I have just got a new Octavia estate 1.6 TDI. It is great to drive and the engine is really torquey for a 1.6. I am not sure if this is standard these days in diesels or whether mine needs some adjustment to the Engine Management System. If I take my foot off the accelerator, the engine simply drops down to 1K rpm and drives the car (driver only and on the level), when intuitively I am expecting it to stall. I find it a bit disconcerting, but maybe it is something you just get used to. Any advice would be welcome.

Why do you expect it to stall? no modern diesel should. What you describe is perfectly normal, car should only stall if you take your foot off the accelerator and stand on the brakes - accompanied by a fair amount of judder before it stalls - DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME

Is this your first diesel?

What you describe is a standard diesel trait, it's great in stop start traffic

Thats normal.

All cars I've driven recently , both petrol and diesel, are like this. The idle speed is stabilised to allow for an increased load from the air con or the alternator. Or driving along, feet off, at slow speed.

If you really need to stall your car, put it into 6th gear at idle.

Edited 11 November, 201015 yr by gregoir

Modern diesels, even relatively small ones like the 1.6, have a large amount of torque at low RPM, this is what allows it to pull even at idle where a lower torque engine would just give up and stop turning.

If it really, really, won't stall even in 2nd or 3rd gear at low speed then the clutch is defective and should be looked at.

Edited 11 November, 201015 yr by Lou_O

This is one thing I miss from my TDi.

At work there is a rigorously enforced 10mph on-site speed limit. The old TDi would hold exactly 10mph up and down slopes and on the flat in 2nd gear with my foot off the throttle. With the 1.8 DSG I have to work at it :(

This is one thing I miss from my TDi.

At work there is a rigorously enforced 10mph on-site speed limit. The old TDi would hold exactly 10mph up and down slopes and on the flat in 2nd gear with my foot off the throttle. With the 1.8 DSG I have to work at it :(

Try reverse?

Thanks chaps. I don't particularly want it to stall at all of course, but the EMS is now deciding how slowly I can go in any gear. But I can get used to that I'm sure. I have owned and driven plenty of diesels, but I have had a petrol for the last 8 years. Things have obviously moved on. I am pretty impressed that at something barely higher than idling speed, the engine has enough torque to pull the car.

Try reverse?

Maybe in the morning but definitley not at night

Flobbie,

As I have commented (perhaps oftimes? too many ) before our 1.9 TDI will comfortably move up through the gears unitl happily pulling 25/30 mph in 5th.

Without touching the accelator at ALL, at any time. ( Note:I did this along along a long firm beach.)

And without in any way "slipping" the clutch.

cheers

M

Oh

PS

Since the new 1.6 TDI has the same torque as the venerable 1.9TDI, the same should apply, I note our DSG model changes up at about 2000rpm and drops back to about 1500rpm before repeating the process, who needs revs?

I love torque

Edited 11 November, 201015 yr by dieseldogg

I love torque

Give me a long enough lever and I'll move the world!

With apologies to Archimedes