Advantage of having 6speed?

[jstrat812]

I currently have a FW 1.8TM with a 5speed. The USP's come with a 6speed but no other OEM performance mods. Is there any real advantage to having a 6speed with these cars?

[ridelikeme]

not only the USP come with 6 speed, infact lots of USP did not come with the 6. 6 speed is different gearing, and allow's for a higher top end speed. im sure there is more, but thats all i have come across...... oh plus 6 speed is nice

[tike0rz]

Better gas mileage during long trips.

[RLB6]

I currently have a FW 1.8TM with a 5speed. The USP's come with a 6speed but no other OEM performance mods. Is there any real advantage to having a 6speed with these cars?

As stated before, higher top speed. Probably more important, you attain higher speeds with lower engine RPM. In other words, in a 5speed you could hit 80 MPH in 5th gear but the motor would be spining at probably 3400 RPMs. With a 6speed, you could hit 80 MPH in 6th gear but the engine will only be spinning at like 3000 RPMs. The biggest gain with this, during the present time, is higher gas milage!

[absolutegtr]

As stated before, higher top speed. Probably more important, you attain higher speeds with lower engine RPM. In other words, in a 5speed you could hit 80 MPH in 5th gear but the motor would be spining at probably 3400 RPMs. With a 6speed, you could hit 80 MPH in 6th gear but the engine will only be spinning at like 3000 RPMs. The biggest gain with this, during the present time, is higher gas milage!

Im a 5spd and at 80mph I am at 3800 RPM

[RLB6]

Im a 5spd and at 80mph I am at 3800 RPM

That's almost unacceptable.

[CO AVANT]

I wish I had a 6spd over my 5spd. B6S4 tranny FTW! Highway driving in 5th gear at 100mph is not cool. So high in the rpm band already. Good thing 5th gear is so damn big and can push my car to 170mph with my 8500rpm rev limiter though

[b6onboost]

at 80mph the 6 speed is turning about 2800rpm.

to my knowledge this obvious cruising speed/rpm advantage is the only benefit to a 6 speed. if the ratios for the first 5 gears are different, the 6 speed may also be geared for better acceleration. most 6 speeds are closer ratios than 5 speeds...but in this case...i've never cared to look into it.

Im a 5spd and at 80mph I am at 3800 RPM

[AudiA4Turbo22]

or u get a 2.8 trans and cruise at 80 at 2800 RPM's as well!

[CO AVANT]

Do the 2.8's use steel or aluminum syncro mesh?

[got boost.]

I wish I had a 6spd over my 5spd. B6S4 tranny FTW! Highway driving in 5th gear at 100mph is not cool. So high in the rpm band already. Good thing 5th gear is so damn big and can push my car to 170mph with my 8500rpm rev limiter though

x2

hate the fact that when i hit around 130 on my 5spd its redline.

[CO AVANT]

Really? What are seeing for rpms at redline? At 7500rpms I'm at about 160mph.

[got boost.]

Really? What are seeing for rpms at redline? At 7500rpms I'm at about 160mph.

i hit redline at exactly 128 in my B5 which has the same engine basically as my B6. never tested my B6 yet since i just recently got it and don't think im going to speed much since i have a speeding ticket on file. At 80 mph its about 3800 so it would probably redline at around 130 i would expect.

[dougyfresh]

Do the 2.8's use steel or aluminum syncro mesh?

Don't know but I really like how it drives. Can drive in 2nd gear around town (30mph) and the 2.0 really sounds great. Car Alarms don't like it.

I've spun 2nd gear up to 6k and its over 60mph .
I think this video captures that: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUzOeTpngYE

Highway traffic I'm in 4th gear. 4th gear at 60mph is nice. I'm driving in complete vacuum. 75/80mph without traffic I'll run it in 5th gear and only get around 15in-Hg of vacuum. Spinning 3rd gear over 100mph is fun

The more I drive it the more I'm liking the longer gears in the 2.8 trans.



Now that I have a boost gauge I fully understand (better) why the BTs get so much better gas mileage on the highway than bone stock. You're cruising (key word "cruising") in complete vacuum all the time. Out of boost = good gas mileage.

[absolutegtr]

I have been 130mph and I was at 6500 RPM....

[AudiA4Turbo22]

yo Doug u officially converted ur car into a VR6! haha! in a VR6 the thing that made it so popular was the tranny and that it'd go to 110MPH in 3rd was what killed C5 corvettes!

[akaEsCo01]

infact lots of USP did not come with the 6.

