Turbo Diesel - Driving tips?

[Kegsy]

60kmh in fourth should be no worries at all.

From memory 60kmh in 5th when it was stock it was lugging a little.

Something a miss there.

[wilbo2]

I have a warranty job needing attention tomorrow (screeching belt) so I'll ask the service person about it.

[Crash486]

2011 MN and 60kph is fine in 4th if on flat or downhill but it does not exactly feel comfortable if on even a slight rise. In 5th is fine @ 70 kph , again if flat or downhill. All the previous is if on an economy run but I agree with using the torque. Luckily in 90% of my driving I only encounter two sets of traffic lights in 25k's so cruzin is easy and 8.5 l/100k is normal.

[wilbo2]

2011 MN and 60kph is fine in 4th if on flat or downhill but it does not exactly feel comfortable if on even a slight rise. In 5th is fine @ 70 kph , again if flat or downhill.

This is pretty similar to me. Makes me feel better Do you get hard core shuddering if you are going 50km/h in 4th? I couldn't believe it the first time I experienced it. Still looking for that filling under my seat. Is it the engine gasping for some airflow off boost?

[lgd2001]

Have the stock manual MN 2011 and I don't usually carry an heavy loads. The engine labours and shudders terribly when I'm trying to drive at 60km/h in 4th gear. Same with 80km/h and 5th but not as bad. It's right on the cusp of getting on boost it seems and 60 km/h is in no man's land. This means I spend much more time 3rd around town unless I want to speed and keep it between 65 and 70km/h in 4th gear. Do other MN drivers notice this or is just me? It doesn't feel geared properly to me. I have 9000kms on the clock. Will the engine 'loosen' up a bit?

I have 12500 on the clock and its exactly as you said with me.

[RossyB07]

I seem to be opposite. Car runs beautifully in 4th sitting at 60km. If I had to drive in 3rd sitting at 60km I don't think I would get good fuel economy as I am now.

[coxy47]

I seem to be opposite. Car runs beautifully in 4th sitting at 60km. If I had to drive in 3rd sitting at 60km I don't think I would get good fuel economy as I am now.

Is yours an ML or an MN though. The other thing is that nearly every mod will affect this. As an example standard 4th in my ML at 50+ was comfortable, this was then thrown a bit when I fitted the 32's to needing at least 55. However now I have the exhasut in as well I can comfortably sit at about 45 on flat in 4th and from about 50 when up hills.

[fridgie]

Rossy has an mn

[coxy47]

My bad. I'm on tapatalk so I wasn't sure

[Kegsy]

At 60 in fourth mine is on song...

No way would i think you should be in 3rd:shock:

[big_bob_thefirst]

Agreed, around 50 to 55 I change from 3rd to 4th unless I'm going up a very steep hill. Then just before 80 I go to 5th unless cruising at 70 I guess.

[wilbo2]

ok when at the 3yr point I'm gonna chip it and get an exhaust

[jd88]

I often keep it in third in 60 zones. I can get away with 4th on flat ground, but to avoid speeding I have to be in 3rd for hills. 4th @ 60kph is okay on flat ground, and 80kph in 5th is quite comfortable. Definitely no horrible shudders at these speeds/gears.

[wilbo2]

Yeh 60km/h is ok for me too, it's just at 55 it is starting to die and 50 is a shuddery pain. I used to drive a Subaru Liberty which with its nice torquey boxer would equate to less downshifting around town. I probably had the wrong expectations when I upgraded to the diesel ute but I thought I should ask other drivers just in case. I guess at the end of the day these things have to be geared and tuned for work just as much as drive...

[sierra]

ML 2.5 manual.
Use the cruise all the time and set at 63kph in 60 zone in 5th at about 1300rpm. Vibrates a bit but happy enough and will accelerate away. 4th is sweet at that speed but the scan gauge shows about 15% better economy in 5th so if it's a long 60 zone it's in 5th.
School 40kph zones I set at 43kph in 4th down to about 1100rpm, pulls away from there with no complaints.

Normally change up at 2000rpm unless I'm enjoying the moment or proving a point.

42,000km 8L/100km recorded overall average. [Yeah I write it down in a little book!]

[Crash486]

I don't get any bad shuddering that would throw a filling, it's just that the engine does not feel comfortable. It has improved with age. One other thing to note is that fuel economy in 3rd is just fine if not pushing it, same for all the gears. Being gentle and using the torque I get good economy no matter the gear.

[mad992]

At 60 in fourth mine is on song...

No way would i think you should be in 3rd:shock:

agreed but school zones creep up on me so sumtimes back to 3rd and back to 40klm for school zone

[Honky]

I agree with the 3rd gear up to 60 as it does not feel right below about 55. Ok to do 60 when going down hill or on a flat road.
I have just gone from a ssv sportswagon to the mn and it only has 1100 so far on the clock.
I use the 2500 revs in first and take it out to 3000 revs in second as when I hit 3rd it drops to 2,000 revs.
3rd gears does all the exceleration. Do not change to 5th until 80ks.
It seems that the power is between 1800 and 3000 not like the Commodore where it is from 600 to 6000 with wheel spin in 1, 2 and third.
The funny thing is I got between 8.5 to 9.5 on the open road( which is very similar to the MN) in the V8 but around town was twice as much.

Honky

[Derwent]

Biggest thing for fuel economy on a turbo diesel is use as little boost as possible.
Gently caress the throttle to use just as much as you need and no more.

In my previous job I drove turbo diesel buses, some nice ones and some shockers, and we did lots of stop start as well as rural highway driving. One bus I drove a lot would return 42-45 L/100 normally. Keep it on boost all the time and watch the numbers go straight into the fifties, and keeping it off boost as much as possible got me 36.....

[oldplodder]

Re 60km/hr in 4th. 2012 MN 2.5l
Couldn't do it when new, once I had 20,000k plus on the clock, will handle it on the flat.

[Satyr]

Sounds like you got a problem mate . I can have my 2012 doing 50kmh and its smooth. Same with 80 kmh in 5th. Doing 60 in 4th is spot on...

[Satyr]

20, 40, 60 ,80 technique works fine in my manual

[kxboss]

MY MN 2013 GLT seems to like the pedal down and after the last ecu flash pulls heaps better up hill in 5th
Fuel economy about the same just under 10L/100K

[RHKTriton]

I've played around a few times sticking to a routine to see effect on economy. 3.2ml

Best results in mixed driving, around town, highway, etc - is to short shift and get up the gears quick as possible without putting heavy load on. Keep the revs close to 2000.

The killers are ladders on the roof and unnecessary junk in the tub.

Other options; downsize your dog, get a skinny girlfriend, don't have kids, replace your tyres with pizza cutters, only drive down hill.......

[kxboss]

I dont shift to 5th unless I am near 80kilowHTSISTS