Quote:
Originally Posted by ECONORAM
I don't follow. Both of my vehicles are automatics and have DFCO. The RAM only uses it for decel with a load--it is hard to get it to kick in with an empty truck. It will upshift a gear, relock the converter, and then cutoff fuel flow. I've watched it several times on the MPGuino.
The Avenger does DFCO in OD lock anytime you slow down from 63+mph...to about 55mph. Engine RPMs still happen, accessories still run for both vehicles.
I agree, learning how to NOT use the brakes so much is the best method.
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I should say with my auto car's DFCO doesn't work where I live.
With the Stratus DFCO will only kick in if I downshift out of OD, I get heavy engine braking (should have started a coast sooner), must N coast as it won't coast very far in gear, and in gear it will downshift while coasting to slow even faster.
Impala and Malibu auto's they unlock the tranny when coasting so only way to get engine braking is to slip them into D, very little difference between Neutral coast and OD coast. Only useful if the hill is so big if I want the engine braking to limit maximum speed.
With the Cobalt engine rpm needs to be over 2,000 rpm (55 mph in 5th) so to get it to work on down hills I need to downshift, but the car goes open loop for a few seconds and consumption goes up to .5 gph, before going to 0. But as soon as rpm goes under 2k, back to 0.3 gph.
Area's with longer steeper hills, and some cars the DFCO to much lower RPM's than mine might be able to take more advantage of it.