gearbox/clutch codes

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 5:24 pm

im still looking for a gearbox for my 1988 MH engined polo, is there any scrapyard gearboxes that i should avoid? will 1.1 be suitable??

im also looking on ebay for a cheapy clutch...does anyone know what other engine codes clutch would suit

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 6:40 pm

which engine's that, mate? 1043cc or 1272?

most of the polo boxes of that age or for the mk3 should be suitable, but there's quite a large variation in the ratios - e.g. if you've got a 1.05 you'll probably have some trouble getting off the start line with a G40 one and never use 5th gear, ever...

similarly a close-ratio 1.05 box might not be quite the best thing for a non-GT 1.3!

if you find one and get the code off it we can probably find out what it was originally from and advise

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 7:52 pm

the mh is a 1300 breadvan

i was hoping to go up to the yard and grab somerhing there n then...is there any deffo no no's??

so i can go forward in years...what about back?? i hear early ones dont fit

im not fussed if its not 100% correct but i dont want it to rev even harder on motorways

one last thing...anything i can do to check a gearbox that cant be driven?

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 8:40 pm

not sure on what you can do to check ... all i can say is any oil leaks are a no-no! other than that it's stuff you can only really fathom after either opening or fitting it. (maybe)

in your case, you'll probably want to stick to 1300 boxes - what did you originally have, a 4 or a 5?

a 1043 4 speed, and it's very-close-ratio 5 speed brother, are about the lowest ratio'd boxes you can put on without going back a generation to the 900cc's (which had stupidly low top gears

)... BTW i think you're looking around 1982 or 83 for the changeover, so you might get away with anything from 84/85 onwards (about C-reg) ??

the 4 speed 1043 is same ratio as the 4-speed and economy 5-speed 1272s, but with a 5% lower differential - you might not notice much difference in real world driving between them, then again you might. only slight of course.
naturally going to either 4 speed if you're currently on an economy 5 will hurt, but the two mentioned above will hurt most

the slightly wider 5 speed 1043 is like a GT 5sp, but with a similar difference in the differential department.

any 1300 box will do you alright, except the G40 one. any 1.3 4-speeder (except the 3+Es, but i think they were old gen anyway) will have exactly the same makeup as any other. the economy 5 speed will be just like that, but with a "high" 5th on it (still, a little lower than most modern cars 5ths). GT one has a top gear somewhere between the two, with 2nd thru 4th squashed closer to fit, isnt a bad compromise. G40 box is same as the GT, but with a drastically taller differential, almost 1/3 higher, as the car is so much more powerful and goes far faster.

there is also hushed whispers of a 1043 economy 5th variant maybe found on saloons, but nothing confirmed.

i used to have a ready reckoner of codes to hand, but not sure where it is now. if you find the 2- or 3-character alphanumeric codes of the ones you think are possibles (eg, 8P, AEH, CKN..) then i may be able to root it out

Gareth_GT_Hatch · Post by **Gareth_GT_Hatch** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:37 pm

a box from an 1100 will not fit an MH engine without using the flywheel and clutch from the 1100 engine. The reason is due to the release bearings from early and late gearboxes being of different sizes and being incompatible. swapping flywheels is fairly easy though but older flywheels are heavier and the clutch is smaller (180mm compared with 190mm)

You may also find that the 1100 has very short ratios unless its a formel E.

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 3:46 am

if he's meaning 1098cc and not 1043cc - ive seen that mixup happen before

such a small difference in capacity (55cc), you have to be careful when checking the spec and not just reduce it down to 1.1, 1.3, etc... as VWs have 999cc, 1043, 1098 all of which share "1.0" and "1.1" labels in various ways

steveo3002 · Post by **steveo3002** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 5:45 pm

i though it was just a choice of 1000 or 1300

how i am going to tell em all apart??

should i just wait and match up my gearbox code

Gareth_GT_Hatch · Post by **Gareth_GT_Hatch** » Mon Sep 12, 2005 9:30 pm

nope theres a load of different small engines, but there are ones that are more long lived than others.

800cc audi 50 only i think tiny bore and 59mm stroke

895cc mk1 polo 69.5mm bore 59mm stroke

998cc not sure if this made it into a polo either but it was in some sort of golf (that might not be the right cc, same bore as 800cc engine and 72mm stroke

1043cc X plate mk2 --> N reg mk4 (or there abouts) 75mm bore and 59mm stroke. had many revisions along the way though

1093cc mk1 polo --> early 84 mk2 69.5mm bore, 72mm stroke.

1272cc mk1 derby GLS, mk1 polo GT, mk2 derby GL (82->83) all mk2 84->94. 75mm bore and 72mm stroke. Many different versions along the way ranging from 45 to 116bhp (45 being the power of the diesel version and 116 being the mk2 GT G40

)

There are a couple of ways to tell the difference between the right and wrong engine. For example if it looks like this you dont want the box from it.

as for telling the difference between the later type engines, there are apparently more vacuum pipes on the 1.0. but having never had one I cant tell you for certain.

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Tue Sep 13, 2005 8:05 pm

don't forget the other two diesels, the (ultra rare) supercharged 850cc and the (common on the continent?) regular 1400cc... well, 1398 or thereabouts anyway. Putting out a storming 40 and 48hp respectably, but AFAIK similar ratios on the gearbox, something like an 8P with a slightly shorter 4th/slightly longer 5th, and a taller diff than the petrol engines. Nothing like the G40, but noticably longer legged than all the others. (like 0.91 and 0.71 vs 0.89 and 0.74 for the top two ratios, and 3.87 vs 4.06 for the diff)

they'd probably be quite good in a mildly tuned touring 1.3 as well, but i'd give you a pint and a handshake for finding one in the uk.

(plus either the 1.3 diesel or its box in fact)

Gareth_GT_Hatch · Post by **Gareth_GT_Hatch** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 12:29 am

i was just listing up to 1.3 there, and the 2 cylinder diesel was only a prototype so it doesnt really count.

Theres also the 1391cc ABD petrol engine that drops straight into a mk3.

you got any idea what the box code is for the 1400 diesel? Theres a box fitted to early 1.6 mk3 golfs that has 8P ratios and a 3.875:1 final drive. Not that most people would care apart from me and you.

Tahrey1043 · Post by **Tahrey1043** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 12:37 am

1. fair enough

2. heheh true .... not a clue, neither, never seen it listed, only getting knowledge from a strange hish-hash of scanned german newspaper articles and interpreting owners manual figures

3. that last double whiskey seems to have more effect than all the previous beers, and i have work in ....... 8 hours and 4 minutes.