I think that was only the first few USP Fronttrak, I know all Quattros had a 6 speed.

Anyway, best advantage for a 6 speed is 80mph at 2800 rpm

[Tgr_Clw]

I think that was only the first few USP Fronttrak, I know all Quattros had a 6 speed.

Anyway, best advantage for a 6 speed is 80mph at 2800 rpm

2002 and 2003 1.8T quattro cars all had 5-speed. 2004 and newer 1.8T quattro cars all had 6-speed.

FWD cars were always 5-speed.

USP is nothing more than a sport package with different front/sides/rear.

[SeKKeY]

i dont go ANYWHERE in 6th gear...lol i have to downshift to 5 to accelerate..so its more of a cruising gear

[RLB6]

When I hit 80 MPH, I'm at 2990 RPMs.

Tiptronic FTW!

[CO AVANT]

Nice, glad you like that tranny Doug. I know how it drives as well since my buddy has a 2.8 B5. Feels good. I would rather have steel syncros over the current aluminum ones in the B6 5spd tranny. Don't know which ones the 2.8 has. I don't know how the 2.8 drives past 90mph though first hand. Would like to see what it does at high speeds.

[dougyfresh]

Nice, glad you like that tranny Doug. I know how it drives as well since my buddy has a 2.8 B5. Feels good. I would rather have steel syncros over the current aluminum ones in the B6 5spd tranny. Don't know which ones the 2.8 has. I don't know how the 2.8 drives past 90mph though first hand. Would like to see what it does at high speeds.

At 110-115 its fairly stable and pulls hard. I have yet to go any faster. Oh, and that was at 11psi

[partyboy88420]

i have an 03 a4 1.8t and am at 3400 goign 80. use to have a 98 gti vr6 and 3rd gear is what made that car awsome. went 145 in it stock

[audikid66]

100 mph at 3400 rpm :) thats whats awesome bout the 6 speeds...plus you can get better mileage obviousley

[AudiBama]

x2

hate the fact that when i hit around 130 on my 5spd its redline.

wat?





i was at 145 and not close to redline

[Pr0n]

Agree with everyone else. Acceleration wise, you can hit ~120km/h in 3rd; and cruise in 6th gear at ~120km/h under 2900 RPM.

....basically, this was a +1 post count for me.

[AudiA4_20T]

Nice, glad you like that tranny Doug. I know how it drives as well since my buddy has a 2.8 B5. Feels good. I would rather have steel syncros over the current aluminum ones in the B6 5spd tranny. Don't know which ones the 2.8 has. I don't know how the 2.8 drives past 90mph though first hand. Would like to see what it does at high speeds.

if you werent so damn far away Id pick one up for you. Apparently theres one at the yard right now

[got boost.]

wat?





i was at 145 and not close to redline

maybe its becuase your chipped?

[aspw]

Im a 5spd and at 80mph I am at 3800 RPM

yeah no kidding. in hindsight I wished I shelled out couple more grand for a newer 6spd.

[AudiA4_20T]

yeah no kidding. in hindsight I wished I shelled out couple more grand for a newer 6spd.

a b5 2.8 trans will put you at 3300 at 80mph

[CyberPMG]

2002 and 2003 1.8T quattro cars all had 5-speed. 2004 and newer 1.8T quattro cars all had 6-speed.

FWD cars were always 5-speed.

USP is nothing more than a sport package with different front/sides/rear.

Close.

For the 1.8T, a 5spd manual was offered for the 2002, 2003, and early 2004 A4s for those with quattro. The early 2004 still had the unpainted lowers. At the same time the early 2004s were being produced, they also started the Ultrasport package that not only had the bodykit change, but also came with the 6spd manual transmission for those with quattro.

It was mid-year 2004 when the regular A4 not only got factory painted lowers, but also the 6spd manual transmission for those with quattro.

[04QuattroTurbo]

This is my .02 cents:

More exercise! LOL more gears, more often you will be shifting. The gears ratios are different for both the transmissions for obvious reasons. I don't know what they are, can someone post the 6 speed ratios v. the 5 speed ratios? I don't think the 6th gear is an "overdrive" gear, which means essentially the two trannies are similar, but the 6th gear gives you the added range for speed. I may be wrong though. Anyway, more gears do wonders for the wrists, elbows and shoulders, not to mention buns and thighs for kicking the clutch! If you don't see enough of Palmela and her five sisters, shifting is a way to get some exercise for those muscles to prevent atrophy. LOL