Top gear slow? (1 Viewer)

[Dafydd_Cymru]

Hi. Been going locally in a Ci 141 2.8JTD to get used to her and see what I need to do to her. Been great only had to fir a rear calliper and that it. I'm curiouse aboutthe top gear as I have not driven a MH before. She speeds up fast enough 1-4. 5 speeds up slow on the level and holds it own on a slight hill. But it is a slow acceleration in 5th and any extended hill and I need to change down to 4th. Just checking is this the norm to have very little power in 5th? I should point out I drive a Jeep Commander that shifts in top gear but is no where near the weight.

 

[TerryL]

No expert on your model (no doubt someone will be along shortly to comment), but top gear on many vans tends to be more of an "overdrive", especially the older engines, it being there to provide a quieter and supposedly more economical cruise. The downside is that it tends to take the revs out of the best torque band so it appears to be down on power. Doesn't help either if you're fully loaded.

Not confined to older models though - my 07 Ducato 2.3 Multijet sometimes needs a change down on hills to avoid the motor "labouring".

Experiment with different driving styles, watching your fuel consumption at the same time, and you'll soon find out what works best for your particular vehicle.

 

[HymerB544]

What you describe sounds normal to me, and I have had two quite different vans with that engine. An overcab Dethleffs and our current A class Hymer. Compared to modern (car) Diesel engines, of which I have had many, the 2.8 feels unrefined and industrial, but - importantly - has never let me down and feels as though it will run forever. I find it performs best at around 2500-3000 rpm and when touring usually try to keep it nearer 2500. Gary

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[jongood]

Hi

I think you will find that era ducato came with the option to change the top gear ratio, either an overdrive or a lower ratio closer to 4th.

Also the 2.8jtds respond well to a remap boosting them up to about 160hp.

Remap is the cheaper option and widely available, or there is a firm in poole who will change the gear ratio for a few hundred quid ( my brother-in-law had this done to up gear his hymer)

 

[Peter Ashcroft]

I had ours remapped and it made a huge difference to top gear, ours was similar and constantly changing down on a slight incline, remap cured it.

 

[Chris]

My wife only changes out of top gear in the motorhome going up motorway hills when the engine starts to struggle.

I slam it down a gear at the start of the hill.

Who is doing it right because we always argue about it?

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[Bertie Bassett]

My wife only changes out of top gear in the motorhome going up motorway hills when the engine starts to struggle.

I slam it down a gear at the start of the hill.

Who is doing it right because we always argue about it?

Come on Chris, we both know the 'right' answer to that.......

 

[Bertie Bassett]

Very, very true Dafydd, and Chris Evans and his band of unknowns haven't even started yet...

 

[HymerB544]

My wife only changes out of top gear in the motorhome going up motorway hills when the engine starts to struggle.

I slam it down a gear at the start of the hill.

Who is doing it right because we always argue about it?

Obviously you enjoy living life on the edge, making a statement like that, so in the spirit of supporting the losing side....."what, you let the wife drive??"...pass me the hemlock now, before i am forced to eat the poisoned mushrooms. Oh, change down early!

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[teensvan99]

We had a tag Burstner with 2.8jtd. Like a slug uphill. Put the lower 5th gear in and chipped it. Well worth £550. Drove like a different van after alterations

 

[pigginchilli]

Our van has the 2.8 jtd and fourth is noisy and fifth quiet, she does struggle on inclines on motorways in fifth but after saving for years for a motorhome this doesn't bother us, being at home working and not in her does.

 

[Dafydd_Cymru]

Thanks for all the replies. Maybe it is because it is the first and heavy truck I have driven. I probably compare it to the Jeep I usually drive.
Can anyone recomend a place where I can get the MH chipped and the gearbox done? I would imagine more power involves a loss of MPG?

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[jongood]

I would try remapping it first and only do the gear if your not happy with the results, because the lower gearing will mean more fuel and noisier.

Jon

 

[jongood]

sorry, forgot to answer the question.

we used wow
others have used boosters

but a quick search on your locale or a visit to one of the shows i'e' peterborough.

 

[JockandRita]

I would try remapping it first and only do the gear if your not happy with the results, because the lower gearing will mean more fuel and noisier.

Jon

@Dafydd_Cymru, I'm with Jon on that option.

Although the older 2.8TDi, where mapping isn't available, I had the option of going for the lower ratio when I had the 5th gear and syncromesh replaced due to failure. I stuck with the original higher ratio, and am pleased now that I did.

Good luck,

Jock.

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[rosalan]

In answer to your wifes driving method, I was taught that a diesel can be run at lower revs than a petrol engine, where keeping the revs up gave better performance.
Top gear is designed for economy on motorways rather than for power performance.
I may be out of order but re-mapping may give more power, or speed but at the expense of economy or so I believe.
Alan

 

[Gooney]

Bit of a shot in the dark but has t got the original size wheels on it?, 15 and 16" wheels fit the hubs but if 16 fitted instead of 15" you could struggle in top gear without gear ratio's changed

 

[friar tuck]

i have a 2000 2.8jtd its the same as you describe im running a 4500kg taga xle,im not 100% sure when the starting point was for remapping mine is too old,i think it may be 2003 and younger,i have had 3 new vito vans for my business remapped by Celtic tuning and the results were impressive more power but if you drive using the torque more economy.

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[Jaws]

Our previous van was a 2007 2.8 JTD and that struggled in top at the merest hint of a hill
Ended up getting WOW to do a custom remap ( they did the usual remap but it was awful, had another go, did some testing and then redid it a third time and it was a charm.. The chap said he was gonna be using that map on some applications after all the testing )
Ended up getting better torque and providing I kept the revs down to 2k or less managed a creditable 24mpg in the end

 

[jongood]

Bit of a shot in the dark but has t got the original size wheels on it?, 15 and 16" wheels fit the hubs but if 16 fitted instead of 15" you could struggle in top gear without gear ratio's changed

DONT do this without a lot of research, the hubs arent all the same. from personal experience.