DSG coasting in neutral

[cnc]

The new DSG boxes do have a 'freewheel' option as Phil-E mentions. My wife's Octavia when in 'Eco' mode disengages the drive when you lift off the accelerator so the revs drop to tick over whatever speed the car is doing. If you press the accelerator it immediately picks up the drive again with no hesitation, and also when free wheeling if you dab the brake it also engages drive again to give engine braking. I'm sure I read somewhere on here the latest Superb has the free wheel option in the Maxidot, so you can choose whether you want to use it or not. 

Not much help to the OP with a 2009 model but shows the DSG boxes are being refined all the time.

Edited 3 November, 2014 by cnc

[jonathan.tong]

Hmmm, not noticed a freewheel option on out 2014 Superb, but I'll take another look.

[Mph25]

I'm sure I read somewhere on here the latest Superb has the free wheel option in the Maxidot, so you can choose whether you want to use it or not. 

 

Don't think so!

[Rossorunner]

Coasting. This term describes a vehicle travelling in neutral or with the clutch pressed down. It can reduce driver control because

engine braking is eliminated

vehicle speed downhill will increase quickly

increased use of the footbrake can reduce its effectiveness

steering response will be affected, particularly on bends and corners

it may be more difficult to select the appropriate gear when needed.

I'm wondering whether above extract from HWC is less relevant today. First two bullets about eliminating engine braking is irrelevant - we want the car to free wheel and if it picks up speed you apply brake. Third bullet about footbrake losing effectiveness - I had heard that advice these day is not to use engine braking rather you should use foot brake so this may go back to days when foot brakes were poor.

[cnc]

Hmmm, not noticed a freewheel option on out 2014 Superb, but I'll take another look.

Read about it here, my wife's Octavia does it when driving in 'Eco' mode. I may be wrong about it being an option in the maxidot.

 

http://en.volkswagen.com/en/innovation-and-technology/technical-glossary/freilauffunktion.html

 

and here, post number 7, certainly on the VW DSG maxidot, maybe not Skoda, but perhaps someone here knows how to do it

 

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?127615-DSG-Freewheel-activation

Edited 4 November, 2014 by cnc

[Mph25]

Read about it here, my wife's Octavia does it when driving in 'Eco' mode. I may be wrong about it being an option in the maxidot.

 

http://en.volkswagen.com/en/innovation-and-technology/technical-glossary/freilauffunktion.html

 

and here, post number 7, certainly on the VW DSG maxidot, maybe not Skoda, but perhaps someone here knows how to do it

 

http://www.vwaudiforum.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?127615-DSG-Freewheel-activation

Whether there is such a feature or not - the following extract appears to validate the use of neutral to save fuel as I can see little difference in the effect with it  happening automatically or by moving into neutral manually - so to speak!

 

The freewheel function enables the vehicle’s kinetic energy to be utilised to better effect. In the zero-load state (foot off the accelerator) the clutch is automatically disengaged and the engine is held at idling speed. As a result the vehicle can coast for a distance that does not subsequently have to be covered by the use of fuel.

The benefit in terms of fuel consumption in practical usage on the road stems from the fact that the vehicle’s kinetic energy is only used to overcome the rolling resistance and aerodynamic drag, and no longer to keep the engine turning at high speed on the overrun.

[Richf]

Coasting. This term describes a vehicle travelling in neutral or with the clutch pressed down. It can reduce driver control because

engine braking is eliminated

vehicle speed downhill will increase quickly

increased use of the footbrake can reduce its effectiveness

steering response will be affected, particularly on bends and corners

it may be more difficult to select the appropriate gear when needed.

I'm wondering whether above extract from HWC is less relevant today. First two bullets about eliminating engine braking is irrelevant - we want the car to free wheel and if it picks up speed you apply brake. Third bullet about footbrake losing effectiveness - I had heard that advice these day is not to use engine braking rather you should use foot brake so this may go back to days when foot brakes were poor.

The current theory certainly with advanced driving is you should always slow with the footbrake as to inform other drivers you are slowing ie brake lights

However you should not shift into neutral or drive with the clutch down , do either and you fail even a basic driving test

[Mph25]

The current theory certainly with advanced driving is you should always slow with the footbrake as to inform other drivers you are slowing ie brake lights

 

That hardly applies to engine braking on a hill - which is only slowing down in the sense that you are usually just preventing the car from gaining speed.

[Richf]

if you are maintaining speed you are not slowing are you?

