DSG box options

[dcdick]

1.6TDI with 7 speed DSG box

Does anybody know of a way of choosing as an option when using the "normal" drive mode the "free wheel" feature of the "ECO" mode ??

This car is so full of gadgets it is getting close to being "overkill" ;)

D

[Dolmen]

Not sure, still playing with ours but try individual mode with first to options in normal and acc in Eco?

[Handydave]

Yes - I'd be interested in this too.

At the moment using Eco for normal pottering about. - and yes, the freewheel / coasting function is excellent. If I need a bit more go to overtake etc, I just knock the gear stick back and it goes immediately into sport. Another pull back and it's back to Eco again.

[dcdick]

Seems to me to be the ideal compromise..........Normal mode with the "freewheel/coast" function enabled, sporty mode is a button click away, or perhaps that narrows the difference between normal & eco too much ?

D

[Gerryf]

If you're in D ....freewheeling will happen automatically if you lift off the throttle ....you can re-engage the DSG by selecting S / manual mode or accelerate.

[dickt]

I agree with Handydave. I just leave it in eco and then pull back to "sport" using the gearlever.

[Gerryf]

Same difference ....lol

[dcdick]

If you're in D ....freewheeling will happen automatically if you lift off the throttle ....you can re-engage the DSG by selecting S / manual mode or accelerate.

doesn't work that way in mine :confused: ............ when I lift off in "normal" the engine stays in gear so you get the "advantage" of some engine breaking.

D

[dcdick]

I would still prefer to have the freewheel option in normal mode as the gear-change points seem better to me.
Couple of times eco has been slow to react to a down change when just cruising along at lowish revs.

D

[pango1in]

I would still prefer to have the freewheel option in normal mode as the gear-change points seem better to me.
Couple of times eco has been slow to react to a down change when just cruising along at lowish revs.

D

Isn't coasting more fuel efficient that free wheeling? No fuel is used during coasting, whereas freewheeling causes the engine to idle.

I don't have a DSG, so can't comment on the practicalities of the gearbox.

[Norbreck21a]

the free-wheeling (De-clutch) operation, only works in the ECO mode, no others, so when in "Normal" mode, it doesn't de-clutch on the overrun.

[dcdick]

Isn't coasting more fuel efficient that free wheeling? No fuel is used during coasting, whereas freewheeling causes the engine to idle.

I don't have a DSG, so can't comment on the practicalities of the gearbox.

I presume coasting to mean that the engine stops which could be deemed to be dangerous & is probably not allowed by the stop start system as well.
Not much fuel being used when the engine is "ticking over" in "free wheel" mode (if that is the correct term) the box is set up to be in the right gear when you press the accelerator again to resume & seems to be a good solution.

D

[dcdick]

the free-wheeling (De-clutch) operation, only works in the ECO mode, no others, so when in "Normal" mode, it doesn't de-clutch on the overrun.

Seems like that to me as well...........:( be nice if there is a "hack" somewhere that can get it to work in normal ;)

D

[Handydave]

I presume coasting to mean that the engine stops which could be deemed to be dangerous & is probably not allowed by the stop start system as well.
Not much fuel being used when the engine is "ticking over" in "free wheel" mode (if that is the correct term) the box is set up to be in the right gear when you press the accelerator again to resume & seems to be a good solution.

D

Coasting and freewheeling are the same thing. There is no functionality where the engine switches off.

The coasting / freewheeling function is very clever. If you ease off the accelerator when going downhill it starts to coast / freewheel. The engine speed drops to around 800 rpm. If you touch the brake, the freewheel is disabled and you get engine braking - even if you take your foot off the brake. It won't coast / freewheel again until you have pressed the accelerator and then eased off again.

I know this sounds complicated, but it's very intuitive and you get used to it very quickly.

By the way, the big advantage doesn't come on steep downhill gradients - you'll probably need engine braking or actual brakes for that anyway. The benefit actually comes on slight downhill grades when it will coast / freewheel with the engine at idle for quite long distances. If you didn't have the coast / freewheel function you'd have to be pressing the accelerator to overcome the engine braking.

[algarve]

Handydave - good description.

