ADUK Archive

Missed this first time around ...

Rachaelink wrote:I am currently learning in a 1.2 l Petrol Micra

There's a risk of confusing yourself if you swap cars while learning, especially if they have quite different characteristics. The good side is that doing so makes it clear how different cars need to be driven differently! If you are getting close to the test I think it is best to only drive the car you'll be using during the test.

Ha that is ok Fungus, I was only messing.

Yeah I am not driving my vehicle much as I don't want to start getting thrown from what I am learning, though I am only getting one lesson a week so I am going for a wee drive in my car from time to time.

I live in the North of Glasgow, so I dont know if there is someone in the area.

I'm in Aberdeen and have a 1.6 Fabia TDI - it suffers the same 'surge' if you brake slower than 'idle' speed in gear. As the others have suggested, drop the clutch and slip it if necessary.

If you're up this way and fancy a drive give me a shout

Ross

Octy_Ross wrote:I'm in Aberdeen -- Location: Northamptonshire

I clearly haven't got enough to do this afternoon. Or rather, I have, but I'm avoiding it.

David

Hi

sorry to bump the thread but I am just looking for some more information with regards to my Ibiza.

I have noticed that the gearing ratio is so different to a petrol and given that I am still a learner and not on the motorway I am struggling to get it in to 5th. I tend to stick to 3rd in 30 etc as per previous advice given in this thread. What I was wondering if any has had their diesel cars chipped, and if this would make a difference to fuel economy?

I've never had mine chipped but I believe Sodatezzer on this forum has a chipped Skoda Fabia diesel. This would probably see your insurance premium shoot through the roof though, and what the effect on fuel economy would be I couldn't say, but the weight of the right foot would probably have the biggest effect.

Diesels have higher gearing than petrols, and I found that in my Ibiza in most circumstances, it was 3rd in a 30, 4th in a 40, only using 5th at speeds above 50 depending on the type of road, eg. flat straight NSL. On a fast twisty NSL I would probably use 4th not 5th, or maybe 3rd if there was very little distance between bends.

Diesel engines differ as well. My wife has just replaced her 2.0L Peugeot 306 HDI estate with a 1.6L Skoda Octavia estate. They both drive differently, and although the Octavia has a smaller engine, it is more powerful. It will plod along happily in 4th at 30mph although there is little throttle response, you need to drop down to 3rd or 2nd for that. The 306 and my old Ibiza would not drive happily in 4th at 30mph, and were much happier in 3rd. The Octavia has a gear selection indicator which will indicate the most suitable gear for economy when driving using a very light throttle setting, this tends to be over-ridden most of the time though, but it does recognise when you are pushing on by not indicating a gear change.

Personally, I would try using different gears, in different situations when safe, to find out what the most suitable gear is, and not to be too tied to what your driving instructor has told you as many instructors are very eco minded, and this style of driving will not be the most responsive. Also many driving school cars have small low powered engines with lower gearing. So my advice is to get out and see how your car responds, and be guided by what you feel.

Cheers yeah if I am on NSL roads and try and switch up to 5th I just feel that I don't have much power left, car seems much happier trundling along in 4th. Trying to watch the rev counter and keep it between 1500 and 2000 rpm but still getting used to how quick the revs drop in the diesel.

Rachaelink wrote:rying to watch the rev counter and keep it between 1500 and 2000 rpm

While it depends, you might be unnecessarily limiting engine speed at the top end.

I'd suggest, as a starting point, aiming to keep the revs over 1500 except in 1st or 2nd gear, and not worrying too much about going to, say, 3000+ rpm in normal driving, possibly up to 3500 in 1st or 2nd.

At the lower end, if it chugs or shakes the car then you probably need a lower gear / higher revs

fungus wrote:I've never had mine chipped but I believe Sodatezzer on this forum has a chipped Skoda Fabia diesel. This would probably see your insurance premium shoot through the roof though, and what the effect on fuel economy would be I couldn't say, but the weight of the right foot would probably have the biggest effect.

My (limited) experience of chipping diesel cars is that, on balance, it makes no difference at all. That's using brim-to-brim calculations rather than trusting the trip computer though which can get a bit more optimistic

@Rachel
When you mentioned you're struggling to get the car into 5th, what are the symptoms that are making it difficult and what sort of speeds are involved?

