Quote:
Originally Posted by CoyoteStarfish
Also depends on how you drive it.
Having driven many TDI Jettas and Cummins with sticks I've learned one thing:
When taking off from a stop, let the engines rotational speed at an idle do the work. This is one of the biggest differences I've noticed in in driving a diesel powered vehicle. On a gasser, you'll worry that you'll stall the engine if you let out the clutch without applying throttle.
Diesels, due to their high torque output at low RPMs, you can let the clutch out at an idle with no problems and in fact it is encouraged. That same torque just seems to shred clutches.
The TDIs and Cummins I worked with all had premature clutch replacements (under six months) SUPPOSEDLY due to applying throttle before letting the clutch out fully.
Let it out nice and firm, nice conservitive take-offs and your clutch will last a long time.
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I noticed this when I was in Jamaica last week on my Honeymoon.  We rode in Manual Diesel Toyota buses (shuttles) every day to get around between resorts, and they always took off at idle by just letting off the clutch, no throttle at all till they had let off....it didn't even phase the engine, it just moved forward. I'm not sure on the spec's of those toyota diesels, but man did they have torque! Low rev too....probably similar to a semi-engine in design...direct injection etc.....it was fun! I also saw a 200cdi C-class....a couple E320cdi's.....and a couple MB busses and trucks. Overall maybe 25 MB's all week. The whole country drives toyota/nissan/Mitsubishi/Renault/Citroen/Opel....almost no American cars....just a pickup here and there and thats it.
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