Driving style - gear changes - 140 TDi 6sp

[tommyweaves]

I really love the low down torque my 140 produces, and use it all the time, rather than revving the engine up to the red line in "spirited" driving.

I tend to change gear (up) at about 3,500 rpm which keeps me nicely in the power (torque) band for the next gear.

I also often find myself pottering around quite happily, in anything from 2nd gear up to 6th gear, at around 1,800 rpm.

I'm interested to know what others views are, particularly whether this is an illusion of acceleration, which style is most economical (in normal day to day driving - not being an "**** eco dude"), and whether it puts undue stress on the big ends etc. whilst possibly saving piston wear.

Having read through this post I also realised I should not drink red wine on a school night, and should probably get out a little bit more.

Views, as ever, very welcome. (Unless you've retired and live in France having deserted this fine country which has given so much)

[james_tiger_woo]

It depends on my mood and how much of a hurry I'm in

I tend to leave the car in as high a gear as I can - 5th @ 30mph, 6th @ 40mph (in town) but I do love the torque at the lower end (saying that, pulling away in 5th @ 30 can be a little slow....)

I do, however, occasionally use the whole rev band as I find the power's all across the band (well, apart from up to the redline). I've had a company Passat 2.0tdi so I know that revving it to about 500-750 short of the redline will give still you power - mine? Well, I don't thrash it, but I do keep it about 1000rpm short of the line.

On the motorway - It's 6th and I leave it there as at 50mph upwards gives me plenty of go

[Quatrelle]

(Unless you've retired and live in France having deserted this fine country which has given so much)

Thanks

Perhaps you should consider how much I might have given to 'this fine country'?

My unwelcome comment is that I take it to the redline occasionally - getting it hot helps clean the PDF.

[angus]

I find I have to hang on to the gears a lot longer and rev it harder than my old 130 Sport to make any sort of progress, and in a top gear (well, actually any gear) roll-on,the old one absolutely murders the new one.

The 130 with 6-speed box - that DID have low down torque.

[domestos]

Tend to get good power and lowlevel cruising in 3rd around town. May move upto 4th for a 40 or 50mph road. Never move out of 6th on the motorway unless I drop below 35mph.

Third, IMHO, gives the best torque. 30 to 60 in corsa squating times.

[Stuart W]

I probably don't rev much above 2,500 rpm in normal driving, and try not to drop below 1,500 rpm, in the higher gears at least.

I recall reading advice on petrol engine driving which said that you should try to keep between 2,000 and 4,000 rpm, so I've kind of adjusted the bottom figure to 1,500 rpm to account for the fact that it's a diesel - does this seem reasonable?

Domestos, if you don't change down in 6th unless you drop below 35 mph then you must be accelerating from around 1,000 rpm? Does it pull cleanly from there? I'm not a technical person, but I doubt if pulling from those revs in 6th gear is good for the car?

[claranet]

I can only vouch for the 170 TDi Sport Estate.

The 170 is certainly a flexible engine but I find in urban driving that it is happier in 4th - 30 mph 5th - 40mph 6th - 47 mph upwards depending on the road conditions; I occasionally go from 3rd to 5th etc but only if it feels comfortable; If the engine is struggling at low revs then change down !!!

I give mine an occasional ungreen blast now and again!! it is very pokey in the mid-range revs. Sadly the cost of Diesel is going up at such a pace - it was £1.07 back in October07 now Tesco are charging £1.15 at these prices my give it a blast moments are becoming somewhat scarce !!!!

Regards

claranet