[Stan]

Originally Posted by Dane-ger

I'll have to do a little research on vacuum canisters. If anybody can offer some decent links that would be awesome. In the meantime I'll check the archives on this site. I'll also have to practice that handbraking technique in some low traffic areas, it sounds worthwhile.

Here ya go!

Summit Racing vacuum canister page

BTW, VW TDIs have speed sensitive fuel cutoff. For instance, in 5th gear if you take your foot off the "throttle" pedal (leaving the car in gear), injection stops completely until you slow to ~25 mph (actually 40 kph), whereupon it picks up smoothly.

Couple of interesting side notes. First, VWs also have a system to permit persons not comfortable with manual transmissions to drive them effectively. Simply start the car in neutral with the clutch depressed, shift into 1st gear and let the clutch out slowly and steadily. The ECU adds fuel and starts the car rolling without the driver having to coordinate power and clutch. You can go right up to 5th gear without touching the "gas" pedal, and the car will roll right along at 40 kph on the flat or even uphill. Press down on the go-pedal at any time to go even faster.

Second, there is some controversy in TDi circles about which is better, coasting in neutral or the automatic fuel cutoff feature. I used to use the automatic feature, but lately have been taking the gearbox out of gear for much longer coasting distances on the premise that since I can coast out of gear at least twice as far as with the engine engaged, I burn less fuel in idle than I do under power to cover half the distance. The jury is still out though, as I haven't collected a tank's worth of data for each case. I share this car daily with my wife, too, which complicates good data collection.