How to drive a diesel

[swiss]

Hey. The following did not happen. I could never have happened as I always obey the speed limit.

So I was coming back down from that London. Were the M4 flyover opens up from two lanes in to three and goes from 40 to the national limit, I pulled in to the right and stepped on it to begin accelerating. A Merc rushed up behind me and began flashing the brights at me... so I floored it. Suffice to say as soon as the road achieved its third lane, the Merc shot around me and buggered off in to the night. I got up to about 85 and then looked very silly as that was it. Later on, as I experimented with accelerating more gently I managed to top out at about 105.

This will probably seem elementary and naive to experienced drivers here: why is it that when I floor it, I only get a bit of acceleration and then the engine roars and the tacho goes right over, tonnes of smoke appears behind me and yet I barely get any more speed?

How should I be driving in order to keep the acceleration up? I believe my engine sees max torque at about 2200rpm... is this the optimum moment to shift gear?

Additionally, does anyone know the rev/speed range to achieve maximum efficiency in a 1.9 when cruising the motorway? Typically I keep it at 3K/70mph. Unless I'm racing Mercs...

Ta

[djp30djp]

[quote]This will probably seem elementary and naive to experienced drivers here: why is it that when I floor it, I only get a bit of acceleration and then the engine roars and the tacho goes right over, tonnes of smoke appears behind me and yet I barely get any more speed?
[quote] It's called "Clutch Slip".

[steve_earwig]

Sounds like it, the smoke doesn't sound too good either

[mark21TD]

The wife's 806 HDI used to do the same thing, wouldn't go above 90 with full throttle, but well over that if treated gently .
Sold on ebay with a slipping clutch in the end

[eoin27]

that car is capable of around 110 mph when fully repaired.

3rd gear is my fav in the 406. when i'm in third doing about 32mph and the rev counter is sitting on the turbo, i put the foot down and 75 mph is done in one gear. i dont do it that often tho.

when i'm doing above the speed limit and wankers are driving up my arse and flashing me, i indicate to pull in and then indicate to pull out again without actually going anywhere at all, it drives them mad. i have the power to get to 120 mph but why bother?

[teamster1975]

when i'm doing above the speed limit and wankers are driving up my arse and flashing me, i indicate to pull in and then indicate to pull out again without going anywhere, it drives them mad. i have the power to get to 120 mph but why bother?

Careful eoin
I someone is driving that aggressively they could well clip your car out of spite!

[eoin27]

safety first i suppose.

[totaleclipse]

i never pull in for em, if i'm in the outside lane, there must be cars in the inside lane, and as long as i'm going faster than them, i should be in the outside, so to hell with impatient people.

[eoin27]

i never pull in for em, if i'm in the outside lane, there must be cars in the inside lane, and as long as i'm going faster than them, i should be in the outside, so to hell with impatient people.

exactly. and there is about fifty cars in front of you all doing the same speed.

[teamster1975]

safety first i suppose.

Becoming a Father changes your outlook on life!

[Doggy]

These days I tend just to let them go, but I won't get myself boxed in to the left or middle lanes because I let somebody past then can't get out again. The more aggressive they are the longer they tend to wait....

[mjb]

3rd gear is my fav in the 406. when i'm in third doing about 32mph and the rev counter is sitting on the turbo, i put the foot down and 75 mph is done in one gear.

The joys of V6 ownership.... 0-110mph in third

Oh look there's one on ebay for £410 - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0310849099

[swiss]

It's called "Clutch Slip".

Right. And is this a function of the way the clutch operates or does it suggest the clutch is getting old and tired?

[mjb]

It's called "Clutch Slip".

Right. And is this a function of the way the clutch operates or does it suggest the clutch is getting old and tired?

It's wallet rapage I'm afraid As it gets more worn it'll happen easier and easier until you struggle to move at all

With luck you may have a car where it's possible to change the clutch in situ, but even then expect to pay over £200 for the job. Considerably more if it's a gearbox out job... like mine

[trem1]

3rd gear is my fav in the 406. when i'm in third doing about 32mph and the rev counter is sitting on the turbo, i put the foot down and 75 mph is done in one gear.

The joys of V6 ownership.... 0-110mph in third

Oh look there's one on ebay for £410 - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ... 0310849099

looking at all the jobs done on that one the previous owner must have been a right fussy tw*t