BlueMotion Gearbox (JDD) fitted into 1.4 TDI AMF engine

I've just got back from Munro bagging in the Highlands to find this thread...

Excellent work, Simon, and a good write-up. I also like all the videos you've added. :)

It's clear that the gear spacing is manageable when accelerating to a cruising speed, but what's it like when changing down? If you're approaching a sharp corner in 3rd and find you're a gear too high, does the drop to 2nd cause the revs to fly up the range?

Cheers,

Tom
 
Zoltar said:
It's an iPhone using this custom dock I made for the A2: OEM looking Sat-Nav in your A2 using your Smartphone and a Dock.

Using a free app: Car Dashboard

I also use a free sat nav program called WAZE, works well and looks good too.



No links to any of the companies/apps above etc......
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ZOLTAR!!!! That is kickass, pardon me for not picking up on that immedietly. Didnt teally believe you at first but with the daylight pics it was more clear. Really cool. Will do it one day as well.
Cheers for the write up.
 
Zoltar

How's the gearbox going??
Has it had a big impact on mpg for the last few months??

Cheers
J
 
Well, is there anything more to say? He gave such a comprehensive report .... nothing missed, really. EXCEPT fuel consumption figures? I've gone the "JDD" route, myself ....

David
 
timmus said:
I was at Stealth a matter of days ago and there was a JDD 'box sitting in Vince's workshop. Is that yours, David?
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Yes, you're correct in your assumption, Tom! Of course, I will get my current box back and I can always revert back to it, if I so wish. Of interest to me is if ~ 40 mph is going to be easier to maintain in the 4th gear with the JDD fitted box against my current (0.681) 5th gear? You sure like "Stealth", don't you, Tom? It is useful being there, if just to see what's going on with A2's ?

David
 
Well, Tom's A2 did spend rather a long time there recently getting rather a lot of remedial and upgrade work done, plus Tom was down in London at the weekend so I guess Stealth is an "on the way" stop-off?!

DJ 190 said:
You sure like "Stealth", don't you, Tom? It is useful being there, if just to see what's going on with A2's ?
David
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I wonder (Tom), if you could answer that question for me, please? " Of interest to me is if ~ 40 mph is going to be easier to maintain in the 4th gear with the JDD fitted box against my current (0.681) 5th gear?" Thanks ...

David
 
I did stop off at Stealth on my way to London. Vince replaced my wishbones and console bushes.
I do like being at Stealth, though. I trust Vince with my car, find his range of skills quite awe-inspiring and like that he's willing to share his knowledge.

I noticed the JDD 'box and wondered who else had decided to take the plunge - I was in no doubt that it'd be a fellow A2OC member following Simon's lead.
On the day I was there, there were 2 other A2s parked outside; a black 2001MY TDI on a private plate, and a Cobalt Blue 2005MY TDI90, both with OpenSky.
 
So do I, Tom .... what a great team of Guys, there! And ...my question to (well) you? That is because of you expertise in these matters!

David
 
DJ 190 said:
Of interest to me is if ~ 40 mph is going to be easier to maintain in the 4th gear with the JDD fitted box against my current (0.681) 5th gear?
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I confess I'm a touch surprised that you're asking such questions after you've bought the 'box, but anyway...
This post by Jason helps to answer your question... http://www.a2oc.net/forum/showthread.php?21860-Which-gearbox&p=168166#post168166

The lower of the two charts compares the JDD gearbox against your current EWQ 'box. JDD = Red, EWQ = Blue.
Simon's obviously the authority on the matter, but the graphs are a good indication. You can see that the JDD's 4th gear sits just below 'standard 5th', meaning the car should run comfortably and economically at 40mph in the JDD's 4th.

You will, of course, also have a really long 5th that's not too far off the length of my 6th, meaning your motorway economy should be excellent. Personally, though, I couldn't live with the large gaps between 2->3 and 3->4 in particular. For all that Simon's videos show the car reaching cruising speed quite comfortably, that's not representative of a lot of driving. For all that you said "Well, is there anything more to say? He gave such a comprehensive report ...nothing missed, really.", I feel there's still a lot not known to most of us about this mod. For instance, I'm not convinced this setup will perform nicely when down-changing. Imagine approaching a corner in 4th and knowing you'll not have control of the vehicle unless you change down. It'll be a bit like dropping from your 0.681 gear down to 4th, with every gear change. I've not driven Simon's car and so can only comment based on my understanding of the ratios, but I reckon that'd annoy me intensely.

Cheers,

Tom
 
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timmus said:
... and a Cobalt Blue 2005MY TDI90 ... with OpenSky.
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Wibble.

My mind wanders to the obvious A2TDI-at-Stealth-leaves-with-a-remap-and-JDD-box scenario, and that car with that done to it, well, wibble is about all I can come up with really :eek: :D
If it had beige Sport trim, don't tell me. Please ;)
 
nuttinnew said:
Wibble.

My mind wanders to the obvious A2TDI-at-Stealth-leaves-with-a-remap-and-JDD-box scenario, and that car with that done to it, well, wibble is about all I can come up with really :eek: :D
If it had beige Sport trim, don't tell me. Please ;)
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It had beige SE trim. :)
 
Maso said:
ZOLTAR!!!! That is kickass, pardon me for not picking up on that immedietly. Didnt teally believe you at first but with the daylight pics it was more clear. Really cool. Will do it one day as well.
Cheers for the write up.
Click to expand...

Thanks Maso, be sure to post pictures once you have done it.
 
Hooley said:
Zoltar

How's the gearbox going??
Has it had a big impact on mpg for the last few months??

Cheers
J
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Quick 2 month progress report, I have been out of the country for a month, thus so far I have only done two full tanks of fuel since coming back, so can’t really comment too much on MPG yet.

The tanks I have done though, have given me about a 10-15% increase in MPG doing mainly stop start city traffic conditions, so can't complain with the extra 40 miles per tank so far.

I will be doing a big run in the next couple of weeks, as a test I will do the run at 60mph to compare with other members on the site the MPG differences.

Loving the new ratios, seems that every gear has a specific designed use.

3rd:
General city/town driving, really gotten used to the 3rd gear now. I thought the ratio was slightly too long to begin with….now it’s my favourite gear.

I wasn’t used to driving around under 2,000rpm at first but the engine has no problem with that and I find it will pull easily from 1,400rpm on.

Either the engine’s ECU has adapted to the use of lower revs or I have! :rolleyes:

Either way the engine doesn’t seem to splutter in 3rd@30mph as it did when I first got the JDD installed.

Now 3rd is used from 25mph/1,400rpm onwards, it’s useful up to 50mph so I usually stick to 3rd in town now as it fits most town/city conditions.

4th :
A-B road cruiser/blaster. 40-70mph useful range.

5th :
Fast A-Road/Motorway cruising. 55mph onwards range


It feels like the designers of the ratios had worked out all the every day driving conditions/speeds that would be needed in todays driving and tailored each gear to fit.

I am staying in one gear a lot more now than I was with the OEM gearbox as per uses above.

There is no sharp rise in any of the change downs, it feels like any other car I have driven, it's no concern at all to the ‘drivability’ of the car.

I will update the main post once I have logged a few more miles.
 
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