I've been amazed at the distances the car travels under its own impetus during 'coasting' without loosing much speed before you need to use the accelerator

[dcdick]

Coasting and freewheeling are the same thing. There is no functionality where the engine switches off.

The coasting / freewheeling function is very clever. If you ease off the accelerator when going downhill it starts to coast / freewheel. The engine speed drops to around 800 rpm. If you touch the brake, the freewheel is disabled and you get engine braking - even if you take your foot off the brake. It won't coast / freewheel again until you have pressed the accelerator and then eased off again.

I know this sounds complicated, but it's very intuitive and you get used to it very quickly.

By the way, the big advantage doesn't come on steep downhill gradients - you'll probably need engine braking or actual brakes for that anyway. The benefit actually comes on slight downhill grades when it will coast / freewheel with the engine at idle for quite long distances. If you didn't have the coast / freewheel function you'd have to be pressing the accelerator to overcome the engine braking.

Agree with your description & it is very intuitive as you say, I realised how it works very quickly.

Now, what do we call it ............... Free-wheel/Coasting or De-Clutching

I don't agree with the term "coasting" as that has always meant to me "with no engine power" hence my previous post to that effect

I think I prefer "de-clutching" as that is what happens inside the box & the sensors ensure that when you brake/accelerate you are in the appropriate gear. It also seems to have a declination sensor as well as I found on a particularly steep part of a hill the other week

To get back to my original post................anybody any ideas of how to access the option of having the "de-clutch" function in normal mode ?

D

[algarve]

I'd be surprised if VCDS would allow you to set 'Coasting' in the ' Normal' driving mode.

VCDS is somewhat limited at present on the new MQB platform.

[pango1in]

I presume coasting to mean that the engine stops which could be deemed to be dangerous & is probably not allowed by the stop start system as well.
Not much fuel being used when the engine is "ticking over" in "free wheel" mode (if that is the correct term) the box is set up to be in the right gear when you press the accelerator again to resume & seems to be a good solution.

D

Coasting is taking your foot off of the accelerator with the engine still on. Freewheeling is taking it out of gear and letting the engine idle as you go. Turning the engine off whilst you are moving... that's just stupid ;)

[dcdick]

Isn't coasting more fuel efficient that free wheeling? No fuel is used during coasting, whereas freewheeling causes the engine to idle.

I don't have a DSG, so can't comment on the practicalities of the gearbox.

Big problem with coasting is that as the engines is not running there is no power steering/air con etc........... & I'm sure that it is against some law or other as well (?)

D

[Gerryf]

D, Thanks for pointing out the differences between the Tdi DSG and the Mk 6 petrol DSG :)

[dcdick]

D, Thanks for pointing out the differences between the Tdi DSG and the Mk 6 petrol DSG :)

G
The differences could well be in how we perceive the changes, hence the different opinions on "coasting" so far. ;)
The way VW do things ........... it wouldn't surprise me if there are differences in the DSG operation between Diesel & petrol in the "new" boxes. The consumption figures as well as the emissions differ between petrol with/without DSG compared to the diesel version. Also there is the "wet plate" version fitted to the higher powered models which differs again

I have heard that VW at one time hired just about any engineer that was available just to try & stop the competition getting the tech "jump" on them, perhaps the DSG implementation on the Golf is one of the results ?

D

[dcdick]

Coasting is taking your foot off of the accelerator with the engine still on. Freewheeling is taking it out of gear and letting the engine idle as you go. Turning the engine off whilst you are moving... that's just stupid ;)

I would call taking your foot off the accelerator with the engine running over-running to get the benefit of engine braking instead of using the footbrake.
Coasting as power off & letting the car freewheel............ as you say that option is dangerous whatever name you call it.

We used to do economy trials way back when I was an enthusiastic driver & running in neutral down a bank was banned but over running was deemed to be part of "normal" driving.

Always interesting to hear different terms & opinions used in "modern day" motoring.................when I was learning to drive (started road driving 1959) engine braking & cadence braking where important parts of the process. Modern cars are totally different these days & I'm sure I don't drive this Golf to the best possible use of all the techie stuff it has available but as I'm an "old git" it's probably too late for me to change now ;)

D