High Gear At 30mp

[justin36]

Hi, I'v recently bought a 115bhp tdi after owning a 2.3 petrol. The question is can I expect to have my car in 4th gear when driving around town at 30. The car feels very laboured in this gear and is only doing around 1200 - 1400rpm which is well under revs before the turbo kicks in. I feel it only wants to get into 3rd gear up to 30 to 35 mph. I know its a 2 ton car with only a 1.9 engine in it before the turbo comes in, am I expecting too much from it? I'd be really interested to know what your thoughts are on this?

[kebrina]

Hi, I'v recently bought a 115bhp tdi after owning a 2.3 petrol. The question is can I expect to have my car in 4th gear when driving around town at 30. The car feels very laboured in this gear and is only doing around 1200 - 1400rpm which is well under revs before the turbo kicks in. I feel it only wants to get into 3rd gear up to 30 to 35 mph. I know its a 2 ton car with only a 1.9 engine in it before the turbo comes in, am I expecting too much from it? I'd be really interested to know what your thoughts are on this?

 

Mine's an auto and it gets to 4th gear quite nicely, hits fifth if I maintain the speed. Fuel consumption dictates I drive very sedately, but I feel my car changes gears in a most timely fashion. I haven't had it out on the motorway yet, but this is all school run stuff.

Edited March 24, 2010 by kebrina

[justin36]

Hi, I'v recently bought a 115bhp tdi after owning a 2.3 petrol. The question is can I expect to have my car in 4th gear when driving around town at 30. The car feels very laboured in this gear and is only doing around 1200 - 1400rpm which is well under revs before the turbo kicks in. I feel it only wants to get into 3rd gear up to 30 to 35 mph. I know its a 2 ton car with only a 1.9 engine in it before the turbo comes in, am I expecting too much from it? I'd be really interested to know what your thoughts are on this?

 

Mine's an auto and it gets to 4th gear quite nicely, hits fifth if I maintain the speed. Fuel consumption dictates I drive very sedately, but I feel my car changes gears in a most timely fashion. I haven't had it out on the motorway yet, but this is all school run stuff.

 

 

Sorry I should have mentioned that it's a manual. But thanks very much for taking the time to reply

[mk2vr6]

duh! it feels laboured in fourth gear at 30mph! well dont do it then! plain and simple it feels wrong then it aint meant to be doing it SO DONT!

 

and kebrina you have a 2.8 VR6 ;) its never going to be the most economical car on the road especially linked to a slush box, so quit yer moaning, open the window, boot it and listen to the noise the engine makes :D its truely lush, a sound that should be savoured! and as you drive past the sad Tdi owners in their flat caps, tweed jackets with elbow pads and driveing gloves on stareing at the mpg gauge look across smile politely and then flip em the bird as you speed off to the next filling station :P

[Jayton]

I can easily maintain 30mph in 4th on the long straight roads of Oxford in my TDI, getting 45-50mpg the VR6 owners wish they could get :P ;)

 

and yes it is slow to accelerate in 4th @ 30mph, it's natural!

Edited March 24, 2010 by Jayton

[gregers]

duh! it feels laboured in fourth gear at 30mph! well dont do it then! plain and simple it feels wrong then it aint meant to be doing it SO DONT!

 

and kebrina you have a 2.8 VR6 ;) its never going to be the most economical car on the road especially linked to a slush box, so quit yer moaning, open the window, boot it and listen to the noise the engine makes :D its truely lush, a sound that should be savoured! and as you drive past the sad Tdi owners in their flat caps, tweed jackets with elbow pads and driveing gloves on stareing at the mpg gauge look across smile politely and then flip em the bird as you speed off to the next filling station :D

 

:D :P dont hold back,say what you mean.

[big_kev]

The question is can I expect to have my car in 4th gear when driving around town at 30.

 

It should drive fine at 30mph in 4th gear.....assuming no mountain climbing.

 

I have a crappy 90 tdi and it has no problems at 30mph in 4th.

[Andrew G]

Hi, I'v recently bought a 115bhp tdi after owning a 2.3 petrol. The question is can I expect to have my car in 4th gear when driving around town at 30. The car feels very laboured in this gear and is only doing around 1200 - 1400rpm which is well under revs before the turbo kicks in. I feel it only wants to get into 3rd gear up to 30 to 35 mph. I know its a 2 ton car with only a 1.9 engine in it before the turbo comes in, am I expecting too much from it? I'd be really interested to know what your thoughts are on this?

