98 Beetle Turn's 3'000 RPM'S at 60 MPH????

[Dans98Beetle]

I drove my 98 Beetle for the first time yesturday. It is a Five speed. I kept thinking it was in fourth gear but it was in fifth. At 60 MPH it turn 3'000 rpm's. Is this normal? I would think the little motor would get way better MPG at 2'000??? or so. I drove the car on some city streets when I bought it last week then I loaded it in a car trailer. I never drove it on the Highway. Thanks Dan

[2004NBTURBOS]

Totally normal. These German cars seem to like it in the mid r.p.m. band.

[Punchbuggybluenoreturns!!]

Yeah, I found that strange with our 2000 when we first got it, now I'm used to it. I do think the car would get better highway fuel economy if it had a higher top gear....

[Dans98Beetle]

I would think it would get 6-8 MPG better if it was around 2-2,200 rpm,s....Just my thinking.....

[2004NBTURBOS]

Thats about what my TS pulls at 60. But thats a 6spd.

[jason m]

Originally Posted by Dans98Beetle

I would think it would get 6-8 MPG better if it was around 2-2,200 rpm,s....Just my thinking.....

You could always drive at say 45, you would get real good mileage then. It is normal for RPM for the VW

[Dans98Beetle]

They need over-drive See now I start to wonder if you could change the final drive ratio? Must be a set of gears in it someplace?

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Regardless of the age/condition of your engine, transmission, or vehicle, the rpm v speed is a given. It is a factor of engine revolutions, gear ratios, and tire size. The only variable, tire size, or tire wear, will affect it slightly. Tire wear will increase the rpm required for a given speed, and increasing the tire size (loaded tire radius) will decrease the rpm required for a given speed.

Whatever your rpm v. speed is, is basically an “it is, what it is” situation. The exact can be determined by a mathematical formula if you have/know all the factors.

M.

[Dans98Beetle]

I never said anything about age or condition of the engine....Just alot of RPM,s.....THATS ALL!!!!!

[2004NBTURBOS]

Originally Posted by Dans98Beetle

They need over-drive See now I start to wonder if you could change the final drive ratio? Must be a set of gears in it someplace?

If you do a search over in the T.D.I forum there is a mod to redo the final drive ratio.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by Dans98Beetle

I never said anything about age or condition of the engine....Just alot of RPM,s.....THATS ALL!!!!!

That was for the benefit of many who ask the same question, concerned something is wrong. If it wasn't normal, what did you think might be wrong? Actually, the way I read your original post, you appeared to be concerned also. And from the sports cars I've owned, and there have been many, speed v rpm seems to be about right on for this size vehicle with this type engine and transmission. I'd have to look at the gear ratio specs for other manufacturers, but would assume them to be about the same.

[SixChuter]

Originally Posted by Dans98Beetle

They need over-drive See now I start to wonder if you could change the final drive ratio? Must be a set of gears in it someplace?

This is my favorite "overdrive".

[Dans98Beetle]

What I thought could be wrong is some IDIOT put the wrong gear ratio in this. I guess I need to school myself on if that is even possible on one of these. Thats my luck though. That it would have been geared for SKIDDING LOGS!!!!!

[D2Beetle]

Originally Posted by Dans98Beetle

What I thought could be wrong is some IDIOT put the wrong gear ratio in this. I guess I need to school myself on if that is even possible on one of these. Thats my luck though. That it would have been geared for SKIDDING LOGS!!!!!

A little late, but this thread might be helpful. It sounds like you have the O2J-DZQ Transmission. For more speed and less RPM's, you might want an O2J-EBQ transmission.

[Smileybug]

You can swap a TDI 5th gear in, which is a common enough thing to do. Otherwise, this is entirely normal and you'll still get good MPGs.

[AndyBees]

A 5th gear from a TDI tranny with code: DQY, EBJ, or EGR will reduce the RPMs by about 225 at any speed in 5th gear. However, it will not reduce it to the same RPM as in the TDI tranny. Here is why .........notice the differences in the Ring and Pinion Ratios.

O2J Tranny Specs
Tranny Codes by engine

1.8 Liter Gas engines (R&P = Ring and Pinion)
EBN - R&P 3.684, 5th 0.837
EBQ - R&P 3.938, 5th 0.837
EGX - R&P 3.938, 5th 0.837
EGY - R&P 3.684, 5th 0.837
EHA - R&P 3.647, 5th 0.838 (yes that is correct)
ENJ - R&P 3.684, 5th 0.837
FBW - R&P 3.938, 5th 0.837
FBX - R&P 3.684, 5th 0.837
FDS - R&P 3.938, 5th 0.837

2.0 Liter gas engine DZQ, EBP, EGT, EKG, EMS, EZH, FBV - R&P 4.235, 5th 0.837
EFG, ERS, EVR, EGC, EGU, EMR - R&P 3.944, 5th 0.837

2.8 Liter gas engine DZC, EHC - R&P 3.389, 5th 0.844
EZK - R&P 4.235, 5th 0.837
FBY, EWW, FCF - R&P 3.389, 5th 0.844

1.9 Liter diesel engine (TDI of course)
DQY, EBJ, EGR. - R&P 3.389, 5th 0.756

Oh, I forgot to add this example: I am currently running a 5th gear from a 2000 NB Gasser Tranny in my EBJ (Diesel Tranny). At about 2700 RPM I am doing 70 MPH........GPS verified and ScanGauge on the RPMs.

[Lbar]

Hey op if it makes you feel any better something similar happened to me. I test drive the bug around a city, never get out of fourth really, I used fifth for a split second just to make sure it works. I buy it. And I hit the highway following my parents on a hour trip home. I had the stereo up and I get up to 80mph and I look down and see this micro tach spinning 4000rpms. I thought oh **** am I in third? So I go for fifth and it seems like I'm there but no way this is right, so I go to fourth and wow. Such a poor gearing choice, these little cars have to spin themselves to an early death because of some boss's sons stupid idea.

[AndyBees]

Originally Posted by Lbar

Hey op if it makes you feel any better something similar happened to me. I test drive the bug around a city, never get out of fourth really, I used fifth for a split second just to make sure it works. I buy it. And I hit the highway following my parents on a hour trip home. I had the stereo up and I get up to 80mph and I look down and see this micro tach spinning 4000rpms. I thought oh **** am I in third? So I go for fifth and it seems like I'm there but no way this is right, so I go to fourth and wow. Such a poor gearing choice, these little cars have to spin themselves to an early death because of some boss's sons stupid idea.

If you think that is bad, you ought to drive a VW Vanagon with the Air-cooled engine or the WBXer engine. Depending on the gearing (and there's not much diffence between models), the engine will be cranking about 3600 rpms at 65 mph.

It's all about torque and horse power. The MK1 VW diesels are very similar!

I've changed the gear ratio in my Vanagon with the TDI engine to slow it down to about 2850 at 65 mph! Any slower will cause Exhaust Gas Temps to go way too high!

[waltwomack]

How difficult would it be to change the gear ratio for a 99 Beetle, 5 sp, 2.0 liter? The goal would be lower RPM's in 5th gear for highway.

[IndyTom]

Originally Posted by waltwomack

How difficult would it be to change the gear ratio for a 99 Beetle, 5 sp, 2.0 liter? The goal would be lower RPM's in 5th gear for highway.

So not worth the expense for such an old car. For the money you spend on this mod you will have to drive several years to make up for the expense.