Advantages of cruise control

[turbolag]

There's not much extra to go wrong. Most modern pugs that don't have cruise already have all the necessary hardware except the switchgear. Fit the swtiches/stalk, activate it on Planet and you're away in most cases.

It's proven to be reliable too, the few reported faults being usually attributed to nacked switches on the pedals, which are a doddle to replace.

[sirwiggum]

There's not much extra to go wrong. Most modern pugs that don't have cruise already have all the necessary hardware except the switchgear. Fit the swtiches/stalk, activate it on Planet and you're away in most cases.

It's proven to be reliable too, the few reported faults being usually attributed to nacked switches on the pedals, which are a doddle to replace.

True, I had a hesitation at low speed issue that turned out to be the clutch switch. Easy to fix (just pop off old and pop in new) and only £6.



Even on non-cruise I was reading that the clutch dipped causes a bit of fuel to be added to stop it stalling, and braking causes fuel to be cut? Or is it the other way round?

[mjb]

I was reading that the clutch dipped causes a bit of fuel to be added to stop it stalling, and braking causes fuel to be cut? Or is it the other way round?

Engines need one of three things to turn over: explosions in the cylinders, a starter motor, or the wheels turning the crankshaft (via the diff, gearbox and clutch).

When the car's either out of gear or you've got the clutch pressed, it (I'll just go for the petrol explanation here - diesel's not far off the same) will put a small amount of fuel into the cylinders and let some air in (via the idle control valve/idle stepper/idle solenoid or by slightly opening an electronic throttle body). If it didn't do this you'd have to keep your foot on the accelerator at ALL times when the car's stationary! Technically, the car doesn't need to feed the engine to keep it going - it could just run the starter instead - but that would kill starter motors and batteries all over the place... Some new "eco-friendly" cars go half way and stop the engine when the handbrake's applied and the speed is zero.

When the car's COASTING IN GEAR (revs somewhere above idle speed, in gear, and foot off the accelerator and clutch - like you'd go down a hill), there's no need for the ECU to feed the engine since it's being turned over by the drive train, so it doesn't (with exceptions)

[steve_earwig]

It'll cut the fuel off somewhere above 1500rpm, the throttle switch on my BX had two switches inside - one for full throttle (made of fecking platinum, judging by the price of the things ) and one for idle. I had the switch off 'cos of a misfire (condensation on plug leads a big problem on the ol' XU9J4) and revved it - we-oo-ee-oo-ee-oo...

I guess the diesels do something similar, that's why I get end stop instantantianiaicous consumption going down hill in my HiDious.

Maybe the HDi needs the clutch switch to say the car's moving but the clutch is down, concentrate on idling now. Bluddy over-complicated heaps of doo-doo.

Ah, that's something more pertinent to the thread - when cruise is active the throttle isn't backed all the way off, so the fuel doesn't get cut off and there's no consumption gains to be had.

[turbolag]

If I have the cruise set, and the car goes down a hill (or over a cliff if I've dozed off) the inst. consumption drops to 999, indicating that the fuel has indeed been shut off as it's on the overrun.

[Doggy]

I wouldn't be without it either, my last car didn't have it after two that did - I HATED it.

Remember some similar comments to mjb's on higher speeds from the VX Autobahnstormers forum...

'Cruise control can be engaged at any speed between 30 & 120 MPH'
Mine works at over 120
Mine works at over 140
Mine too
etc.