Laboured? In fourth? my 130 tdi sits happily doing 30mph in sixth with no input from my right foot. Lazy driving leads to high economy! Fourth is a bit racy don't you think? ;) Handily fourth = 20mph for in town speed limits.

[chrispb123456]

Hi, I'v recently bought a 115bhp tdi after owning a 2.3 petrol. The question is can I expect to have my car in 4th gear when driving around town at 30. The car feels very laboured in this gear and is only doing around 1200 - 1400rpm which is well under revs before the turbo kicks in. I feel it only wants to get into 3rd gear up to 30 to 35 mph. I know its a 2 ton car with only a 1.9 engine in it before the turbo comes in, am I expecting too much from it? I'd be really interested to know what your thoughts are on this?

Laboured? In fourth? my 130 tdi sits happily doing 30mph in sixth with no input from my right foot. Lazy driving leads to high economy! Fourth is a bit racy don't you think? ;) Handily fourth = 20mph for in town speed limits.

 

Come on now you TDI drivers give it some wellie get that turbo whistling you wouldn't want them turbo vanes getting all coked up would you!!!!!!!!!! :P

[justin36]

Hi what I'm trying to work out is if my car has a problem. If there's another owner out there with a 115bhp tdi would they be able to note what revs you are doing at 30mph on a flat road and in 4th gear. I've had it thru my local garage and the diagnostics come back with no faults, thet have also checked my boost pressure and it's ok, they have checked the turbo vaines and they are ok. It's had a new exhust system last year with a new cat. It's had a new turbo in Jan and I've just had the timing belt done last week. My garage say's that the car is labouring in 4th at 30mph but I feel that it should be able to drive in that gear at that speed and accelerate on a flat road. When the car reaches 1800rpm and the turbo kicks in it fly's it's just at low revs I feel it struggles. Any ides??????????????????????

[Jayton]

Of course it's going to not perform well in 4th @ 30mph!

 

My 115 feels like it's just at the lowest speed it will do in 4th @ 30mph, any less and I get the shuddering. As for RPM 1100-1300 is about what it does, I'll check that tomorrow though.

[justin36]

Of course it's going to not perform well in 4th @ 30mph!

 

My 115 feels like it's just at the lowest speed it will do in 4th @ 30mph, any less and I get the shuddering. As for RPM 1100-1300 is about what it does, I'll check that tomorrow though.

 

 

 

 

Many thanks for your help I will be very interested to find out.

 

Thanks again

[smokie]

duh! it feels laboured in fourth gear at 30mph! well dont do it then! plain and simple it feels wrong then it aint meant to be doing it SO DONT!

 

and kebrina you have a 2.8 VR6 :) its never going to be the most economical car on the road especially linked to a slush box, so quit yer moaning, open the window, boot it and listen to the noise the engine makes :D its truely lush, a sound that should be savoured! and as you drive past the sad Tdi owners in their flat caps, tweed jackets with elbow pads and driveing gloves on stareing at the mpg gauge look across smile politely and then flip em the bird as you speed off to the next filling station :P

 

 

And as we sail passed you as you fill up your lush sounding 2.8 vr6 with your Nike trainers and baseball cap on backwards, glug glug glug how lush does it sound now lol, we will be sure to smile politely raise our leather clad driving gloved hand and return your guesture right back at you.

Edited March 26, 2010 by smokie

[Bobd]

I think you should be cautious about letting the engine labour at these low speeds in high gears. It

[sasquartch]

I think you should be cautious about letting the engine labour at these low speeds in high gears. It

[Bobd]

Don't think any 115 had a DMF - it was only fitted to the 130 and 150 variants

 

 

I also drive a 1.9 115bhp model and have always assumed it had a DMF. Does anyone have a definitive list of what models do/don

[tim-spam]

It has a DMF - all 115's do, as do virtually all newish cars nowadays.

 

To answer your question, 4th is geared at around 25mph / 1000rpm, so 30mph is a little slow for this gear, but it should be OK. By the way, the turbo really starts to boost at around 1300 - 1400 rpm.

 

As for using 6th at 30mph, don't - the engine will be turning over at well under 1000rpm, which will be neither good for the engine / transmission nor economical.

 

Remember that because of the torque capability of the TDI, the gearing is much higher than on a 2.3, so don't worry.

[malcolm.dobell]

I have a 130bhp tdi. I have always run in 3rd when at 30mph. The engine feels far too laboured at 30 in 4th. It's also very responsive and not noisy. Still only doing about 1800rpm.