To all the Leon TDI 150 owners...

[Scottl]

I have been living with my Leon Cupra PD 150 for a while now and was wondering if my driving experiences are the same as you other guys:

- 6th gear seem to only be of use at 70mph or over, if I let the revs drop below 2k the engine sounds really laboured.

- I seem to have to leave my car in 1st quite regularly when driving slowly as 2nd gear makes the engine sound really laboured again.

Am I just not used to diesels or is it that the 150s drop off boost easily?

Cheers

 

[Husbandofstinky]

Sixth gear does not get tend to get used too much bar a long run. Most A roads very rarely does it get used.

Haven't got a clue about your 1st and 2nd issues, quite frankly I can't wait to get out of 1st to 2nd (short gearing imo). 1st is more of less just launch. 2nd's fine.

You weren't VTEC before were you?

Boost should be fine all the way to past 4k.

 

[Scottl]

Thanks for that. 6th gear makes a bit more sense now.

As for 1st, I tend to have to use it when going slowly up inclines (Multi-storey car parks, etc) where in my old petrol car it cruised up ramps in 2nd...?

It's not that the car runs out of boost (it's strong all the way to 4k) it's that it seems to drop off at low revs (turbo lag I guess?).

 

[glynnd]

Due to the common failure of various sensors on the pd150 it would be worthwhile getting its health checked to ensure all is well. 6th gear is very long at near 38mph per 1000 so as you say cant expect too much bekow 2000rpm. Labour in 2nd gear? thats why I suggest a health check, never experienced labour in 2nd even before the mods
Glynn

 

[GrahameS]

Dunno about sixth not tending to get used.

As soon as I get over about 35mph as long as i'm on a flat road (i.e. not uphill) i'll be in 6th gear with a very light throttle at about 1300 RPM. Fuel economy is mega!! I use it all the time.

No good for trying to accelerate though, but if you're just maintaining speed its great..

 

[Husbandofstinky]

That lower revs it must be painfull. I would not recommend that to anyone.

With the stock turbo I believe that around the 2k mark the car will feel happiest under normal driving conditions

 

[GrahameS]

No, not painful in the slightest, the engine isn't labouring at at all.

If it was then the rolling MPG would be reading low, but it's up at 80-100 MPG.

Like I said though, you have to have a very light throttle.

 

[Husbandofstinky]

I can really only see an advantage in doing this on a totally flat road with very little traffic or downhill tbh as you are not a million miles away from tickover.

I think I know what you are doing as I've tried it before - feathering it - playing with the constant mpg on trip. However in the real world it is extremely difficult to maintain due to traffic and gradients.

Its almost free wheeling with only the slightest of input.

 

[GrahameS]

I can really only see an advantage in doing this on a totally flat road with very little traffic or downhill tbh as you are not a million miles away from tickover.

I think I know what you are doing as I've tried it before - feathering it - playing with the constant mpg on trip. However in the real world it is extremely difficult to maintain due to traffic and gradients.

Its almost free wheeling with only the slightest of input.

Yeah that what i said in my original post - 'as long as i'm on a flat road (i.e. not uphill)'

I do it every day in the real world and in all traffic conditions (Including rush hour), not just using 6th gear, but by doing the same thing in whichever gear is appropriate for the road speed and by doing it where it allows i've managed to increase my average MPG by 6MPG according to the computer in the last few months.

It might mean you have to change gears a bit more than just say sitting in 4th, but it seems to work well for me. Everyone is different with their driving styles though.

Like you said, you are basically free-wheeling, but just giving enough gas to prevent the car from slowing down.

 

[Dyscontinued]

I use 6th on motorways only and to be honest it's not even as economical as 5th until you're over 90.

2nd is fine, infact on hard acceleration going from 1st to 2nd gets wheel spin with the TC off.

 

[S3 AKR]

I use 6th on motorways only and to be honest it's not even as economical as 5th until you're over 90.

2nd is fine, infact on hard acceleration going from 1st to 2nd gets wheel spin with the TC off.

I totally agree, 5th is often better than 6th for MPG but I reckon the cross over point is the lower side of 85mph rather than 90mph for my car.