EN4702 Passat gear ratios

WEx2 a) What is an appropriate axle ratio for a typical diesel passenger car?
b) What sort of first gear ratio is appropriate in a typical diesel passenger car? Compare
your answer with that for a VW Passat.
c) Find the gear ratio for 5th .
d) Find the geometric ratio used in the VW Passat and an appropriate set of gear ratios.
Comment on your answer.

Assume a maximum road speed of 150kph in 4th gear and that the engine develops peak power
at 4000rpm and the effective road wheel radius is 0.33m.

Some typical data are:

Vehicle Speed range Sample tyres Circum radius(dyn)

Car - Diesel 1000-5000rpm 155/70 R13 1.680 0.267

Car - Petrol 1000-6000rpm ditto
Light Commercial 800-2100rpm 205 R14 2.037 0.324
Truck ditto 275/70 R 22.5 2.950 0.470

VW Passat gear ratios 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th Final drive
3.78 2.12 1.46 1.03 0.84 3.68

WEx2 VW Passat 1.8 TD 1of5 11/03/201616:24

kinematic.xmcd Copyright Douglas Robertson
 EN4702 Passat gear ratios

a) What is an appropriate axle ratio for a typical diesel passenger car?

Assuming a gear ratio of 1 in 4th ie direct drive or thereabouts and that at max speed in 4th the
engine is producing peak power then:

ωe⋅ r⋅ ( 1 − s)
V=
ξax

N
ωe⋅ r 2⋅ π⋅ r⋅
60 1000
and with V= or = ⋅V
no slip ξax ξax 3600

V := 150 Nex := 4000 r := 0.33

2⋅ π⋅ r⋅ Nex
ξax := ξax = 3.318
1000
⋅V
60

ξax := 3.68

Which is not too far from the manufacturer's value of 3.68.

2⋅ π⋅ r⋅ N⋅ ( 1 − s) 1000
With slip = ⋅V
ξax 60

repeating the example but allowing some slip, say 2%.

2⋅ π⋅ r⋅ Nex⋅ ( 1 − s)
s := 0.01 ξaxs := ξaxs = 3.284
1000
⋅V
60

Of course slipping in 4th implies a bad road surface or worn tyres.

WEx2 VW Passat 1.8 TD 2of5 11/03/201616:24

kinematic.xmcd Copyright Douglas Robertson
 EN4702 Passat gear ratios

b) What sort of first gear ratio is appropriate in a typical diesel passenger car?

ωe⋅ r⋅ ( 1 − s) ωe⋅ r⋅ ( 1 − s)
V= = is the equation relating engine speed to road speed.
ξgn⋅ ξax ξn

To pull away in first gear we need max torque, which for the Passat occurs at about ca. 4000rpm.
In practice, it is normal to pull away at between 2000 and 3000 rpm The anticipated max speed in
that gear is about 20kph (12mph).

ωex := 2250⋅ rpm Vx := 20⋅ kph r := 0.33⋅ m s := 0

r⋅ ωex⋅ ( 1 − s)
ξ := ξ = 13.996
Vx

total drive ratio in first gear: ξ1 := 3.78⋅ 3.68 ξ1 = 13.91

Pretty close, though the speed is, of course, a guestimate..

ξ
ξ1 := ξ1 = 3.803
ξax

Assume 10% slip (15% is a worst case). s := 0.10

r⋅ ωex⋅ ( 1 − s)
ξ := ξ = 12.596
Vx

Pretty close, though the speed is, of course, a guestimate..

ξ
ξ1 := ξ1 = 3.423
ξax

WEx2 VW Passat 1.8 TD 3of5 11/03/201616:24

kinematic.xmcd Copyright Douglas Robertson
 EN4702 Passat gear ratios

c) Find the gear ratio for 5th .

Assume an overdrive ratio of 10% and no slip?

ωe⋅ r⋅ ( 1 − s) ωe⋅ r⋅ ( 1 − s)
V= = is the equation relating engine speed to road speed.
ξgn⋅ ξax ξn

V := 1.1⋅ 150⋅ kph ωex := 4000⋅ rpm r := 0.33⋅ m s := 0

ωex⋅ r⋅ ( 1 − s)
ξ5 := ξ5 = 0.82
V⋅ ξax

d) Find the geometric ratio used in the VW Passat and an appropriate set of gear ratios.
Comment on your answer.

ξax := 3.68 ξ := ( 0 3.78 2.12 1.46 1.03 0.84 )

ξt := ξax⋅ ξ ξt = ( 0 13.91 7.802 5.373 3.79 3.091 )

ξ0 , 2 ξ0 , 3 ξ0 , 4 ξ0 , 5
= 0.561 = 0.689 = 0.705 = 0.816
ξ0 , 1 ξ0 , 2 ξ0 , 3 ξ0 , 4

Comparable - but ratios are closer for the lower gears. Why?

Alt. we could use 1st and 5th thus:

4
ξ5 = ξ1⋅ Kg

4
ξ5
Kg := Kg = 0.7
ξ1

This would generate the series:

ξ2 := Kg⋅ ξ1 ξ2 = 2.394

ξ3 := Kg⋅ ξ2 ξ3 = 1.675

ξ4 := Kg⋅ ξ3 ξ4 = 1.172

WEx2 VW Passat 1.8 TD 4of5 11/03/201616:24

kinematic.xmcd Copyright Douglas Robertson
 EN4702 Passat gear ratios

Repeat using 1st and 4th rather than 1st and 5th.

WEx2 VW Passat 1.8 TD 5of5 11/03/201616:24

kinematic.xmcd Copyright Douglas Robertson