1.3 4+e

Topic: 1.3 4+e (Read 1498 times) previous topic - next topic

1.3 4+e

July 21, 2021, 08:13:27 AM

I have a 1.3 4+e mk2 and wanted to know more about the E gear. So is it a gear all by itself or does it do something to the 4th gear? It feels like gear 5.5 when driving it. Nothing urgent was just wondering.

Thanks :)

Re: 1.3 4+e

Reply #1 – July 21, 2021, 08:54:13 AM

Think the E is for economy, so would give better mpg / lower revs. I think any way

Re: 1.3 4+e

Reply #2 – July 21, 2021, 10:08:57 AM

Before 5th gear was common place many manufactures had an 'overdrive' to give a 4 gears plus 1. The E, as sly says is generally known as Economy but I'm not sure what the exact German word would be as Economy translates to Wirtschaft so it would be 4+w

I think, the 'overdrive' is actually electric, which translates to 'elektrisch' which makes more sense for the 4+e

From Wikipedia

An overdrive consists of an electrically or hydraulically operated epicyclic gear train bolted behind the transmission unit. It can either couple the input driveshaft directly to the output shaft (or propeller shaft) (1:1), or increase the output speed so that it turns faster than the input shaft (1:1 + n). Thus the output shaft may be "overdriven" relative to the input shaft.

Re: 1.3 4+e

Reply #3 – July 21, 2021, 01:03:27 PM

The +E is a "tall" gear to reduce revs when cruising hence saving fuel. I don't recall getting anything more than adequate pickup when cruising on the motorway in my 5 speed 1.3. Think of it like 5.5 ie a bigger gap between ratios 4-5 than the gap between 1-2, 2-3, 3-4.
However I think getting a +E out of a 1.8 gearbox would make long journeys in the GTI more pleasurable.

Re: 1.3 4+e

Reply #4 – July 21, 2021, 02:12:47 PM

In my first mk2 GTI (a GTI Engineering 8v plus pac) back in the 90s I blew a hole in 2 gearboxes and ended up buying a scirocco off a mate who had just crashed it, I only wanted it for the gearbox, and sold on the rest for scrap. I didn't pay any attention to it at the time, wish I had but when relaying the story a while back someone suggested it might had been a 4+E box.

Whatever it was it was very well matched to the engine, acceleration was epic and top speed was recored at 139.