I wonder what was in the design Teams collective minds when they chose the 1st gear ratio for a 1.9 litre 130bhp turbo diesel?

Or was it a slip of the decimal point, a post lunchtime wine mistake or just Italian humour?

Or am I alone in thinking it was taken from a parts box for a FIAT 126?

That aside they are cracking motors!! :slayer:

I strongly disagree.
The 1st gear is perfect.
Perfect for starting on a 20% gradient hill while towing a trailer...

Ffoxy said:

I wonder what was in the design Teams collective minds when they chose the 1st gear ratio for a 1.9 litre 130bhp turbo diesel?

Or was it a slip of the decimal point, a post lunchtime wine mistake or just Italian humour?

Or am I alone in thinking it was taken from a parts box for a FIAT 126?

That aside they are cracking motors!! :slayer:

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yeah its awful whether its bog standard 130bhp or remapped 170bhp maybe just a slight difference but its still awful.........

Jim-Armao said:

I strongly disagree.
The 1st gear is perfect.
Perfect for starting on a 20% gradient hill while towing a trailer...

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Get a Life... or a Volvo lol!

Just kidding... to each his own!

The 1st gear is not good on the 1.9 but it is the same on all diesel turbo's. The reason for such a short gear is to get the turbo spinning as quick as possible, as soon as your in 2nd your well away. It is undoubtably better after a re-map but still not very useable.

Rich

I can get the turbo spinning with a quick rev and pull away in second very easily but I wont...

1 thing I thought of... the clutch should last megga years if used carefully with the super low FIAT 126 4x4 style 1st gear!

Seriously, I think its a co*k up selection, somewhere between 1st gear and second gear would be good especially as there are 6 ratios to play with.

Always wondered Rich, how does the re-map improve 1st gear? Help me understand.

Yeah course you can but thats not how 99% of people will drive the car.

It would make for an interesting drive.

I understand what your saying and i sort of agree but the 2nd gear is longer and great for acceleration.

Well it obviously doesnt make the gear any longer but the re-map brings the turbo in sooner as far as im aware and the car revs higher without losing power so you can stick with it for a bit longer and not change so quick.

Rich

Ffoxy said:

Get a Life... or a Volvo lol!
Just kidding... to each his own!

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I was just being sarcastic!
I totally agree that the 1st gear is way too short. I always start with 2nd when I want to use max speed of the line... Like in the example below

I just dislike having to change up so early, I would have thought a re-map, (increase in power) would just have brought that moment forward and run out of breath sooner in 1st? It could be embarrassing for those who like to Drag race at the traffic lights with the Fabia vRS's etc. Not me of course... far too old and sensible for that now. Still stroke the GPS tho evry morning and she purrs... re-map after the Warranty is up.

Ffoxy said:

I just dislike having to change up so early, I would have thought a re-map, (increase in power) would just have brought that moment forward and run out of breath sooner in 1st? It could be embarrassing for those who like to Drag race at the traffic lights with the Fabia vRS's etc. Not me of course... far too old and sensible for that now. Still stroke the GPS tho evry morning and she purrs... re-map after the Warranty is up.

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Do it now! . It WONT effect warranty.

My Dealer is on to re-maps, I was actually asked when I booked it in if I had it done! Said they had been advised to look for it and return to standard.

May be rubbish but I dont want to waste my dosh, even if the tuner would do it again for me at minimal cost. Once the Warranty is up they cant touch the engine mapping or it will cost them!

Ffoxy said:

My Dealer is on to re-maps, I was actually asked when I booked it in if I had it done! Said they had been advised to look for it and return to standard.

May be rubbish but I dont want to waste my dosh, even if the tuner would do it again for me at minimal cost. Once the Warranty is up they cant touch the engine mapping or it will cost them!

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Fair enough. Where abouts are they (just to stay away from them ).

TJ Vickers, Telford Shropshire. No complaints about them so far tho to be honest.

Ffoxy said:

I just dislike having to change up so early, I would have thought a re-map, (increase in power) would just have brought that moment forward and run out of breath sooner in 1st? It could be embarrassing for those who like to Drag race at the traffic lights with the Fabia vRS's etc. Not me of course... far too old and sensible for that now. Still stroke the GPS tho evry morning and she purrs... re-map after the Warranty is up.

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I used to have a vRS.. still a very short first gear.... as rich says all diesel turbos have a short first gear..

here's a vid of jason at Trax doing a 0-60 in 7 seconds, using first for the start (watch how it really struggles at the beginning, then flies) If he starts in second, he can get it below 7 seconds... (note: he's running 260 bhp in this fabia..)
:worship:

edit: that run was 7.31 , he made 6.84 starting in second.....