Stronger Auto?

I've been reading through here and doing some searching and was wondering if anyone has done anything to the automatic transmissions in these cars to make them stronger/able to hold more power? We put a salvage trans in my car right after buying it and still have the orignal core one. I was thinking if there was a way to make them stronger I could do the build on the original and just swap it in for less down time. I'm just afraid that trying to put too much power to the ground through one going to be a problem when I start getting in to mods.

Thanks in advance

-Michael

http://www.importperformancetrans.com/volkswagonauto.shtml

There haven't been enough of them around for long enough to form any opinions on their durability or ability to withstand much in the way of performance upgrades. I have heard of a few failing.

If you want to mod the engine...get a 5 speed manual.

Thank you for the reply, as far as my car goes I don't plan on much more than nozzles, a tune, and maybe an VNT17 eventually; depending on how much power I feel like going after. It isn't a full out race vehicle by any means, I just want some more get up and go.

I find it amazing that no one has really gotten into this sort of thing with these cars though. With the diesel powered pickup trucks, automatic transmissions are the way to go to have more of a competitive edge(I'm contemplating swaping to an auto in my '97). Being able to come up on boost and not loose it inbetween gears makes a big difference.

-Michael

passenger diesels are engineered for economy. automatic transmissions are engineered for lazy Americans. IMHO, the two don't belong together

automatic transmissions are the way to go to have more of a competitive edge

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that is a matter of opinion

"it's your car, do whatever you want to it"

Nozzles and a tune to take advantage of a VNT17 would kill any VW automatic. PP357's and a MILD tune would be as far as I would go on an auto.

Take a look around, autos are not well-liked around here at all so nobody is interested in modding them. They kill your fuel mileage too. Swap it for a 5 speed and then your options are opened much more.

Guys who drag race their diesel trucks like autos because they are the most prevalent and they can just dump the fuel and go. But how many of them are replacing transmissions left and right? Personally I would never buy a diesel truck with an auto...if I ever have the cash....I'm getting an 03-05 Dodge with a 6 speed.

TDICADDGUY said:

Nozzles and a tune to take advantage of a VNT17 would kill any VW automatic. PP357's and a MILD tune would be as far as I would go on an auto.

Take a look around, autos are not well-liked around here at all so nobody is interested in modding them. They kill your fuel mileage too. Swap it for a 5 speed and then your options are opened much more.

Guys who drag race their diesel trucks like autos because they are the most prevalent and they can just dump the fuel and go. But how many of them are replacing transmissions left and right? Personally I would never buy a diesel truck with an auto...if I ever have the cash....I'm getting an 03-05 Dodge with a 6 speed.

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The guys who race their diesel trucks use automatics because they like to win. When it comes to drag racing, automatics + stall converter are the only way to go because you can be way more consistent. It's also a lot easier to to spool up the turbo on the launch.

Are you sure you want the 6-speed? (Bombers yank the six speeds for the 5 speed NV4500's) Also the Dodge auto is a good tranny after a $3500 or so rebuild@#$#%^....

Being that the US 01M spec tranny just sucks, does a Euro version exist that's better? How are the auto trannies for the PD engines, same as the ALH? I have access to 3 ALH's, 1 02M, 1 02J, and one 01M... My favorite is the 6 speed as I keep hunting for 6th with the 5speed and keep looking for the clutch pedal with the 01M. (The auto is nice when am injured in some way and shifting/clutching is significantly handicapped.)

Sc0 said:

Are you sure you want the 6-speed? (Bombers yank the six speeds for the 5 speed NV4500's) Also the Dodge auto is a good tranny after a $3500 or so rebuild@#$#%^....

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I would never buy a Dodge auto. Whats the point of having a diesel truck if you can't row your own gears? The 6 speeds are pretty good units. The input shaft is a little light, and they have a few syncro issues...but if you're not beating on them or seriously modding the motor they are not a bad transmission. The Merc G56 is a better unit I think. The NV4500 has some 5th gear problems so it isn't perfect either.

Sc0 said:

Being that the US 01M spec tranny just sucks, does a Euro version exist that's better? How are the auto trannies for the PD engines, same as the ALH? I have access to 3 ALH's, 1 02M, 1 02J, and one 01M... My favorite is the 6 speed as I keep hunting for 6th with the 5speed and keep looking for the clutch pedal with the 01M. (The auto is nice when am injured in some way and shifting/clutching is significantly handicapped.)

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DSG's are good up to 250 ft-lbs and that is about it. Not sure about the 5 speed 09A that the A4 PD's got.

My dad has an 06 Dodge with the V8, 4wd AND 6-speed trans. It was the only v8, 4wd manual trans available at the time if I remember correctly.

The truck is great with the 6 speed. It's a great transmission and the clutch action is very sensitive so you can easily reverse with a loaded trailer at a very slow speed. I love the truck. They should all be like it!!

Sip'n Diesel said:

passenger diesels are engineered for economy. automatic transmissions are engineered for lazy Americans. IMHO, the two don't belong together that is a matter of opinion

"it's your car, do whatever you want to it"

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Hahaha I agree with that in all but one situation.. The dragstrip.. You won't see many sub-13 second trucks or many sub-12 second cars without an automatic.. My camaro has an automatic with a full manual valve body.. Just swapping out the automatic got me 1.8 seconds faster and 10mph higher trap speed.. My 60 foot times were cut in half because I no longer had to shift 40 feet after launching..

