New Polo GTI owner from NZ, hello all!

[insanekiwi]

Hello all!

I've been reading lots of posts, and decided that it was time to say 'hi'.

Purchased a 19000km old GTI (red) around 10 days ago from a VW dealer.

Been loving it so far, as I moved up from a much slower car (Suzuki Swift).

Anyway I am not new to turbo scenes but been getting lots of good information from you guys. Quite different from Japanese Turbos in terms of chipping (rather than just using boost controller), sounds like a more complicated setup in a single chipping which is awesome!

I've got some questions on my car, if you guys would care to answer.

1) My gearbox has a slight whirring noise (not whine or grind, cannot hear over audio. Audible when alone) when I am doing between 40-55km coasting down on 4th gear. I can hear it slightly when I am accelerating slowly from 40-55km (I think rev is around 1500-1900rpm), but once past that stage the car is quiet and does not seem to have that noise. If I accelerate hard, I cannot hear that noise either. Other gears seem to be fine. I've been searching for this. The noise goes away with clutch down. Does not make that noise in any other gears. I have no problem otherwise with good gear engaging with positive feel etc.

2) where is the gearbox oil dipstick? I looked everywhere (just in case it's got anything to do with low gearbox oil) under bonnet! The car has been serviced at 17000km.

3) Anyone got a short shifter installed, and which brand and how much did it cost?

4) I am studying REVO chip at the moment, just bit scared as I still have VW factory warranty until Feb 09 and don't want to loose it too early. Any REVO owners here with feedback? [a lot of them seem to have APR, some GIAC]


Anyway, nice to meet you all! It's an awesome vehicle, and for amount of power it produces, looks like I can almost do 600km / tank on daily commute! 70% city, 30% highway.

[99gti]

Congrats on the purchase, post up some pics once you have some. I'm sure the pogo brigade will be able to offer some advice on the gearbox. Welcome aboard!

[Kai]

My gearbox makes a dogbox type noise in first. Id say thats the noise your talking about. If it is. You have nothing to worry about

[insanekiwi]

That's when I picked it up. Now has my personalised plate on it.

Thanks for the welcome msg guys!

Han

[phaeton]

Welcome to VWwA Han

You have a cool 4dr Polo

[Timbo]

Hi kiwi, welcome to the forum

You can read all about my REVO experience here. I've also posted further dyno charts following the addition of a dump pipe in this thread

I'm very happy with the REVO tune and I have heard (third hand) the NZ distributor/dealer is pretty good, but best to do your research.

[shaneth]

Welcome Insane, dam you lol i wanted a 4 door so much but we dont get them in Oz. Very nice car mate. I to am like you, as i was into Japanese cars beforehand. Its a pretty friendly bunch so feel free to ask questions if you can already find the answers.

[FL00DY]

1) My gearbox has a slight whirring noise (not whine or grind, cannot hear over audio. Audible when alone) when I am doing between 40-55km coasting down on 4th gear. I can hear it slightly when I am accelerating slowly from 40-55km (I think rev is around 1500-1900rpm), but once past that stage the car is quiet and does not seem to have that noise. If I accelerate hard, I cannot hear that noise either. Other gears seem to be fine. I've been searching for this. The noise goes away with clutch down. Does not make that noise in any other gears. I have no problem otherwise with good gear engaging with positive feel etc.

There is you solution
Choice bro

[insanekiwi]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Awesome

In Nz, only 5 doors are available, and I actually prefer 5 doors (for my convinience sake! if I have kids soon....) to 3 doors...

I wanted either red or white, and red was available (production Feb 06), so I took it! Wife was surprisingly supportive on getting the car... (as I moved down from my previous Mitsubishi Airtrek Turbo-R with 4G63 to Suzuki Swift for wedding, buying house etc)...

I do not think there is anything wrong with the gearbox, I think it's RPM related between 1500-2000rpm in 4th gear. Realised if I start engine braking down hill I won't hear it (down hill from 3000rpm), but I will hear it if I don't put my foot on accelerator and let the rev fall from 2000 to 1500 from either flat or uphill, I will hear this little whirring noise... Cannot hear it with window open (disappears as wind noises is much much louder)

By the way where is the gearbox oil checking thing?? Anyone know?

[MINTpolo]

Different noise to you, but I get some sort of high pitched diff whine in 3rd 4th and 5th gear between 60 and 70km/h. Been there since the beginning so i assume its a characteristic of my gearbox. The polo doesnt have a huge amount of sound deadening between cabin and engine bay so some noises get through, id say your noise might just be a resonance that occurs when theres not much load on the gears.

I also dont think you can check the oil easily on the Polo gearbox (someone may correct me). I don't beleive VW schedule a gearbox oil change for the life of the car, (supposedly maintenance free) though obviously an oil change would be necessary eventually no matter what a VW mechanic tells you.

[insanekiwi]

I think what your diff sound might be exactly what I have. The noise is most prominent with 4th gear, but less so with 3rd and 5th. 3rd is really faint or non existent as rev is higher, and 5th is absent on mine.

Hopefully something I won't need to worry about before going for REVO chipping....

Found a NZ dealer, had a brief chat, willing to give me discount from 1750nz to 1600nz with a friend's Golf GTI (MK5). He is around 4 hours drive away, and I need to save some money first.

I do not see why I would need SPS (controller), as it's 480 dollars!

Just trying to be careful with my warranty though...

[insanekiwi]

I went to service department today in regards to my driver's side indicator (which is only half lit), and talked to the service manager about the gear noise.

He asks 'is that the sound around 40-70?'
He said it's due to the different ratio in the final drive which makes it prone to that noise. He test drove my car with me in it, and said that's the sound which is common on GTIs.

I guess he mentioned it even before getting in the car, and after a drive he said this is a perfectly normal thing.

Ease of mind. For you as well MINTPolo.

Just waiting for that to be fixed, I got a Golf MK4 at the moment as a curtesy car... 2.0l... pretty slow.... but well built.