6-speed gearbox gearshifting

[bobinder]

Hi All,

This is my first 6-speed gearbox car so have the following question:

What are the most fuel efficient speeds to shift into gears on a 6 speed diesel gearbox?

1st gear -
2nd gear -
3rd gear -
4th gear -
5th gear -
6th gear -

Thanks

 

[alistairm1]

What engine??

 

[bobinder]

What engine??

1.6 TDI

 

[alistairm1]

I've got a 2.0, and I tend to use the DIS indicator as a prompt.
However, it does keep the revs low, so if you are on the flat or downhill it seems to be OK, but uphill I find it tends to recommend the wrong ratio. I find if the revs drop below 1500 uphill the engine labours.
Got less than 2000 miles on the clock so it may change with time.

I had a 1.6 in my last A3 and thought it was a really good engine. Only got the 2.0 this time as I had a bit of extra budget in my company car allowance and as the emissions are the same as the 1.6, I went for the bigger engine.

 

[cemerson]

1st gear - 0mph

There, filled in the first one for you

Seriously though, it depends on how much you are accelerating, the surface/hill you are on, all sorts. There isn't a simple answer. The car tells you when to change gear to make it efficient in the DIS at all times, just follow that!

 

[bobinder]

1st gear - 0mph

There, filled in the first one for you

Seriously though, it depends on how much you are accelerating, the surface/hill you are on, all sorts. There isn't a simple answer. The car tells you when to change gear to make it efficient in the DIS at all times, just follow that!

The DIS only seems to tell me when I push down on the clutch, it doesn't inform me before that....unless I'm doing something wrong.

 

[cemerson]

That's not normal, mine tells me when I need to change. The recommended gear appears in green.

 

[bobinder]

That's not normal, mine tells me when I need to change. The recommended gear appears in green.

I'll have to get mine checked out, also had problems with starting it the other day as the sat nav had a spasm of going up and down and the engine wouldn't start. Seem to have intermittant random electrical faults.

 

[alistairm1]

It does take a second or two to register the gear you are in, and will show that (in white) until such time as it feels a change would be required. It then shows the recommended value in green. (this may not be just the next gear; I have seen it recommend 6 when I have been in 4. It will also advise a downshift if it thinks the gear is too high). So, look for the green number and use it.

 

[Daveotto]

The DIS only seems to tell me when I push down on the clutch, it doesn't inform me before that....unless I'm doing something wrong.

Sounds like you are shifting up to early, wait for the DIS to tell you to shift up and then change gear, except when going up hill where you should wait a while longer to avoid engine drag due to uphill deceleration. In geneal the DIS will get you to change gear relatively early to conserve fuel v performance when you are more inclined to use the full rev range

 

[JohnM100]

Agree with Dave & others.

The DIS recommendations I have seen on various Audis including the 8V tend to have a mild obsession with trying to keep the revs as low as possible and that applies to petrols as well as diesels. Also known as city centre minicab style driving.

That's all well and good but 1200rpm with engine load and a fair bit of pedal uses more fuel than 1800rpm with a light touch of the pedal; the DIS only 'gets' that when it's fairly extreme.

Suggest changing when you have sufficient power that engine load is low AND when the next gear isn't going to get bogged down at v low rpm. That's for you to decide based upon road conditions but you'll find better economy holding onto a gear for a few more seconds and not changing up as soon as the green indicator suggests.

John.

 

[Flibble]

It's easy, when the tacho needle reaches the red upshift indicator section, you shift to the next gear.

 

[kanecullen89]

Like other have mentioned, its less about revs and more about how much you floor the accelerator.

Eg. You could be going uphill in 4th gear, only doing 1200rpm but flooring the pedal to prevent it from bogging or stalling.
Or you could be in third at 2000rpm but just 1/4 touching the pedal.
In this example you'd be using far more fuel in 4th gear at lower revs because you are requesting more fuel to be pumped into the engine with the throttle down more

 

[bobinder]

Ahh ok, thanks for the advice people. Does 6th gear only come into play on Motorways and Dual Carriages?

 

[alistairm1]

If you are desperate to get every last mile out of each litre of fuel then it might be worth setting the DIS to show current fuel consumption. You could then adjust your driving style to try to keep the value high.

But, you will miss out on the fun of driving an Audi.

(Having thought about it, it may be worth your while using that DIS setting, just to see how driving style, road conditions and gear selection change your fuel consumption)

 

[bobinder]

If you are desperate to get every last mile out of each litre of fuel then it might be worth setting the DIS to show current fuel consumption. You could then adjust your driving style to try to keep the value high.

But, you will miss out on the fun of driving an Audi.

(Having thought about it, it may be worth your while using that DIS setting, just to see how driving style, road conditions and gear selection change your fuel consumption)

I take fun in driving from trying to beat the mpg scores on each trip! Sad sap as I am.... once you get done for speeding it changes you as a driver. I'm no longer the speedster I once was.

 

[msdmjb]

Like other have mentioned, its less about revs and more about how much you floor the accelerator.

Eg. You could be going uphill in 4th gear, only doing 1200rpm but flooring the pedal to prevent it from bogging or stalling.
Or you could be in third at 2000rpm but just 1/4 touching the pedal.
In this example you'd be using far more fuel in 4th gear at lower revs because you are requesting more fuel to be pumped into the engine with the throttle down more

Umm the amount of fuel is not just dependant on the throttle position, it is calculated using a number of parameters and any modern engine will not over supply fuel, any increase in fuel will be controlled by the ECU as the engine needs it not just because the throttle is at 100%. Your point is still correct though as it is all about where in the revs versus load the efficiency is most efficient, most TDs will work best changing around 1800-2000. In the old days I used to employ 2nd at 20, 3rd at 30, 4th at 40 etc if on an economy run

 

[bobinder]

Umm the amount of fuel is not just dependant on the throttle position, it is calculated using a number of parameters and any modern engine will not over supply fuel, any increase in fuel will be controlled by the ECU as the engine needs it not just because the throttle is at 100%. Your point is still correct though as it is all about where in the revs versus load the efficiency is most efficient, most TDs will work best changing around 1800-2000. In the old days I used to employ 2nd at 20, 3rd at 30, 4th at 40 etc if on an economy run

Does that not ring true now?

 

[0B1001001]

Does that not ring true now?

No chance - I'd normally be in 5th at 30 and 6th at 40 for cruising along in those limits.

Edit - but apologise if you're talking about a black smoker... I've no idea on those

 

[pat15312]

Most ridiculous post ever... Drive the car and work it out!

 

[SockToy]

Rude.

 

[cuke2u]

Most ridiculous post ever... Drive the car and work it out!

Or stick it in 2nd at eighty and see what happens ;-)

 

[pat15312]

Rude.

Is it? Try asking a question like that on an established enthusiast forum and see what response he'd get...

 

[SockToy]

Hey, there are really rude placed on the Internet! Let's be more like that!

Try responding as he was responded to in the pub and see what happens

I came here cause INFORMATION. I stayed because friendly helpful. Forums with the no time for folks who don't already know everything, or for casual conversation are awesome.

Anyhoo. Weathers good. Hope you're enjoying driving