Skipping Gears

Shovelman · 01-03-2019, 02:07 PM

230i RWD 6 speed
6 may be a good number of gears for track and highly spirited hiway driving but as a DD 6 is more than necessary. Not a problem and kinda fun. I just skip gears a lot, typically 1, 2, 4, 6 or 1, 3, 5, 6 or even 1, 3, 6. Or if starting out rolling or downhill, 2, 4,6.

Downshifting is much more open, with 6,1 being common.

Actually I'm leaving out N which gets a good deal of use, accounting for more miles than 1 or 2 or 3 or even 4.

dradernh · 01-03-2019, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shovelman

230i RWD 6 speed
6 may be a good number of gears for track and highly spirited hiway driving but as a DD 6 is more than necessary. Not a problem and kinda fun. I just skip gears a lot, typically 1, 2, 4, 6 or 1, 3, 5, 6 or even 1, 3, 6. Or if starting out rolling or downhill, 2, 4,6.

Downshifting is much more open, with 6,1 being common.

Actually I'm leaving out N which gets a good deal of use, accounting for more miles than 1 or 2 or 3 or even 4.

240i RWD 6-speed

typically 1, 2, 4, then 6 @ ~35 MPH unless going up an incline; less often 1, 2, 5, 6 when going down a slope

a 5-speed would be enough on the track

6th is good for 32+ MPG on the highway

XutvJet · 01-03-2019, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shovelman

Actually I'm leaving out N which gets a good deal of use, accounting for more miles than 1 or 2 or 3 or even 4.

FYI, you'll use more fuel in nuetral rather than just coasting in gear. Coasting in gear uses absolutely no fuel until rpms dip below ~1,100rpms or so. Neutral always using fuel to maintain idle plus it's not really safe to be rolling around in neutral.

I skip shift often in my 6MT. That's something I dearly love about having a manual. You're in total control. With an auto, you still have to go through all the gears, to some extent.

19bis · 01-03-2019, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XutvJet

FYI, you'll use more fuel in nuetral rather than just coasting in gear. Coasting in gear uses absolutely no fuel until rpms dip below ~1,100rpms or so. Neutral always using fuel to maintain idle plus it's not really safe to be rolling around in neutral.

?? The engine shuts off when coasting in gear? Otherwise, how could it use "absolutely no fuel?"

aerobod · 01-03-2019, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 19bis

?? The engine shuts off when coasting in gear? Otherwise, how could it use "absolutely no fuel?"

Yes, with a modern engine that is being mechanically rotated by the transmission, no fuel is injected (or spark triggered in some cases) unless the revs fall to a value just above idle, when no throttle is being commanded. You can see this affect when going down a long hill with no throttle on an engine that isn’t fully warmed up, as the coolant and oil temperatures fall due to lack of combustion (the hidden OBD menu can show this on the 2-series).

Shovelman · 01-04-2019, 07:45 AM

aerobod
you are correct, I proved this to myself last year when going west out of the rockies. Reset my trip meter at the top and coasted in gear for many miles. The mpg read 99 because that was the highest it could display but it calculated to a higher number as implied by displaying 99 for several miles of normal driving at the bottom.

OTOH, when driving on relatively flat roads, coasting in gear slows the car quicker than coasting in N(neutral) so more speed is needed prior to coasting. The best choice depends on the situation. Most often I use N when traffic or a light tells me to stop soon. Since I will be sitting in N at the stop it makes sense to get there early and just coast up.

aaaaah · 01-04-2019, 08:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerobod

Yes, with a modern engine that is being mechanically rotated by the transmission, no fuel is injected (or spark triggered in some cases) unless the revs fall to a value just above idle, when no throttle is being commanded. You can see this affect when going down a long hill with no throttle on an engine that isn’t fully warmed up, as the coolant and oil temperatures fall due to lack of combustion (the hidden OBD menu can show this on the 2-series).

This is also why modern automatics are programmed to use engine braking on declines.

19bis · 01-04-2019, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aerobod

Yes, with a modern engine that is being mechanically rotated by the transmission, no fuel is injected (or spark triggered in some cases) unless the revs fall to a value just above idle, when no throttle is being commanded. You can see this affect when going down a long hill with no throttle on an engine that isn’t fully warmed up, as the coolant and oil temperatures fall due to lack of combustion (the hidden OBD menu can show this on the 2-series).

Thanks, aerobod. I did not know this.

aerobod · 01-04-2019, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaaaah

This is also why modern automatics are programmed to use engine braking on declines.

Yes, with more gears and lockup clutches bypassing the torque converter modern automatics are directly coupled to the engine most of the time, increasing the driveline efficiency.

Sportstick · 01-04-2019, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shovelman

230i RWD 6 speed
6 may be a good number of gears for track and highly spirited hiway driving but as a DD 6 is more than necessary. Not a problem and kinda fun. I just skip gears a lot, typically 1, 2, 4, 6 or 1, 3, 5, 6 or even 1, 3, 6. Or if starting out rolling or downhill, 2, 4,6.

