I apologize if I posted on the wrong section of the forum, but I just need the answer I want and I haven't really found it in the forums so here I go.

Some people say that using tiptronic won't save any more gas than driving automatic. I'm not a car geek but I do know that lower RPMs means the engine is using less gas. I feel like I'm saving a few drops of gas every time I shift early but am I really?

When I drive in automatic, my gears tend to shift at 2000 - 2500 RPM, even with a soft foot. But with tiptronic, besides going from 1st to 2nd, I can shift to the rest of the gears at less than 2000 RPM. I can already get to 5th at 35mph.

I am saving gas using tiptronic compared to driving automatic, aren't I? lol

Thanks

 

You can save gas by up-shifting early if you can stay on the right lane and drive slowly. It is no different in auto if you drive that slow and pick up the speed slowly. You cant pick up speed at 35mph in 5th gear.

 

Yea, he basically nailed it.

However, it IS still different if you drive that slowly in auto vs Sequential SportShift. If your cruising at 36mph, you will be in 4th gear in auto. You can manually shift it into 5th gear to save gas. However, if you try to increase speed from 36mph in 5th gear, you will waste gas.

Here's a general rule of thumb:
-If your accelerating, keep your RPM at 2k-2.3k
-If your cruising at a constant speed, keep your RPM as low as possible.

Your car will let you shift into 5th gear at 35mph, but I wouldn't shift until 40mph. This is because if you slow to 34mph, the car will force shift into 4th gear, and you will be shifting back and forth unnecessarily.

 

unless you're driving in a local zone when the speed limit is 20 and you cruise for a while in 35mph {who drives the speed limit anyway =]] in fifth gear. but trying to get on a highway at 5th gear; you gonna get bitched at.

ive been driving with the tiptronic since aug 2003. i havent done it in sense of gas saving or tranny longevity but just that i enjoy being able to control the change in gears [aside from 1st to 2nd.] i probably had it in auto a total of 50 times since i got the car in 2003, and thats for things like quick phone convos [i know i shouldnt].

 

you need to look at the torque and hp graph for the TL
much like there is a power drop before redline, there is no power under certain rpm- forcing the engine to try is bad news

when you get under 2000 rpm you are `behind the power curve`,,
lugging the engine rpm does not allow it to make the torque required to propel the vehicle forward
thats why they have several gears!
let the ECU do its thing, keep a reasonable foot on the gas pedal and trust D5

 

the owner book list min and max speeds for each gear

 

You can also cost yourself more gas as well. If the motor has to struggle to hump along in that gear you have to give it more throttle to keep the car going thus wasting more gas. RPM to a point has nothing to do with it.

 

you not saving any gas and most likely you using more because you are in SSshift mode.

 

One word...LUGGING...bad...very bad.

 

That's not entirely true. But still, if you have to ask then your probably gonna waste gas.

With our cars, it IS possible to gain MPG if you know how to hypermile and shift correctly. Also, you have to drive like an old lady.

At the same time, chances are that you will most likely lose MPG if you don't shift perfectly.

I say this because it is IMPOSSIBLE to gain MPG in many other cars with sequential shifting. The sequential shifting in my Lexus only sets an "gear cap" on the transmission, like D5, D4, etc.. It's fully automatic under that gear, so it's impossible to shift early. My Mercedes paddle shifters do the same thing. Acura's SS mode is more direct.

 

if you are that desperate for a tiny increase in mpg,,sell the TL
its a sports car, not a lug me at 1700rpm thru town thinking thats doing any good
Learn to look ahead at traffic and lights- know when to lift off the throttle way early and coast
getting the mass in motion takes the most energey= objects in motion tend to stay in motion,,,,going back to 35 from 10 beats stopped to speed

or for the out of the box thinkers
ck out the modern versions of dry cell hydrogen generators
while I have no personal test data from my car, my brother the real engine guru- installed 1 on his 1600cc v twin bike and went from 42 to 52mpg immediatly

 

Actually, I lug her around at 1200rpm. Cruise control 35mph(speed limit) in 5th gear.



It does increase MPG. If I need to accelerate, I would downshift.

 

84 degrees? FFUUUU

 

Hey Karanx7, where can I get those reverse glow gauges?

 

ive tried saving gas.. i just cant do it. car is too much fun

plus i still got 100miles to the first 1/4 of my full tank with tons of intown driving and one top speed run

 

I'm not sure if the gas needle moves linearly with the amount of gas left. I've gotten 100 miles in 1/6 of tank, but ended up with 400 at the empty.

Edit: I don't use SS to save gas lol. Driving in auto is just too boring.

 

Is that not normal? Too hot or too cold? That's nice weather here in AZ.
There are different types of the reverse glow gauges. Some are cheap and poor quality, while others are better quality. I got the better quality ones for ~$30 on Ebay. Mine came with a on/off switch along with a dimmer dial.

 

You're right it doesn't move linearly because I've had the same thing happen to me. There are times where I've gotten 150 miles with a half tank left and ended up going like 270 miles as soon as the fuel light pops up. But sometimes when I drive straight up on the freeway for the entire tank the light will pop up at 330 miles. It depends on how you drive throughout the entire tank of gas because when you drive on the streets you gas and break more frequently which uses more gas than driving at a constant speed (freeway).

 

no i just wish it was 84 degrees here in NY.

 

the tank is not square so you never get an actual reading of total remaining
As you drive temp increases the indicated amount!!

ck what it takes to refill to first auto shutoff at pump -when it triggers the low fuel light,
which should be 3 gal remaining of which 2.5 are useable
the other day I got almost 50 miles mixed driving from light, and the car sputtered to a stop,,actually coasted into the station and up to to the pump!!

 

That is really bad for your car.

 

no kidding--guess what I always tell the wife! dont run it out of gas- bad for fuel pump.
but willing to post the event on here- showing I too am human and make mistakes!!

was surprised it happened at all--she must have been hot footing around after the light came on--reducing my available miles to home preferred station,,I have gone farther and made it~
worst part- only got to an arco- my 76 station required another 100 feet of inertial motion I did not have

thankfully I run enough seafoam thru the gas,, I have no fear of crud laying around to bother the inlet filter sock

Note on this low rpm lugging drive style:
I bet there is severe carbon loading going on inside the pistons. Thats not going to aid in complete combustion
The engine and trans programs are made to get 2200-3000 rpm shift points (gentle throttle) and cruise at 1700-2000 on the freeway - where there are few sudden loads

When you have to downshift or stand on the throttle lugging in 5th at 35, thats going to use up all the gas you ever saved

Ck acura shift charts and have a dyno chart made on your car
see where you are at power and torque wise-- plus it plots both curves to show optimum shift points and rpm for certain conditions

4th in town may be way better than lugging 5th.
its `owner book suggested` use D4 in stop and go freeway traffic to prevent it from hunting for 5th around 45mph and going in and out of convertor lockup