Yes, Another Manual Tansmission Question!

First off, I have performed a search but wanted to get some fresh opinions on the matter and ask a few questions that were never covered.

For those of you with the 2.7 5spd manual transmission - I would like some input on your driving style. I am trying to get the best gas milage without hurting the transmission. I am slow off the starts and do not have a lead foot (a little embarassing when the old lady in a Ford focus beats me in the imaginary drag race ), but once I am up to speed, I always wonder what cruising RPM would be the best to maintain. I could be in 4th gear and hold at 2K or if I head up to 5th, I will drop to 1400. Is one of these more preferrable than the other in your opinion?

Second: I live in a condo complex that has a lovely 15% grade driveway off the main road. At the top of the entrance slope, the driveway immediately levels off to the complex's distribution roads which is flat. Trees block the view to the right so I have to come to a rolling stop to ensure no one is trying to exit the complex before I make my left. 2nd gear causes a terrible lug while making my left because the rear tires are still on the slope, first gear does not want to engage because most of the time I never drop below 5 mph. Is this a time & place to try and rev match to pop into first to make my left hand turn?

Lastly, when you are at a stop and it's your turn to go, do you feather the throttle while releasing the clutch or do you just pop up the RPMs to 1200 or so and let off the clutch?

I know I am probably looking into this too much but the tranny on the Taco is a beast. My older tacoma was an auto and my other car is a manual subaru WRX which is in a completely different league all together.

Thanks for any input!

 

I run mine in 5th whenever possible. I don't generally shift down from any gear until the tach indicates about 1000 to 1200 rpm, where traffic allows. An engine seems to work most efficiently (best mpg) when it is straining.

When in the situation you describe exiting your complex I generally do a quick stop and shift to first if it is important to get moving quickly into traffic.

I don't know how to describe how I engage the clutch. I generally try to increase the engine speed and release the clutch for a smooth takeoff.

FWIW it appears my truck gets significantly better mileage than most of those reporting on this forum--25 to 29 mpg in everyday driving.

 

Agreed - I would stick to 5th whenever possible, even try and play the semi-truck game of 'speed down the hill to make it up the next' so you don't have to downshift. As for the starts - I usually blip the gas and then ease into it, same thing when rev-matching. So blip, then squeeze down with a toe. Almost feels like the blip pulls it into gear easier. Sounds like you'll have to down-shift to first to get up your crappy grade. I'd practice rev-matching in the higher gears to start with, as going down to first is the toughest (just like when learning to drive a stick). URD short throw helps (and worth every damn penny)

 

I really disagree with the best mpg when engine is straining.
you really shouldn't lug the motor. I am no expert with 4 bangers but many people experience a increase in mpg when they depress the ect button on the 3.4 (I had one for 285k) because the shift points are higher and it lugged the motor less.

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/133243-ect-power-mpg-increase-why.html

Motors today seem to be really good at letting you lug them because of electronics that help with timing and throttle control, but normally its really inefficient. I would suggest keep a light foot and only shift when you know that the next gear will be in a place where the engine is "happy". Remember that rpm are not the sole dictator of fuel consumption, vaccume (Manifold pressure) also plays a huge part. When you push the throttle down in too high of a gear your manifold pressure goes through the roof and you end up dumping a lot of excess fuel into the motor that isn't getting burned.

 

Brings up a question I have........Do you guys down shift?
I used to have a 1992 4wd 4cyl...5 speed and I down shifted the crap out of that........

 

Yes I down shift. It is a lot safer then just holding in the clutch in when coming to a stop. Also you can have some fun if you need to get going and you downshift!

 

Keep it at about 3000 rpm going up your driveway and double clutch it near the peak to fly over whoever might be coming from the side.

 

Didn't work - You owe me a new truck.

 

haha, made me laugh

 

You didn't do it right. I said over not onto, lol......consult insurance co for replacement

 

I run mine pretty hard, not super hard, but usually shift at 3k, I hate lugging on the clutch. I downshift all the time, and it is better to do that than hold the clutch in, riding a clutch will wear it out fast. 1st to 2nd shifts the smoothest at 3k, anything lower it grinds a bit.

 

I run mine super hard so i guess i am out of this...

 

Its better to leave the truck in gear if your slowing down. It cuts off the fuel into the engine. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy-efficient_driving#Choice_of_gear_.28manual_transmissions.29

 

I downshift until 20 miles per hour and use the breaks since 1st isnt an option until about 5-10 mph.

At highway speed (60) in 5th gear im at about 2k rpms

If you want to go into first just push the cluth in, neutral let clutch out, put clutch in and into first (double clutch)

I do an average of "railing" and "normal" i get 19 miles to the gallon consistantly

 

Honestly , I was thinking about it today. I beat the shit out of mine. I down shift a lot. And she just keeps taking it and I've got 70k on the stock clutch. But on the highway usually in 4th in the power band seems to get the same mileage as when lugging around in 5th.

 

Manuals can take quite a beating and have stood the test of time. Toyota seems to make a pretty hefty gear box, my all time favorites are Borg Warners that they used in old trucks. I don't think you can kill one of those, not sure if they are still used today or not. Don't know much about modern transmissions.

 

I find no difference when babying it or getting up to speed by revving it higher. If you lug the engine you will use more gas period. Getting moving up to speed for second gear is tough with this enigne. When I rev to 3k on first gear it is moving fast enough and the drive-train can handle to load to second better with no clunks and lugging. The rest of the gears are smooth after that at 2500 rpm shifts. I average 20-21mpg all year with larger tires and a slight lift.

The key is to understanding that being at 2000rpm and lugging is using more gas then 3000rpm on slight hill or flat road with this engine. People have confirmed this using meters. This also explains why letting the truck slow down in whatever gear you are in uses less gas as the injectors cut when in gear (not in N). You will feel the engine change its tone and it feels like a little surge when this is happening after a few seconds of coasting.

 

Hate to burst your MPG bubble, but I have a large hill that I go up every day at 40 MPH. If I use 4th gear my UltraGauge will show 14.5 MPG up the hill. In third it shows 12.5 or so. Lugging up the hill definitely shows more MPG. At a steady 30 MPH on level surface in third it will show low 20's and 4th will show low 30's. RPM's use more fuel plain and simple.

 

id have to disagree, i also have a ultra gauge and mine does the opposite.
if go up a hill in 4th, i have to mash the pedal down harder to keep speed.
if go up in 3rd, im lighter on the throttle because im in the power-band of the motor.

it all depends on your speed and how hard your pressing on the throttle.

 

I find that using cruise control helps improve MPG a lot. I will use cruise in the highest gear I can. At times, I need to make every mile I can get out of the tank so I might set cruise at 52 or 53 or 57 if I think I have gas to spare

I picked up at 2008 4cyl 4wd access cab. I can get over 500 miles per tank, but that requires coasting when driving conditions allow it.

The simplest way to increase your gas mileage is to drive your truck the same way you would drive a bicycle over a 100 mile trip; meaning (1) don't accelerate to the stop light, (2) don't hold the gas down when you are comfortably cruising down hill and (3) use just the energy needed to get you there.

That's me now. If you asked me about 3 years ago I would have told you it doesn't matter what you do because you only get about 300 miles per tank