Gearbox Swap For Tuned 1.9 8V

[DamirGTI 342]

It's been some 7-8 years since i have 1.9 405 SRI gearbox and suppose i just had enough of it .. first gear is pretty useless ! and fifth is , a bit too long .. not as bad on the motorway though .

 

Can't made my choice which gearbox would be better as an replacement , I have these boxes :

 

1.6 gti

1.9 gti

2.0 mi16

1.6 glx from 405 (with 4.19 FD)

1.9 cti

 

The 1.6 gti box i had before and honesty didn't like it , overall was to short for a daily drive car .

 

1.9 gti box i haven't driven for ages ! so really forgotten about that one .

 

Anyways , obviously i want something shorter but not so short as an 1.6 gti ratios .

 

How does 2.0 mi16 box perform on 1.9 8v engine , anyone tried that combo ?

 

Engine is slightly tuned 1.9 8v high CR ported head and some other bits and bobs .

 

D

Edited August 23, 2017 by DamirGTI

[jackherer 543]

What ratios is the 405 SRI gearbox? The same engine in the BX GTi uses the same gearbox as a 205 1.9 GTI and I just assumed it was the same ibn the 405?

 

The 2.0 Mi16 and 1.9 Mi16 ratios are the same AFAIK and it's quite nice on the road, 1st, 2nd and 3rd are quite short but 4th and 5th are a bit longer so it isn't bad on motorways.

 

I assume you know about this page? http://www.205gti.com/techgearboxUK.htm There is a handy javascript calculator if you scroll right down.

[calvinhorse 870]

I had a s16 gearbox on my 165bhp 2.0 8v and it was terrible, massive jump from 3rd - 4th and 5th gear was useless.

 

I now use a 1.6 box which as you say is very short for a daily, crap on motorways

 

Try finding a 306 2.0l 8v xsi gearbox, I had one recently and it was excellent all round, no big gaps between gears, slightly longer than a 1.6gti but better 5th gear cruising

[Anthony 1,003]

1.9 CTi box sounds like the answer here - it's the GTi ratio's coupled to a 3.9FD. Result is part way between 1.6 and 1.9 GTI gearbox.

 

I used to run one on my old Skip Brown 1.9 engine and it worked well IMO, with closely spaced gears and still reasonable cruise rpm on the motorway.

[petert 588]

CTi is great, except for the 3.25:1 first gear. If you're not interested in mixing & matching, then it's the best choice from what you have. Otherwise, I'd do 1.9 ratios with the 4.06:1 1.6 GTi cwp.

[welshpug 1,661]

I had a s16 gearbox on my 165bhp 2.0 8v and it was terrible, massive jump from 3rd - 4th and 5th gear was useless.

 

 

odd that, those ratios work nicely on a 16v engine, and Dan's 1.9 8v.

Otherwise, I'd do 1.9 ratios with the 4.06:1 1.6 GTi cwp.

 

 

so just a 1.6 box then.

[petert 588]

 

 

 

so just a 1.6 box then.

Unless it has a 3.25:1 1st. Some do.

[allanallen 528 2 Cars]

Yep, 1600s use a stupid low 3.25 1st, 1900s have a more suited 2.9

[DamirGTI 342]

What ratios is the 405 SRI gearbox? The same engine in the BX GTi uses the same gearbox as a 205 1.9 GTI and I just assumed it was the same ibn the 405?

 

The 2.0 Mi16 and 1.9 Mi16 ratios are the same AFAIK and it's quite nice on the road, 1st, 2nd and 3rd are quite short but 4th and 5th are a bit longer so it isn't bad on motorways.

 

I assume you know about this page? http://www.205gti.com/techgearboxUK.htm There is a handy javascript calculator if you scroll right down.

 

Kieran , the 405 sri ratios are like so :

 

1 - 3.308

2 - 1.882

3 - 1.280

4 - 0.969

5 - 0.757

FD - 4.06

 

... some people also call this box as an "close ratio" ! .. close my a*** !!

 

No , this one on a 405 with 1.9 SRi engine has these ratios .. guess because it's heavier car than the BX ?!

[DamirGTI 342]

So the preferred one would be a 1.9 CTi box ? .. crap , that one is by far the worst/oldest of the lot i have ! and it's a BE1

 

Is the Mi16 box that bad on a 8v ? that one is by far in the best condition .. was tempted to try that one or the std. 1.9 box ..

 

Peter , i'd really avoid tearing down the box and swap parts .. not that i haven't done that before or do not have the tools or time , but can't really stretch for an new set of bearings .. wouldn't want to fit back the old bearings after the FD swap , had some bad experiences doing that while re-using the old bearings .

 

If the 1.9 CTi box is the "go for" option as you say , is it possible to swap the internals into a BE3 box/housing making it a BE3 style box ?

 

 

Cheers for the replies gents !

D

Edited August 25, 2017 by DamirGTI

[DamirGTI 342]

What about this one :

 

1 - 3.25
2 - 1.85
3 - 1.28
4 - 0.97
5 - 0.757
FD - 4.187

 

... seems a little bit shorter than the box which i have now , with "better" first gear and shorter fifth (as it turns out while using gear calculator , fifth seems kinda like on a std 1.9 GTi) ?!

 

That one is from an Ph1 405 1.6 with carb ..

 

D

Edited August 25, 2017 by DamirGTI

[jackherer 543]

No , this one on a 405 with 1.9 SRi engine has these ratios .. guess because it's heavier car than the BX ?!

 

I always assumed they were the same, the BX 16v and 405 Mi16 share the same ratios so I thought the 8v would be no different.

[welshpug 1,661]

Bearings arent that expensive though in most cases they are perfectly fine unless the box has been abused and the oil contaminated, its only one bearing that needs to come off to swap the final drive anyway.

[pug_ham 244 3 Cars]

I ran this same box as Damir is running now but not for long.

 

As nice as it was for motorway use, it was a mixed bag elsewhere.

 

I didn't think the lower ratio's were useless, effectively a 1.6 box 1st & 2nd with a slightly longer 3rd, 4th was almost identical to a 1.9 box 4th iirc.

 

Last time the car was on the road I had it with the 1.6 GTI box and found it well suited to the roads I used.

 

I've now got the CTI box but as yet the car hasn't turned a wheel so I can't comment on how well suited it is to my 1.9 engine but I doubt I'll be in a hurry to swap it for anything else.

 

g

[DamirGTI 342]

Well ... let's say that you found an 16X61 FD in that box which should've been a CTi box !! ... then what would be best to do with the lot for a daily drive 8v with occasional motorway run ?!

 

16X61 is a 3.81 FD right ? .. so not a CTi FD (which would be a 16X63) , but still seems interesting as it's neither the short or the long FD ratio when compared to the OE 1.6 and 1.9 gti box ..

 

What would be best to pair with this 3.81 FD ? with 1.6 or 1.9 gti gearset or it doesn't matter as the difference is just in 1-st gear between the two ?

 

Regards !

D

Edited September 3, 2017 by DamirGTI