Manual Transmission? Yea or Nay?
Still looking for the first truck in preparation for our first RV sometime next year and I've pretty much narrowed it down to an F2/350 with the V10. Not sure I want to roll the dice with a 6.0 Diese...
Forum Discussion
The better fuel mileage argument supported by the manual drivers is specious. It is based on the theory that the manual operator is always at the perfect speed, in the perfect gear with the perfect throttle setting...not possible.
One can look at the current mileages of the newest diesels with the latest and greatest automatic transmissions for the answer. Reported fuel economy numbers are all over the place in the real world. Today's computer aided engines calculate fuel needs so accurately that there is no wasted fuel. But, driving techniques certainly factor into overall mileage results. Every operator is different so the fuel economy numbers vary from driver to driver. With my POS ford, I could get great fuel mileage by driving very carefully and monitoring the instant fuel consumption information screen. My fuel economy would drop noticeably if I changed driving manners at all.
This example results from driving a truck with a computer controlled engine and transmission that makes millions of calculations a second analyzing dozens of factors in the operation equation. The computer considers temperature, ambient and operating, humidity,air density,fuel/air ratio, engine load, engine speed,manifold pressure,altitude, transmission parameters, vehicle speed and dozens of other parameters to constantly provide optimum operating performance. All this computer power provides information to the automatic transmission at rates that no human could ever accomplish...even if he had the on board capability to monitor those parameters. Each one of those parameters affect fuel economy.
Of course, as mentioned by a manual fan, there are a few conditions that the computer can not foretell...like the momentum carry as you approach a hill with cruise control engaged. The operator of any vehicle with either transmission is responsible for making certain decisions. Why does driving a manual transmission preclude the operator of the automatic from realizing the upcoming hill and assuming throttle control to maintain momentum? I do this all the time when driving rolling country...and I drive an automatic...
Regards
One can look at the current mileages of the newest diesels with the latest and greatest automatic transmissions for the answer. Reported fuel economy numbers are all over the place in the real world. Today's computer aided engines calculate fuel needs so accurately that there is no wasted fuel. But, driving techniques certainly factor into overall mileage results. Every operator is different so the fuel economy numbers vary from driver to driver. With my POS ford, I could get great fuel mileage by driving very carefully and monitoring the instant fuel consumption information screen. My fuel economy would drop noticeably if I changed driving manners at all.
This example results from driving a truck with a computer controlled engine and transmission that makes millions of calculations a second analyzing dozens of factors in the operation equation. The computer considers temperature, ambient and operating, humidity,air density,fuel/air ratio, engine load, engine speed,manifold pressure,altitude, transmission parameters, vehicle speed and dozens of other parameters to constantly provide optimum operating performance. All this computer power provides information to the automatic transmission at rates that no human could ever accomplish...even if he had the on board capability to monitor those parameters. Each one of those parameters affect fuel economy.
Of course, as mentioned by a manual fan, there are a few conditions that the computer can not foretell...like the momentum carry as you approach a hill with cruise control engaged. The operator of any vehicle with either transmission is responsible for making certain decisions. Why does driving a manual transmission preclude the operator of the automatic from realizing the upcoming hill and assuming throttle control to maintain momentum? I do this all the time when driving rolling country...and I drive an automatic...
Regards