Chris

ScoobyChris wrote:

fungus wrote:I've never had mine chipped but I believe Sodatezzer on this forum has a chipped Skoda Fabia diesel. This would probably see your insurance premium shoot through the roof though, and what the effect on fuel economy would be I couldn't say, but the weight of the right foot would probably have the biggest effect.

My (limited) experience of chipping diesel cars is that, on balance, it makes no difference at all. That's using brim-to-brim calculations rather than trusting the trip computer though which can get a bit more optimistic

Interesting - I had a return of about 5mpg more than usual on a remapped Seat Leon 1.9tdi. It's gone, but very much not forgotten, especially as the replacement is having a new clutch and dmf fitted tomorow, at just 43k, despite being standard .
I didn't have any problems due to the remap (that I knew about) - sold the car at 90k due to an untraceable noise (grumbling, which may have been dmf but I'll never know) and other work that needed doing - although you do need to think about whether the clutch can cope though if you're going to be asking more of it...

Insurance wasn't prohibitive when I did mine (female, 30k mileage per annum, and was 25/26 can't remember which!) although it does mean going to more specialist insurers - Sky, Adrian Flux, MarkerStudy etc. IAM surety wouldn't touch it once it was modded.

martine wrote: I had an IAM Associate with a Seat diesel and it was very long-geared. We ended up using an intermediate gear on the approach to roundabouts from high speed...so 2 gear changes (eg 6th - 3rd - 1st or neutral) rather then the ideal 1.

Part of being a good driver is adapting to make the best of a car's features. Don't fall into the trap of sticking with this technique in other cars - unless it's needed of course.

I was marked down on my IAM test as not using 'the system' ie on a NSL road using an intermediate gear from 6th to 4th to 2nd in my diesel car on a very sharp bend. The examiner wanted me to brake hard into the bend from over 50mph to 10 mph which I didn't think was appropriate for non blue light driving.

RobC wrote:
I was marked down on my IAM test as not using 'the system' ie on a NSL road using an intermediate gear from 6th to 4th to 2nd in my diesel car on a very sharp bend. The examiner wanted me to brake hard into the bend from over 50mph to 10 mph which I didn't think was appropriate for non blue light driving.

Interesting that you have had no replies. I cannot really comment, never having driven a diesel car.

swatchways wrote:
Interesting - I had a return of about 5mpg more than usual on a remapped Seat Leon 1.9tdi. It's gone, but very much not forgotten, especially as the replacement is having a new clutch and dmf fitted tomorow, at just 43k, despite being standard

I have heard that to change a dmf at this mileage is not uncommon. One suggestion, I've heard, to extend its life is to depress the clutch when switching on and off.

jcochrane wrote:

swatchways wrote:
Interesting - I had a return of about 5mpg more than usual on a remapped Seat Leon 1.9tdi. It's gone, but very much not forgotten, especially as the replacement is having a new clutch and dmf fitted tomorow, at just 43k, despite being standard

I have heard that to change a dmf at this mileage is not uncommon. One suggestion, I've heard, to extend its life is to depress the clutch when switching on and off.

43,000 miles? That's a very poor lifespan by my reckoning.

My old 406 HDi is still on its original clutch at 179,000 miles, though I expect it will need replacing shortly. I don't think it has a DMF, which I'm very glad about.

I was marked down on my IAM test as not using 'the system' ie on a NSL road using an intermediate gear from 6th to 4th to 2nd in my diesel car on a very sharp bend. The examiner wanted me to brake hard into the bend from over 50mph to 10 mph which I didn't think was appropriate for non blue light driving.[/quote]

I can sympathise... My BMW 318d would object to 10mph in 4th let alone 6th. The only ways round it are :either dropping the clutch earlier than was my habit or not using 6th so much. I tend to do both now.
I guess if you are using the system then 'progress' demands things which we might not think are always the best for us or even the best for the car. Every car is different and that makes a standardised approach a bit tricky? I wonder if the new Roadcraft will address this or maybe I'm just not skilled enough....