn 5-speed manual; 85 hp;

1.9 liter. Even that old thing slides nicely along at 70 mph in the 2800 RPM range -- which in part was what concerned about the the 3600 on the Golf. Anyway, thanks very much for the reply.
Reply to
davidlf

Maybe it's a 6-speed with a wrong knob on the stick!!

SFC

schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

Reply to
SFC

Actually, you're just observant.

I also have a Golf 2.0 5 speed (albeit a 2000 model, but I think it is similar to your specs)..it does much the same thing.

Only VW knows for sure, but I would attribute it to engine characteristics, gearing, and weight of the car. I think VW wanted to give the car good "around town" (i.e. city) feel but the 2.0 litre engine doesn't have a lot of torque to spare... but feels pretty peppy around town (not to the point of winning a drag race)...I would chock this up to a relatively heavy (~2850 lbs) car and the final drive (differential) being 4.25 or so...when combined with the 5 speed transmission ratios, the car seems really peppy from a stop, but even with the overdrive (less than 1.0) 5th gear ratio, is having to turn the engine quite a few RPMs (in the mid to high 3000's) at highway speeds. In a way, they really should have offered this car with the extra gearing (maybe 6 speed?) to allow for slightly lower highway RPMs, but keeping the spacing between gears reasonably close.

My previous car (actually previous 2 cars) was also a VW (Golf GTI), that had much the same engine (well, 1.8 litre 2V), but was lighter (~2200 lbs) and geared differently, it seemed to cruise at lower RPM on highway (but was noisier at speed, guess the added weight also added noise insulation?) The Golf actually seems to get similar fuel economy on the highway (as much as 34 MPG) to the GTI, but the city mileage (about 27 MPG) is lower. Without scientific proof, I attributed that to better aerodynamics (~.31 CD) of the 2000 Golf and that the higher weight of the Golf probably isn't as big a factor on gas mileage at highway speeds as it is around town (plus the gearing is different). Despite having similar fuel economy, the Golf doesn't seem to be as good a highway cruiser...and of course, even if fuel economy doesn't seem to suffer, you have to wonder what the extra RPMs are doing to the engine (though most would say that this normally aspirated engine is basically the same as the one in my old GTI, and those were known for longevity). But I do enjoy the extra pep around town.

--------- Tom Flynn

2000 Golf 2.0 1986 Golf GTi 8v (sold 2001) 1978 Scirocco (sold 1987) I speak only for myself
Reply to
Tom Flynn

That's a great answer. Thanks a lot. I'll keep worrying about what it's doing to the engine's longevity -- a heart has so many beats, right? -- but at least I won't go running this weekend to a dealer to test drive a similar model.

Reply to
davidlf

This may not be relevant for a 2006 gas VW, but:

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Reply to
tylernt

Yes, this could also be done on a gas VW, but you have to be a little careful about the spacing between the gears...with 5 speeds, could be a big "jump" to make 5th more of an overdrive than it is. Still, probably easier than replacing the differential with a different final drive ratio (unless you were already going to replace it with another differential...my '86 GTI never experienced the "self machining syndrome" fortunately in the 14 years I owned it, but I contemplated taking it out to avoid the problem). I've not done any work on the transmission of my

2000, and wonder how different it is from the '98 mentioned in the article (I think '98 was last year for cable-operated clutch in some A3s (maybe the 4 cylinder models...I think the VR6 already had the hydralic clutch that the A4s all seem to have now). Of course, you would want to have different gear ratios on a gas engine than on a diesel, but you could probably figure out what 5th gear or final drive was good choise...or if price was really no object, put in a 6 speed transaxle (I think these were on VR6 models?) but I don't know if the VR6 ratios would work well (especially around town with much less torque) compared to those on the 2.0.
Reply to
Tom Flynn

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