downshifting in tip

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:24 pm

hey guys
for those of yous with tiptronic FTO
i jsut rebuilt my gearbox and i dont want to kill it again
jsut wondering...
if u brake, do u guys downshift from 4th to 3rd to 2nd ?
or is it not good for the gearbox?
thanks
coz i downshift like the way i would on a manual.

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 7:53 pm

unless you're using the engine to help slow you down (e.g. racing) there is no need to downshift in either auto or tip mode when braking, the car does that automatically.

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:05 pm

but when u downshift it slows down much more efficent
dont u do it ruchi?
anyone?
i feel from braking in 3rd doesnt feel smooth enough
well...not efficent enough

jonowong · Post by **jonowong** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:06 pm

you go to 4th?

i never use 4th when im going 60

when you stop for a second... like dead still the car will go down to 1 for you.. so i usually just wait for that

but after give way signs where i just slow down... i shift it down to 2... and then after a while i go back up to 3

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:34 pm

When you downshift you are increasing the load on the engine significantly which can lead to things getting damaged, wearing out or breaking. I would only suggest using the engine to help slow you down in emergency braking situations or on the racetrack (or when having a bit of fun) but not as a normal day-to-day braking technique.

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 12:04 am

ar i c ic
maybe this is why my old gearbox died onn me aferalll lol

rxboy · Post by **rxboy** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 1:33 pm

Yeah but if you don't downshift and don't end up making a complete stop, then you're stuck in 3rd gear at 15km/h

. I downshift in anticipation of slowing down so that I have more power when I need to accelerate again.

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 4:18 pm

Valid point but what we're talking about is downshifting so as to use the engine to help improve braking, this is different to downshifting to be in the right gear for taking off again. With downshifting to improve stopping you'd downshift at a higher rpm, while downshifting to be in the right gear when accelerating would be done when the revs have reached a lower rpm.

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Fri Aug 06, 2004 7:50 pm

well if your stuck at 15km/h in third it just takes a bit more effort to speed up. If you wanna accelerate quicker, bang it down a couple of gears.

I let the gears change automatically, if you find that stopping is easier with the downchange of gears, obviously your not using your brakes enough.

nofearzz · Post by **nofearzz** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 4:19 pm

The tiptronic wont let you change down if it's going to do any damage to the engine at too high revs. The same as changing up gears in tiprtonic, it wont let you if your've going to slow.

The cars just protecting it'self and being smarter than the driver...

What annoys me the most in an auto/tipronic FTO is it stays in 3 gear way so long when slowing down, so when you go around a corner or need to go get out of the way of something quickly it bogs down, when it should already be in 2nd gear... Bad gearbox programming... but this is when tiptronic comes in handy.

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Sat Aug 07, 2004 6:09 pm

no gearboxes shift down from 4 and go thorugh all the gears, till it gets to 1st gear.

Also we know all gearboxes have a protection mechanism, when if its really required to accelerate out of a corner quickly use full auto mode, simple.

Also at 15km/h slapping it back to first gear is never going to be a problem.

fto617 · Post by **fto617** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 3:34 am

but i thought first gear is not really for driving
like in a manual
1st gear is just there to get the car started isnt it !
i mean in first gear it geels like u got 10times the gravity !

payaya · Post by **payaya** » Sun Aug 08, 2004 4:00 am

what happens when you in full auto mode and at 15km/h floor it? The auto shifts into first.

you can use 1st in a manual.

Post by **smorison** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:05 pm

i've been driving my car like a manual since day one and never had a gearbox problem except on the track which was overheating... as long as you service it regularly it should be fine.

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:23 pm

nofearzz wrote:What annoys me the most in an auto/tipronic FTO is it stays in 3 gear way so long when slowing down, so when you go around a corner or need to go get out of the way of something quickly it bogs down, when it should already be in 2nd gear... Bad gearbox programming... but this is when tiptronic comes in handy.

I tried this out yesterday and to me this seems to be quite smart gearbox programming as the car reacts differently depending upon how fast you accelerate.

If you accelerate slowly the car stays in the higher gears providing a gentler ride whereas if you floor it the car drops back to first and gives you all the speed you need.

FTO338 · Post by **FTO338** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:49 pm

I agree, but its still slower compare to using the tip, plus the auto doesn't goes to the redline, well at least mine doesn't.

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 12:58 pm

really? I'll double check mine, but I'm sure if I floor it in 1st or 2nd it goes all the way to redline or at least very very close.

Post by **smorison** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 2:07 pm

ruchi wrote:really? I'll double check mine, but I'm sure if I floor it in 1st or 2nd it goes all the way to redline or at least very very close.

it doesn't go to redline... it goes to where the power drops off (just before redline)... its actually shifting at the optimium shift point... My RSM's shiftlight (starts flashing) is set to go at 7500RPM by the time i react to shift (in 1st gear) it's at optimium shifting point (7900-8100ish) ... and doesn't bounce of the rev limiter...(well normally not). obviously i have more warning in second and third

ruchi · Post by **ruchi** » Mon Aug 09, 2004 2:17 pm

yep, just before redline, which based on what Steve has said makes a lot of sense (i.e. when the power drops).

Post by **smorison** » Tue Aug 10, 2004 1:48 pm

ruchi wrote:yep, just before redline, which based on what Steve has said makes a lot of sense (i.e. when the power drops).

its amazing what a dyno can tell you