Downshifting is much more open, with 6,1 being common.

Actually I'm leaving out N which gets a good deal of use, accounting for more miles than 1 or 2 or 3 or even 4.

Actually, I would like to skip 6 and select something taller for highway long distance cruising, but alas....

ggggbmw · 01-05-2019, 05:35 PM

If six is too many, having 8 speeds in the auto is way too many.

It sometimes seems excessive just how many times it shifts getting up to speed. The shifts are quick and accurate, but it's still a lot of them. (Sometimes I even miss the CVT in my last car.)

I almost never use manual mode on the street, because it takes too many clicks to keep going up and down. Especially downshifting for a corner. Easier to let the auto skip gears all by itself.

Track is a different story, where I'm always manual mode. But I'm only using 3-4 different gears, and it's easier to keep on top of it. The quick shifts are super nice, and I will often pop down a gear for a slower spot where it wouldn't be worth the effort with the manual, and stay at higher revs.

XutvJet · 01-05-2019, 05:50 PM

The 8at has ideal gearing for max acceleration and also mpg. The first three gears are key to why it's quicker than the 6mt. 2nd gear on the 6mt is good to around 72mph and 3rd to 103mph which is a bit too long for the power produced. I'd prefer 2nd to go to low 60s max and 3rd to 90-95mph. The 6mt would be a couple ticks quicker to 60mph and in the 1/4 mile plus the car would feel a lot quicker.

Shovelman · 01-06-2019, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sportstick

Actually, I would like to skip 6 and select something taller for highway long distance cruising, but alas....

I agree completely, a taller final drive ratio would be better for a DD. Probably not so good on the track.

skeeedunt · 01-07-2019, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggggbmw

I almost never use manual mode on the street, because it takes too many clicks to keep going up and down. Especially downshifting for a corner. Easier to let the auto skip gears all by itself.

I tried many times to like manual mode, but ultimately kept coming back to that same conclusion. It just never felt fun or rewarding.

01-03-2019, 02:07 PM	#1
Shovelman Lieutenant 244 Rep 527 Posts Drives: 2017 230i Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Michigan iTrader: (0)	Skipping Gears 230i RWD 6 speed 6 may be a good number of gears for track and highly spirited hiway driving but as a DD 6 is more than necessary. Not a problem and kinda fun. I just skip gears a lot, typically 1, 2, 4, 6 or 1, 3, 5, 6 or even 1, 3, 6. Or if starting out rolling or downhill, 2, 4,6. Downshifting is much more open, with 6,1 being common. Actually I'm leaving out N which gets a good deal of use, accounting for more miles than 1 or 2 or 3 or even 4.
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01-04-2019, 07:45 AM	#6
Shovelman Lieutenant 244 Rep 527 Posts Drives: 2017 230i Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Michigan iTrader: (0)	aerobod you are correct, I proved this to myself last year when going west out of the rockies. Reset my trip meter at the top and coasted in gear for many miles. The mpg read 99 because that was the highest it could display but it calculated to a higher number as implied by displaying 99 for several miles of normal driving at the bottom. OTOH, when driving on relatively flat roads, coasting in gear slows the car quicker than coasting in N(neutral) so more speed is needed prior to coasting. The best choice depends on the situation. Most often I use N when traffic or a light tells me to stop soon. Since I will be sitting in N at the stop it makes sense to get there early and just coast up.
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01-05-2019, 05:35 PM	#11
ggggbmw Lieutenant 433 Rep 442 Posts Drives: 2017 M2 Manual Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Minnesota iTrader: (0)	If six is too many, having 8 speeds in the auto is way too many. It sometimes seems excessive just how many times it shifts getting up to speed. The shifts are quick and accurate, but it's still a lot of them. (Sometimes I even miss the CVT in my last car.) I almost never use manual mode on the street, because it takes too many clicks to keep going up and down. Especially downshifting for a corner. Easier to let the auto skip gears all by itself. Track is a different story, where I'm always manual mode. But I'm only using 3-4 different gears, and it's easier to keep on top of it. The quick shifts are super nice, and I will often pop down a gear for a slower spot where it wouldn't be worth the effort with the manual, and stay at higher revs.
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01-05-2019, 05:50 PM	#12
XutvJet Major General 5556 Rep 5,372 Posts Drives: 2011 Cayman Base, 2016 M235 Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Kansas City iTrader: (-1)	The 8at has ideal gearing for max acceleration and also mpg. The first three gears are key to why it's quicker than the 6mt. 2nd gear on the 6mt is good to around 72mph and 3rd to 103mph which is a bit too long for the power produced. I'd prefer 2nd to go to low 60s max and 3rd to 90-95mph. The 6mt would be a couple ticks quicker to 60mph and in the 1/4 mile plus the car would feel a lot quicker.
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