Just had a look around the RTF Quaife Engineering site, noticed they do a Quaife diff for the Octy.

Jon (TaviaRS) mentioned that he mite get one for his car at the northern meet. What's the difference between above diff and the OE fitted to the RS and how does it differ in operation. The burning question is will it give me more traction?

Does anyone know???

It will react differently

Your current electronic one does a number of things which the mechanical one won't.

It cuts the power if you a complete tool

It reduces torque steer by equalising the power, very subtly

It will allow understeer to continue

Its good on bumpy roads

The mechanical one does none of the above, so for me it would enable me to keep it "planted" with full power and it will kill the understeer (what little I have left :mrgreen: ) the downsides are that it will torque steer and will be very darty on bumpy roads. With mechanical LSDs you can actually alter their action, IIRC by changing the plates and their interaction with each other.

So the quaife diff will make the RS octavia drive more like the RS focus then?...is this a good or bad thing?

When I added the Quaife link, I didn't remotely think anyone on this site would have the financial clout to be a customer of theirs. I stand corrected! :shock:

All things are relative :mrgreen: Their prices aren't too bad in the overall scheme of things, I mean, its less than a new manifold, turbo and injectors.

If anyone wants to know the RS gearbox code, I'll post it up tomorrow. There are actually 2, MY01 onwards has a revised synchromesh on first (how sad can I get, I've actually got the gearbox part no written down in the car :roll: )

Jon,

I tend to find that with the ASR turned off the front end is more controllable. Bearing in mind that the engine is modified, i find that the electronic diff is working overtime and has to be corrected several times to stay on the road. The good point about the E/D is when it does find traction the car takes of in a serious way. I just wondered if the quaife diff would give me more traction earlier.

Thanks for the reply tho.

Des

If anyone wants to know the RS gearbox code, I'll post it up tomorrow. There are actually 2, MY01 onwards has a revised synchromesh on first (how sad can I get, I've actually got the gearbox part no written down in the car :roll: )[/quote:b41e78c357]

That will be my next port of call. I don't even want to look at the torque figures on this mota. :shock:

If its the Quife ATB type diffs youre talking about, these are not the plated diffs - theyre the gear type diffs..

I have a 65% (dont know what it means but the higher the % the tighter it is) plate type on the rallycar and it makes the car completely different to a car without a diff.

With a plate diff, when you feel the car understeering you keep the power in as this tightens the diff further and it pulls you around the corner - excellent on tight, slippery sections but it does make the car darty on some surfaces (mind you the 2.2 turns lock to lock doesnt help either in that respect!).

Did someone else buy CCC this month with the Quaiffe catalogue then? LOL.

Gearbox code is on the vehicle data sticker- as featured on the boot floor and in the Service Schedule. FWIW, my 2002 4x4's gearbox code is FEX.

..which is different to the RS gearbox, the 4x4 has a shorter set of gears.

Odd, as you'd assume the RS to get the "sprint" gears. Someone once suggested that the 4x4 engine and gearbox is basically a sub assembly also destined for the TT 180, that would explain the difference between our "150" and the FWD "150" engine.

Ian

Isnt the TT 180 a 6 speed car , or is the 5 speed availible too?

Perhaps one our resident chipped 4x4 owners could explain to me how the shorter gears affect the 4x4's performance when compared with an RS with equal power.

And which gearbox will handle more power? :?

I think the TT180 is a 5spd - If Westy is around he'll be able to comment.

I would assume both gearboxes are built to the same power rating etc.

As for differences, I guess the shorter gears would cause a bit too much wheelspin in the RS where the 4x4 can put it down, 2nd in the 4x4 is more like first in the RS.

That said, I'm sure you will see higher top speeds in an RS, we have had a 230bhp RS at a GPS verified 169mph, and a 222bhp 4x4 at a speedo reading of 145mph and still pulling, but with not a huge amount left, maybe 155 top?

The 4x4 has a higher drag coefficient also so that also comes into effect at higher speeds.

(note, all the above speeds were carried out on autobahn or private track)

Never did get the figures for the 4x4, but the ratios for the RS are as follows:

Gear ratios/mph per 000 for RS as follows:

1st = 3.3/6.2

2nd = 1.94/10.5

3rd = 1.31/15.6

4th = 1.03/19.8

5th = 0.84/24.3

Therefore max speed at 7k is

1st = 43

2nd = 74

3rd = 109

4th = 139

5th = 170.1

Could be tempted by a 6 speed box, if it makes the intermediates closer :mrgreen: Especially as I think the synchromesh on 3rd and 4th are going on mine. :roll:

Anyone got the ratios for the 6 speed box?

3rd and 4th?

So the car gets the most use between 74 and 139mph?

hehehehehe!

No, I would imagine its lack of use, obviously seizing up due to that

That said, I'm sure you will see higher top speeds in an RS, we have had a 230bhp RS at a GPS verified 169mph, and a 222bhp 4x4 at a speedo reading of 145mph and still pulling, but with not a huge amount left, maybe 155 top

(note, all the above speeds were carried out on autobahn or private track)[/quote:51001de17e]

I can get mine of the clock on level ground (track/autobahn of cause), but i am begining to notice a whine in 1st as i pull away normally.

[/quote:72090499f7]

....but i am begining to notice a whine in 1st as i pull away normally.

The wife, perhaps, commenting that if you can drive properly in 1st, why can't you do the same in the other gears?

[/quote:422fbecb41]

....but i am begining to notice a whine in 1st as i pull away normally.

The wife, perhaps, commenting that if you can drive properly in 1st, why can't you do the same in the other gears? [/quote:422fbecb41]

You've got that wrong Denis, the wife should only be connected with wine (red in particular).

Boy am i in trouble :shock: