Just bought a vrs and i woundered if there was any particular adivce on how they should be driven, i am new to driving a diesel. I have heard that they should not be switched off after a good fast drive. Also they shouldnt be driven fast when first switched on. Is this correct and has anyone get any other advice on how a vrs should be driven to keep it in good condition?

Yep, allow warming up time and cooling down time at the other end. Cooling down can consist of your route near home, not being on boost - say within a 30 limit. This will help your turbo out. Don't use full throttle until the turbo has fully spooled up and boost is provided. This is usually around 2100rpm and will again benefit your turbo, along with clutch and DMF.

Not much use winding it past 4k, especially on a car running stock power.

That's all I can think of for the moment....

Steve

On any turbo car drive gently until the engine is up to normal running temperature and drive gently again before switching off or at least wait some 10 seconds before switching off.Damage can be done to the turbo if the flow of oil is not sufficeint,bearings or even complete seizure or breaking up of the turbo unit....Other than that drive as if your hair is on fire,that's what the VRS was built up for ....

that answers that question!

Thanks for the welcome simbo

I think another tip would follow on from the member who mentioned boost kicking in at around 2000RPM. Certainly on my PD100, power is central between 1.8k-3.2K so when you want to floor it/overtake just ensure your not changing down if your somewhere around 3K as maximum power delivery is delivered through mid-range revs... Its great when your stuck behind slow moving vehicles and your coming off a roundabout in 2nd at around 2K as you can literally fly by with your foot to the floor accessing all the mid-range power (I'm talking A/B roads here) just changing up correctly.

Yup, don't rev like in a petrol - just change up a gear! Unless you're in 6th and if so you're going way too fast

so when you want to floor it/overtake just ensure your not changing down if your somewhere around 3K as maximum power delivery is delivered through mid-range revs..

Bloody hell :eek: - yeah not the best idea to do that, to say the least...

I echo what many people have said about warming up/cooling down... I think this is the most vital part to reliability of the standard turbocharger..

My fabia's now on 97k and has been pushed hard at the top end to 180bhp for the past 40k, turbo's never skipped a beat, well surpassing the office expectations of 5k with me at the wheel

Kev

Edited 17 October, 200916 yr by Jabbasport

I thought I would add to this thread instead of starting a completely new one.

Had the Vrs almost two months now and my mpg is getting alot better as I'm getting used to driving a diesel.

Anyway, alot of my driving is A roads, mainly 40-60mph, I find driving at 1500rpm helps with my mpg while just touching the throttle to keep it going.

Was just wondering if this will damage the clutch or anything else, driving at such a low rpm? Just trying to get used to it, totally different to my Clio 182!

Any advice would be great!

Cheers,

Stan

Short shift and ride the torque curve... Doing close to 100 motorway miles a day(!), it's rare that I need to plant my foot to use the power side of things...

Also having the computer on instantaneous mpg gives a good idea of how hard you're working the engine.

Cheers dxg,

so you think driving along at 1500rpm is fine?

If I get anywhere near the 2000rpm where the torque kicks in, the mpg on the instantaneous mpg goes right down, I need to keep around 1500rpm to get good mpg.

Cheers,

Stan

so you think driving along at 1500rpm is fine?

No problems with that... As long as you don't floor the throttle or even push too hard as you will put more strain on the drive train as the turbo kicks in.

Phil

Thanks Phil!

Exactly what I needed to know, I don't floor it unless I'm just over 2000rpm but sitting near 1500rpm gives me good mpg.

When I'm accelerating to get up to speed, is it better to gradually put my foot down and go through the gears at 2000rpm or get up to speed as quick as possible, to get the best mpg?

Cheers,

Stan

How should a vrs be driven?

I believe the phrase is....

"like it's someone else's fuelcard"

As said, if you can maintain progress and a constant speed at 1500rpm then that's fine, you're not risking causing damage. But it will mean you'll have to change gear more, should circumstances change and you need to adjust road speed. Otherwise you're not being that kind to the clutch if you're accelerating and increasing revs without changing gear

On the 'getting upto speed' question, it's more fuel efficient to use gears correctly to get the speed you wish to achieve and maintain as quickly as possible and then settle down

Steve

Flat-out and collect a few speeding fines, LOL

Ian. 27/10/2009. :P

I thought I would add to this thread instead of starting a completely new one.

Had the Vrs almost two months now and my mpg is getting alot better as I'm getting used to driving a diesel.

Anyway, alot of my driving is A roads, mainly 40-60mph, I find driving at 1500rpm helps with my mpg while just touching the throttle to keep it going.

Was just wondering if this will damage the clutch or anything else, driving at such a low rpm? Just trying to get used to it, totally different to my Clio 182!

Any advice would be great!

Cheers,

Stan

Not driving at a low RPM like that because I do, but avoid booting it at those sort of revs or your DMF WILL DIE.

Thanks Phil!

Exactly what I needed to know, I don't floor it unless I'm just over 2000rpm but sitting near 1500rpm gives me good mpg.

When I'm accelerating to get up to speed, is it better to gradually put my foot down and go through the gears at 2000rpm or get up to speed as quick as possible, to get the best mpg?

Cheers,

Stan

If fuel consumption is a big priority for you when driving then there are loads of things you can do to improve it further.

In regards to getting up to speed as said using the gears is the best thing to do but change as soon as is possible but obviously not too early as you will be leighbouring the engine and wasting more fuel in the form of black smoke!

The major thing that I have changed that has made the biggest change in my driving is staying off the throttle for as long/as much as possible. So as I approach a set of red lights I know there is no point going anywhere near thr throttle if I am just stopping anyway. And the same approaching roundabouts etc.

Obviously you may already do these kind of things in which case I don't want to teach you to suck eggs!

There are some more advance "Hypermiling" techniques but these are not always suitable in all road conditions and some are just down right stupid/dangerous!

Another last things is that make sure you give the car a good thrash from time to time as it will get gunked up driving like a granny after a while especially with a derv.

Phil

Drive it like to stole it. Well when it is warm and let it cool down after

Rev the nuts off it, If it couldn't take it then the limiter would be set lower :P

Rev the nuts off it, If it couldn't take it then the limiter would be set lower :P

LOL :rofl:

Rev the nuts off it, If it couldn't take it then the limiter would be set lower :P

And today's Mechanical Sympathy award goes to...

Have the clutch depressed when you start it as well, helps protect the DMF.

Have the clutch depressed when you start it as well, helps protect the DMF.

I think I can remember a thread a couple of months ago where some of the guys on here said it was a good idea to do this and some thought not.

Anyone got any thoughts on this?

Cheers,

Stan

Same thoughts as before. I now start in neutral with the clutch pedal depressed, as it also saves load on associated electrical systems when starting up. I read the other thread and got this advice from the IAM, all at the same time

I used to start in neutral with the clutch pedal up, and I can feel the difference in how the car starts now; somehow smoother.

Steve