To TDI or not to TDI

[ticketed2much]

Picked up a Quaife LSD and want to address 5th gear when I get it installed. Would like highway RPMs a little lower. Was checking the RPM calculator and I think a .71 TDI 5th may be a little long, since I still want to use 5th on roads other than highway. A 075 TDI would be great but I am confused if this is available for a 02a? Will 020 or 02j 5ths work on a 02a? Also though of switching to a 3.389 r&p which would get RPMs where I want to be. Will this noticeably slow the car down? Mods are 268 cams, CAI.
Thanks

[d-bot]

02A and 02J can use either gear. They share many similar/same parts between them. You will be happy with a .71 or even a .68 for highway use. Most people go with the .71 as it's a good average. Then again, most people don't know a .68 exist. Forget accelerating quickly through that gear though, it's really tall.

[G60ING]

Careful on getting the .68 5th gear. You might find the gap between 4th and 5th too wide. I know when I had a .68 5th with a 3.15 R&P I thought 48-55mph was odd feeling at times because 4th was too many rpms and 5th was too low.

[ticketed2much]

Careful on getting the .68 5th gear. You might find the gap between 4th and 5th too wide. I know when I had a .68 5th with a 3.15 R&P I thought 48-55mph was odd feeling at times because 4th was too many rpms and 5th was too low.

Did you notice a decrease in acceleration with the 3.15 r&p?

[G60ING]

Tough to say. My two of my corrados have a TDIs and when I raced at Waterfest I ran a 15.3 which was as fast as other NA VR6s and faster Mk4 20V GLIs.

[skaterazn]

I have a 3.3 r&p and .71 fifth. It doesn't slow me down. I cruise at just over 2k at 60. But I'm also pushing 400whp so the only thing I feel is lag if I'm just accelrating in fifth from cruising

[G60ING]

It doesn't slow me down, its just an odd rpm level to cruise at. Ideal would be for a longer 4th or just swap in a 6speed with a .756 5th and a .65 6th.

[ticketed2much]

Thanks for the info. Looking through the 2.8l forum it seems not many people with 3.39 R&P n/a. Is there a thread that covers gear interchange between 020,02a, 02j? Looked and could not find any. Checked for the .75 gear on TT website and could not find what tranny it cane from either. What tranny does your TDI run?

[G60ING]

The .756 tdi 5th cam in 1996-1997 TDI B4, 1997-1999 mk3 tdi, 1998-2003 tdi mk4s.