I have a pretty pumped up auto, I've got about 19,000 miles on my current setup and everything is working as it should. I'm not easy on it either. Check my sig

Oh, and I guess I should mention it's the IPT Valve Body that's different about my auto

I was just researching info on the 01m auto trans. I've been heavy into diesel racing since 2003, owning everything from a 9 second half ton 12 valve, to my daily driver 06 2wd 2500 that ran 131.7 mph in the quarter on street tires (both now been sold). My latest project is a 69 camaro certified for 8.50's in the quarter with a duramax diesel. I'm a diesel drag racing nut. Has anyone actually heavily modded a tdi with the built IPT automatic. I'm just wondering if the results would be the same. A built auto is the only way to go if you want to be truely competitive in a diesel truck. The TDI spins more rpm's than most diesel trucks, but I'm still curious to see the outcome. I'm searching for a new project car right now.. I'm struggling between the auto and manual trans decision.

Morse said:

I was just researching info on the 01m auto trans. I've been heavy into diesel racing since 2003, owning everything from a 9 second half ton 12 valve, to my daily driver 06 2wd 2500 that ran 131.7 mph in the quarter on street tires (both now been sold). My latest project is a 69 camaro certified for 8.50's in the quarter with a duramax diesel. I'm a diesel drag racing nut. Has anyone actually heavily modded a tdi with the built IPT automatic. I'm just wondering if the results would be the same. A built auto is the only way to go if you want to be truely competitive in a diesel truck. The TDI spins more rpm's than most diesel trucks, but I'm still curious to see the outcome. I'm searching for a new project car right now.. I'm struggling between the auto and manual trans decision.

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I personally would like to see a TDi car with a built auto making good power, I think it would yield a similar advantage as we've seen in the trucks if you can infact get one to be reliable.

-Michael

I've seen it! I've got an auto myself with Sprint 520's and an RC1+ and I'm VERY happy with the amount of power I make and my auto trans hasn't failed yet (knock on wood) at 85,000miles (with injectors since about 45k and the tune since about 80k) .....

However, a buddy of mine wanted to see how far he could push his auto tranny and went with a Gator tune, 764 nozzles, and a vnt 17/22 hybrid.... his butt dyno told him (and me) that this was probably somewhere in the 160hp and 300+ ft/lb tq range.... and needless to say he broke something, but it wasn't the tranny...

he went for a top speed run while trying to keep up with some bull runners coming through orlando and around 120 his exhaust temps were so high he melted a valve. I'm assuming that if he had the extra gear to keep the revs down then this wouldn't have happened.... but, his tranny was fine for the year or so before that, even with all the extra power.

gogobug said:

The guys who race their diesel trucks use automatics because they like to win. When it comes to drag racing, automatics + stall converter are the only way to go because you can be way more consistent. It's also a lot easier to to spool up the turbo on the launch.

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I've posted a similar question and never really got any answers. I'm happy with my 5 speed but was just curious how they can't get one of these autos to live.
a friend has a turboed SBF 90 something Mustang and that is running 8:50's with an AOD. And the torque going thru some of these diesel auto's has got to be huge.. someone has got to be able to build one of these to last.

The biggest problem is trying to keep the torque converter together after the rest of the trans is strong enough to hold up.

Firstorbit, I'd like to know more about your trans and your set up. I'm not real sure on how much a setup should make and what is considered decent power( being trucks make 160+ stock.

-Michael

Dieselfever78 said:

The biggest problem is trying to keep the torque converter together after the rest of the trans is strong enough to hold up.

Firstorbit, I'd like to know more about your trans and your set up. I'm not real sure on how much a setup should make and what is considered decent power( being trucks make 160+ stock.

-Michael

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i've got a stock auto trans @ 85k miles. my engine mods are in my sig below VVVVVV

i've got sprint 520s and i told jeff from rocketchip to push it as far as he thought was safe for the trans, and based on rides in other rocketchipped cars i feel like i'm about a RC 1+/2, and most likely pushing a tad over 120hp & 200ft/lbs, but i haven't dynoed it, so i'm really not sure. My boost spikes around 21PSI, and it will hold steady at 18PSI. it definitely has plenty of power off the line and for passing on the highway, as well as throughout the powerband. definitely much more fun to drive daily, and when weekend auto-xing. plus when i slam it to full throttle without letting the boost build up, i get a TON of smoke. so much that i got pulled over for my license plate light being out but it was really just covered in soot! the soot is partly because of the larger injectors (Jeff normally tunes Auto's for 357's, and he recommended that I get a set if I wanted to cut down on the soot without decreasing any real power) and because my coolant temp sensor was bad when i got the tune, which prevented the car from fully warming up, so i couldn't get it really fine-tuned. however, if i gradually roll onto the throttle and let the boost build up to match the fuel, then i get about equal acceleration, with hardly any soot.

I've had no serious problems with the tranny so far except that i've got a kind of weird shudder when i'm wishy-washy with the throttle, feels like the torque converter slipping or something. not sure though, but it was happening before i got chipped. however, when i'm really light on the throttle it seems to be okay, and when i slam down on it or gradually increase the throttle its okay... only when i'm in 4th gear and go from no throttle to about 1/3-1/2 throttle does the shudder happen, and its still quite random at that... also, after getting off the highway after driving for a while with a constant throttle it will want to stay in gear and not shift right away, but either more or less throttle snaps it out of it and allows it to shift.

Some transmissions just can't be build. clutch drums too weak sprages not strong enough and not enough room for extra clutch plates. That's why every one yanked out the GM TH200 and replaced them with older TH350.