Awd 5sp first gear is way too high HELP!!

[tsi-PK27]

Hey guys. Well here's the problem. I have. 91tsi awd 5sp, recently bought a parts 91 tsi, swapped out trans and now when I take off, it will smoke the clutch just to take off and I can go almost 70 mph in first gear! parts car had a tiger import sticker on it and trans fluid was fresh and said to be overhauled. Reverse works perfect, clutch dis & engages fine, turbo spools in reverse but I can't get my rpms up high enough to spool in forward. I tried shifting to higher gears while in motion and it actually shifts to a higher ratio!! I'm baffled any ideas would be appreciated.




1991 tsi 16g

 

[nuclearr]

What is the number on the transmission it could be out of a different type car.

 

[brian9397gsx]

linkage? sounds like 3rd gear ? maybe

 

[burkgonzo]

3rd gear for sure, look at the Vin stamped on the top and of the bell housing. Tiger Importers did'nt impress one one bit.

 

[Wobet]

Is there any chance at all you put some stuff on backwards . Just making joke, but if you are able to hit70 in first, you must have to start in second eh? Or is second crazy too.

 

[brian9397gsx]

im curious on this cause i had a jdm vr4 trans that turned into being outta a galant gsx levers were diff on trans. check the vin and model number

 

[tsi-PK27]

Well, second is worse than first. I mean, if this trans is built this way, you could go like 300 mph in this thing!! It makes no sense. But I am currently out of town so I can't get the numbers off it till Sunday, but I will post them. I tried to run them when I first got it but I had no luck.I swapped the linkage and i had it right the first shot. I figured it would snap the t- case if the ratios were that different?

Funny thing about it also, I can shift through all the gears and it gets higher all the Way to 5th. Reverse is correct pulls great.

 

[Misterbeechy]

idk sounds like ## starting in second but.. you would notice .. does your "1st" gear grab like a first gear should?

 

[tsi-PK27]

First gear feels like 5th.it will smoke the clutch (brand new spec) on take off.

I could try to get to the interstate to test it but I'm too concerned to do that.don't wanna mess up nothin. My old trans was ok just caught 1st and 3rd. May have it built and trash this tigerimport one.

 

[BLINKY619]

what about 5th,4th, and 3rd?

 

[tsi-PK27]

It just goes higher from 1st to 5th just as it should but the ratios are insanely high.

 

[Misterbeechy]

so in 5th u can be at 110mph in 2000rpms?

 

[tsi-PK27]

Well put it like this, i got up to 80 mph in first gear and never got enough rpms to spool a 16g

Maybe I should sell this monster trans to someone near the salt flats
But seriously, it makes no sense and I was hoping someone else experienced this from a jdm transmission.

 

[cookmeup272]

So when yo you plan on grabbing the number off of the transmission and posting it on here?

 

[tsi-PK27]

I can call my shop and get my helper to text it to me asap. Hopefully today if he can find the correct I'd tag

 

[cookmeup272]

That will be the only way we can even start to asses your problem.

 

[tsi-PK27]

I know there's a sticker w/ a bar code on top , isn't there a cast number in the case also

 

[EclipticalGS]

Either your lying, or you got a tranny that was built for top speed or standing mile runs...But even then people that build there cars for top speed don't have a first that can hit 80mph, they use high rpm's and a little lower gear ratio to achieve those speeds.

80mph in first and your not spooling a 16g?? Come on. I demand a video.

 

[Misterbeechy]

looks like shift links are crossed like if in the 1st position its really engaging 3rd gear

 

[talontsi18]

Sounds like your VCU is raped. Your going to have to pull the trans and inspect everything.

 

[tsi-PK27]

I would totally put it on YouTube if I knew it wouldn't tear up my b1g and my t-case.. I'll have someone follow me and see exactly how the gears act through a full shift pattern, but like I said, I got up to almost 80 in first , then when I shifted to 2cd ,it got worse and bogged.

 

[cookmeup272]

i cant think of any transmission that would even allow you to do that, while still being able to be installed to the car with no modifications. Like previously stated, something is wrong and its probably not the transmission. My money is on the shift linkages as well.

 

[tsi-PK27]

Only thing I figured was maybe rhs transmission could shift differently, but I tried to start off in 5th, and it died every time. Being no one has ever heard of this I'm at a loss, maybe pull it out and tear it down??? The fluid was clear and silicone was fresh, had a new clutch kit in the donor car, someone did somthing to this thing, but it makes me wonder how my rearend doesn't bind no bad noises either?

 

[akira235]

wait wait wait. I think i know whats going on here man. it may be stupidly simple. the car your driving is a 91 right? what year model is the donor car? for 1gs your shifter, cable, and transmissions mechanism have to be from the same year to fit perfect or else you have to modify the shift cables some.

edit: didn't see same year in the original post. any chance someone did a conversion on either of those cars?

 

[tsi-PK27]

That's a good point , also it is a jdm so it's defiantly not right for the car.soooo? I have the trans code on my pc at home, I'll update monday , I'll be back home then , I really appreciate all the helpful solutions so far guys.

Also it's going to be hard to test off the ground, I have a car lift so i can raise it up but vie been told not to let LSD awd cars spin off the ground so another setback.