Alternatively Fred, you could always have a go at adopting the Institute of Advance Motorists mantra: "Brake to slow, gear to go". Which implies NOT using the gears to slow or expecting to get engine braking, etc. Remember the Police Driving Manual, on which standard Driving Tests and instruction were based for far too many years, was written in the era when few cars had hydraulic brakes, let alone disks.....

 

A few days in an old Saab two-stroke or early V4 96 would soon get you used to the free-wheel and no engine braking at all even.  Uncanny at first, but in the pre-ECU fuel cut off era, very useful for improving fuel economy. Or so I'm told.

Edited 4 January, 201412 yr by FlintstoneR1

I think this post has run it's course. However, a couple of points: The inclination sensor does not change down the gears it only senses you are on an incline and if you are in, say, 3rd gear and off the throttle it will hold that gear and give you some engine braking. But if you are in 3rd and your speed increases, which it will if the hill is steep enough and you do not brake, then your revs will increase so I don't understand P6bJOHN's comment about his revs not rising. The revs will match the engine speed in whatever gear you are in when going down the hill. Going uphill is the same. The engine will be in 2nd or 3rd and rev to about 3/4000. As soon as you crest the hill onto the flat the box changes up. That's how it works. 4000 rpm is nothing for a petrol engine. Why are people getting so defensive about a gearbox. If you like it great. I doubt I'm the only one who doesn't get on with it all of the time.

I'm not getting defensive, I just think yours gearbox is faulty, revs will rise up on a low gear descent on an certain engines in certain cars, My Mk1 escort used to run away with it's original duff engine, not now with it's higher comp engine, but I wouldn't normally expect this this on a fast descent such as an A class rd. I meant on a descent which I would consider the need for engine braking, my entry speed for the descent would be first reduced on my brakes, that's what they are there for, then let the gearbox do its thing. Mine has never revved up exceptionally. Maybe it is driving styles, I am a retired traffic cop, I don't need to drive like my pants are on fire anymore, but if I do, I take the Rover and manually shift the old BW35. Now that old bugger has no engine braking  .

Without wishing to prolong the affair or start WW3, I don't, myself, think the OP wanted to debate whether or not the DSG is classified as an automatic transmission - or a manual gearbox.  (I happen to think it IS an auto and not a manual box...there's no clutch pedal and no conventional gear lever and you  put it in D and need have no further input as you would in a manual).  Yes, we all realise it is described as an automated manual...but that, in my view, doesn't make it a manual gearbox.

 

 

 

Mechanically the gear box is a manual gear box, it has clutch plates and operates in precisely the same way as any other manual gear box. Granted passing your driving test in a car fitted with DSG means you gain a licence restricted to automatic transmission. But it is so much more than a traditional automatic.

 

My fabia has a gear stick which looks similar to a manual gear stick, yes there is a computer in between the gear selector and the gear box but you have precisely the same level of control as you would with the conventional manual, other than the inability to select a higher gear when stopped. 

 

So if the manual yeti has engine braking, then the DSG yeti will have the same engine braking,as it uses the same engine. 

 

Modern vehicles are driven differently to older vehicles, drivers need to learn how to use the new vehicles and adapt their driving style to suit.

 

Modern vehicles have highly efficient brakes, with numerous driver aids integrated into the braking system such as ESP ABS etc etc.

 

The modern engines being computer controlled know precisely how much fuel to inject at any given time.

 

The DSG gear box used in combination with cruise control is more fuel efficient than any driver on the road. It will always be in the best gear with the correct amount of fuel being injected. Knock the cruise control off immediately when you are aware of a hazard ahead and get a free run up to the hazard. 

Alternatively Fred, you could always have a go at adopting the Institute of Advance Motorists mantra: "Brake to slow, gear to go". Which implies NOT using the gears to slow or expecting to get engine braking, etc. Remember the Police Driving Manual, on which standard Driving Tests and instruction were based for far too many years, was written in the era when few cars had hydraulic brakes, let alone disks.....

 

A few days in an old Saab two-stroke or early V4 96 would soon get you used to the free-wheel and no engine braking at all even.  Uncanny at first, but in the pre-ECU fuel cut off era, very useful for improving fuel economy. Or so I'm told.

I never drove a Saab two stroke but my first  new car was a Wartburg Knight Estate with 3 cylinder two stroke engine. That had no engine braking unless you employed the freewheel lock but that was not advisable as there was no lubrication of the engine with the throttle closed! The brakes were also primitive so it was an entertaining car to drive.   

It did however make you more aware of all conditions when driving and sharpened my anticipation no end!

Fred

I know its off topic but didn't the Wartburg have an eastern bloc copy of the SAAB engine.

 

I used to love the sound of the 2 Strokes. Never drove a SAAB but a friend had one...superbly built

My dear old dad had 3 -long after they were current-loved them and would have nothing else. He was an engineer to his last.

I drive a 140 DSG, not a 1.2 TSi or a Wartburg!

 

Should you feel you need a lower gear as you go downhill, just dab the brake pedal and it will change down.  That's all.

Alternatively Fred, you could always have a go at adopting the Institute of Advance Motorists mantra: "Brake to slow, gear to go". Which implies NOT using the gears to slow or expecting to get engine braking, etc. .

The above refers to coming to a stop when changing down in a modern manual gearbox car is not necessary..  The IAM specifically DO expect a lower gear to be engaged when travelling downhill to stop over use of the brakes and keep the car from increasing speed (running away). 

G6zru have read my epistle here? Explains about the engine braking.

Thanks Johann, I think it has penetrated the grey cells but I'll know for sure once I've got my hands on it.  The question certainly generated some bandwidth!

How's the towing going?

 

Fred

Thanks Johann, I think it has penetrated the grey cells but I'll know for sure once I've got my hands on it.  The question certainly generated some bandwidth!

How's the towing going?

 

Fred

 

Good!

 

Towing is fine...  but won't do much now in the winter!