[The Zee]

Reminds me of the "good old days" when cars were fitted with a freewheel!  (Saab 96 and some old Rovers for example)

I remember that as well. Started with the old Saab two-stroke engines then carried over to the V4's. I liked the concept, you could also do clutchless gearchanges with the freewheel device. Freewheel necessary on the two stoke but not on the V4's. Glad they carried it over anyway.

[SteveMilner]

I have a live thread elsewhere which might be pertinent.  I too drive for economy, and tend to coast where possible, change up ASAP etc. which one might think would be appropriate for a 1.6 Octavia Greenline. But maybe not! I have had several problems with the engine defaulting to 'limp home' mode: one of which was attributed to the need for a new EGR valve (£450) and another to sub-standard fuel (£50 for diagnosis & new fuel filter).  The car has only done 34k and whilst I'm delighted with £30 road tax and 60~70mpg, there's no advantage in overall costs, and in reliability terms my Skoda is living up to its historical reputation and taken me back to the 60~70s.

[Phil-E]

You need to rev it a bit now and then too.

 

Plus the newer CR engines don't have the same low down grunt and have a more even spread of their power.

 

They like to be revved a bit.

 

Sometimes changing early isn't always the most economical way to drive.

 

Phil

[peterposh]

You'd fail a police driving course for coasting

[SteveMilner]

Since suffering engine problems I've been advised to use premium fuel, so my last 3 tank fulls have been Shell V Power. About £1.35L, which is about 20p dearer than Sainsbury by the time coupons are deducted.  One advisor says that it might be dearer, but works out the same given better mpg. I have also changed my driving style, so I try to stay in gear rather than coasting down hills with engine ticking over at 1000 revs.

 

There's a particular 16 mile journey where I always seek to achieve 70mpg.  There are a few ups and downs, but an overall descent of around 100M.  I found that I achieved exactly the same mpg with V Power and car in gear as I did previously with Sainsbury fuel and coasting.

[mannyo]

 I found that I achieved exactly the same mpg with V Power and car in gear as I did previously with Sainsbury fuel and coasting.

 

But how many MPG would you achieve if you used Sainsburys fuel and kept the car in gear, I bet the figures would be very similar to the V-Power and in gear. The UK is now on winter diesel which by its very nature means you'll be getting slightly less MPG now anyway due to the additives added to stop the fuel waxing.

[silver1011]

It seems VAG believe coasting is a genuine method for reducing fuel consumption.

 

The latest S tronic gearbox selects neutral each time you take your foot off the accelerator...

 

"Standard Audi drive select adaptive dynamics
 

Audi drive select is also standard in the new Audi S3 Saloon. It allows the driver to alter the characteristics of the throttle pedal response, the boost of the progressive steering, the shift points of the optional S tronic transmission and the configuration of the magnetic ride system at the touch of a button. A choice of comfort, auto, dynamic, efficiency or individual modes is available, and in the latter, drivers can compose their own preferred profile within certain limits.

 

In efficiency mode, the function of the standard dual-zone climate control, the cruise control, the adaptive cruise control and the adaptive light is adjusted for optimal fuel consumption. In this case, the S tronic transmission switches to coasting mode when the driver takes his or her foot off the throttle pedal."

 

https://www.audi.co.uk/about-audi/latest-news/s3-saloon-helps-to-form-all-new-audi-s-series-quartet.html

Edited 2 December, 2014 by silver1011

[Mph25]

"Standard Audi drive select adaptive dynamics

 

Audi drive select is also standard in the new Audi S3 Saloon. It allows the driver to alter the ................ the shift points of the transmission.............

A choice of .......and individual modes is available, and in the latter, drivers can compose their own preferred profile within certain limits.

Oh if only!!! 

[peterposh]

Interesting article http://pmmonline.co.uk/technical/what-dsg-clutch-technology

[Wardy]

Thread revival, but just in case others are interested in the PMM article. Correct link is http://pmmonline.co.uk/technical/what-is-dsg-clutch-technology/

 

[williamshatnerspants]

On 11/3/2014 at 09:26, jonathan.tong said:

Silly question: should I decide to coast in neutral on a DSG, what happens if I'm dumb enough to accidently select reverse instead of drive? Are the electronics smart enough to ignore me?

On a slight tangent, a friend was driving with his 70kg Newfoundland dog in the passenger seat of his Triumph 2000 years ago. Around a corner the dog lost its balance and fell onto the (automatic) gearstick, forcing it into reverse. Quite an exciting period of driving followed.