valkie
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 04-2014
Location: Central Coast NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 91
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Re:
I have been towing the beast for several months now and in general it tows very well.
I had cause to go up a few steep hills recently and at first I just left it to the auto, but it started to hunt for gears as the hill had varying degrees of steep and flats, so I went back to manual, 3 and 4th gears goty me up the hill overtaking trucks that were not going as fast.
I have basically come up with the best drive practice (for me anyway)
Drive in auto 4wd and accelerate moderatly in most conditions.
When coming to a hill, break it back to manual (it automatically drops down 1 gear)
As I climb the hill, if it starts to loose revs, I kick it down another gear so that its revving freely and not labouring.
I keep a watch on the revs and keep them under 4k for longer than a few seconds.
As soon as I get up the hill I knock her back into auto and drive normally again.
My fuel consumption goes up towing (suprise, suprise) but not as much as some vehicles I have towe with in the past.
I have noticed a few things, perhaps somepne can enlighten me.
When I first start towing the first few klm, the car seems sluggish and less than fully responsive, but after a while it seems to get its second wind and performes much better.
When I first start driving after I have towed, the car seems to have more power and takes off like a scalded rat, but again, this settles back into normal driving after a while.
Is it me?
Am I imagining things and my right foot is out thinking my head?
Or is there something strange about the exy that I dont know about?
Cheers
--- 2010 T31 Series III 2.5 White Automatic CVT
A vehicles real purpose in life is to tow a boat
Guy Fawkes is my hero (Born 13/4/1570, Murdered 5/11/1605)
He was only trying to do the right thing
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8/Oct/2014, 7:26 am
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Translucidus
X-TRAIL LEGEND
Date Registered: 05-2010
Location: Adelaide
TOTAL POSTS: 599
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Re: Very very pleased
CVT Transmissions don't "hunt" for gears because there are no gears.
The TCM (transmission computer) and ECM (Engine Computer ) modules and tens of sensors talk to each other and determine the best of an infinite number of available ratios (somewhere between lowest and highest) to have the engine at the optimum revs for required load and fuel economy etc.
The throttle is a "request for power" and the transmission is a slave to a "Mapping" algorithm with load, power request, speed, air pressure, air temperature etc etc etc as input parameters.
The engine valve timing, fuel injection is also part of the equation for power/economy and is also computer controlled.
It may actually be better, therefore, to most times just leave it in "Auto".
It "Knows" more than you!
As an aside, peak torque is at around 4,000rpm so that would be the best revs going up a steep hill whilst towing a heavy load.
Last edited by Translucidus, 10/Nov/2014, 2:04 pm
--- 2007 X-Trail T31 ST-L
Xy going vertical at Bendleby Station . . .
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10/Nov/2014, 2:00 pm
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valkie
X-TRAIL NEWBIE
Date Registered: 04-2014
Location: Central Coast NSW
TOTAL POSTS: 91
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Re: Very very pleased
Well it got there, more than can be said for the phone connection here
The 1200 kg boat, plus gear would have seen the old exy carrying about 16-1800 kg in total.
Set the cruse on 100 k by the speedo and drove from the central coast to Forster with virtually no effort
Only on two hills, around Bulledlah, it actually had to work hard to maintain the 100 k, and we were overtaking trucks crawling up the incline at the time.
Most of the time the revs stayed below 3500, regardless of the incline with the exception of the two hills mentioned.
Fuel consumption was ( by the indicator) 15-16 l per 100k.
After 3 days of driving around Forster and towing the boat for some fishing trips Im still running on the same tank I started with.
This vehicle is awsome
Ps,
My old ford falcon xt did the same trip with more effort and used 18-20 l per 100k
My Toyota Aurion was even worse 19 -23 l per 100 klm, although it seemed to labour less than the falcon and was smoother in gear changes
--- 2010 T31 Series III 2.5 White Automatic CVT
A vehicles real purpose in life is to tow a boat
Guy Fawkes is my hero (Born 13/4/1570, Murdered 5/11/1605)
He was only trying to do the right thing
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5/Jan/2015, 10:03 am
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