Shifting VW TDIs below 2000RPM?

[pete c]

I own a CJAA ('11 JSW 6 speed).

I typically shift right around 2k, but, DPF clogging is a thing with these, so a number of times a day, I like to let it clear its throat a bit with 3rd gear uphill pulls to at least 4500 rpm. Sometimes 4th gear if I'm on the highway. 4th gear 100 mph uphill pulls in this thing just make me giddy!!!!

I have put on roughly 60K in a year and a half with zero issues.

Typical mileage is 42-45, mostly highway.

[skyking]

I've had 3 MkIV ALH manuals, and we have a '13 MkVI Beetle DSG.
Total mileage driven on the ALHs is 570,000 miles across the 3, all on the original engines. We drove about 1/2 of it.
I accelerate rather rapidly, because the money is in getting to speed and into the proper gear for economy. Lingering along in the poor economy mode is not best practice, and the engines are happy to go!
Typically shift around 3K until I get to steady state, and look for around 2K steady state. If the load is lower, the RPM can be lower.
I use a scangauge to help out with technique.
My wife's DSG, well it's a DSG. I let it do its thing, and still drive smartly to get to steady state.

[ssullivan]

Thanks for the feedback, keep it coming!

Been shifting 2000-2400rpm (lower in higher gears, 1st and 2nd are deep and wide) under moderate acceleration which drops rpm to ~1500rpm. Sometimes shift lower or higher for lower/higher load.

In other news, the "Italian tune up" (driving up a hill with a trailer, revving it out then coasting down) seems to have freed up the VNT actuator which was sticking when I needed it most. That was fun, now back to earth, more civil driving. Expecting 38+mpg this tank despite the poor driving style. Go diesel!

[Isaac Zachary]

When I had my 1985 non-turbo VW Golf diesel I usually was in top gear by 35mph. I'm not sure what the RPMS were, but I guess I could calculate it based on speed, gear ratios and tire diameter. But one thing for sure, that car had barely any acceleration even when revving it up high. I think the big commercial diesels I drove had better acceleration.

[ssullivan]

Hi Isaac, what gear were you shifting into?

It is a bit of a conspiracy theory but I suspect the government took money from big oil to kill diesel with regulation and selling gasoline. The stock TDI was decent but with a tune and injectors they are great. I assume this worsens the NOx emissions but carbon emissions are the urgent issue right? Interestingly, a lot of commercial diesels got caught cheating before VW did.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Hi Isaac, what gear were you shifting into?

It is a bit of a conspiracy theory but I suspect the government took money from big oil to kill diesel with regulation and selling gasoline. The stock TDI was decent but with a tune and injectors they are great. I assume this worsens the NOx emissions but carbon emissions are the urgent issue right? Interestingly, a lot of commercial diesels got caught cheating before VW did.

Oops! I thought I wrote "top gear" but it came out "to hear". Top gear "5th" by 35mpg.

[ssullivan]

Right on. Did you have the car for a while?

I am shifting into 5th at 50-55mph which comes out to 1700-1800rpm on the calculator. Might try going a bit lower. Plugging in what I found for your car comes out to 1370rpm. ~38hp/lb isn't going to get you places quickly! Stock turbo, direct injection, and a tune gets well into the 20s, really peppy without losing much efficiency.

[Isaac Zachary]

Originally Posted by ssullivan

Right on. Did you have the car for a while?

I am shifting into 5th at 50-55mph which comes out to 1700-1800rpm on the calculator. Might try going a bit lower. Plugging in what I found for your car comes out to 1370rpm. ~38hp/lb isn't going to get you places quickly! Stock turbo, direct injection, and a tune gets well into the 20s, really peppy without losing much efficiency.

We had that car from 2011 to 2019. I drove it at least 15 times to Mexico. Also out to Houston a few times. I think it has over 700,000 miles on it but it's on its third odometer and it stopped working who knows how long from before I bought it with a total of 350,000 miles on it if you add all three odometers' final readings together. I remember going by map over 600 miles and then could only get a little more than 10 gallons into the tank.

38hp at sea level? I'm at about 8,000ft above sea level and regularly drive over 12,000ft. Obviously I had to use lower gears for the hill climbs. The car felt like it had a boat anchor dragging in sand behind it. Trying to keep it in top gear didn't help speed but sure seemed to help with fuel mileage. Although I didn't have a way to accurately check it all the time.

[COcyclist]

I have to agree with JSH and skyking. I believe these engines are more efficient when they are getting some boost from the turbo. There is no need to dawdle going through the gears. Occasionally do the “Italian tune up” but only after the engine is fully warmed up.

If you are new to the TDI you may find my how-to thread useful.

https://ecomodder.com/forum/showthre...sel-38306.html

[hayden55]

If I was you I would do the egr delete kit. Thats the number one killer with those engines. Efficiency will go down a bit but not much. Or since its a VW I assume the carbon cleaning is basically scheduled maintenance on those cars since its so common. :P