I was thinking today as I was driving my car along the highway and looked down to see my car was turning 4000 rpm to maintain speed ( long steep climb) in my car with the radio on you really can’t hear the engine so it got me to thinking. I wonder how it would change people’s opinions about towing with gas if they had no feedback from the engine. So let’s say you were insulated well enough from the engine and had no tach to watch your engine RPM, would people still say that their motor was “straining “ to pull their trailer? Obviously if you get up into the mountains you will not have the power to keep up with the diesels, but for all the other times. Maybe that is why so many people that have a v-10 class A seem happy with the power? No real point to this post, just something to talk about.

If you watch, the Gas A folks do talk about it, and the benefit of a 2017 or newer model so they have the extra gears. With the upcoming 7.3 engine and possibility of an 8 or 10 speed tranny it will likely become less of an issue.

I think the powertrain behavior directly translates into driving comfort. Add a turbo or two and enjoy the benefits of low end torque, lower rpms and fewer downshifts. There is a reason the EcoBoost is a popular engine on this forum. Is it like one of the big diesels? No, but it covers a broad spectrum of folks who tow. Take it easy,Stu

An electric vehicle such as Tesla, if towing, has no engine noise and so it would not seem to be straining while towing up a steep grade... but it would be straining the electric motors. So, it seems to me that a lack of gas engine noise/tach feedback would preclude any sensation of strain other than the need to press the pedal down more.

Speaking from how my 8.1L truck handles the hills, I believe the perception of straining would still be there for some. It will start to slow on hills without shoving the throttle down more and more. Granted this engine has plenty behind the pedal so often times that's all that is needed. If I push it hard enough to downshift, I have to lift some after or it will keep speeding up. This is the part some people consider tiring for them to manage and it feels like the engine is "struggling". Even with cruise control on, there is some loss of speed followed by an excess after it shifts.So my answer is yes, even with no noise/tach feedback from the engine the need is still there to move the throttle pedal more and would be noticeable. More gears will certainly lessen that effect.I'm more than happy with the power and am fine managing the gears and pedal.

wnjj wrote:Speaking from how my 8.1L truck handles the hills, I believe the perception of straining would still be there for some. It will start to slow on hills without shoving the throttle down more and more. Granted this engine has plenty behind the pedal so often times that's all that is needed. If I push it hard enough to downshift, I have to lift some after or it will keep speeding up. This is the part some people consider tiring for them to manage and it feels like the engine is "struggling". Even with cruise control on, there is some loss of speed followed by an excess after it shifts.So my answer is yes, even with no noise/tach feedback from the engine the need is still there to move the throttle pedal more and would be noticeable. More gears will certainly lessen that effect.I'm more than happy with the power and am fine managing the gears and pedal.But you'll still have the fuel gauge feedback... :WEven if "towing got easier"... :B

Would gas engine opinions change if..... | Good Sam Community

36 Replies

LanceRKeys
Explorer
Apr 08, 2019
AlmostAnOldGuy wrote:
I think the powertrain behavior directly translates into driving comfort. Add a turbo or two and enjoy the benefits of low end torque, lower rpms and fewer downshifts. There is a reason the EcoBoost is a popular engine on this forum. Is it like one of the big diesels? No, but it covers a broad spectrum of folks who tow.

Take it easy,
Stu

This is exactly why I had the thought I did. If you had no feedback, you would have no perception of the rpms or downshifting.

All good points.
FishOnOne
Nomad
Apr 08, 2019
wnjj wrote:
Speaking from how my 8.1L truck handles the hills, I believe the perception of straining would still be there for some. It will start to slow on hills without shoving the throttle down more and more. Granted this engine has plenty behind the pedal so often times that's all that is needed. If I push it hard enough to downshift, I have to lift some after or it will keep speeding up. This is the part some people consider tiring for them to manage and it feels like the engine is "struggling". Even with cruise control on, there is some loss of speed followed by an excess after it shifts.

So my answer is yes, even with no noise/tach feedback from the engine the need is still there to move the throttle pedal more and would be noticeable. More gears will certainly lessen that effect.

I'm more than happy with the power and am fine managing the gears and pedal.

But you'll still have the fuel gauge feedback... :W

Even if "towing got easier"... :B
wnjj
Explorer II
Apr 08, 2019
Speaking from how my 8.1L truck handles the hills, I believe the perception of straining would still be there for some. It will start to slow on hills without shoving the throttle down more and more. Granted this engine has plenty behind the pedal so often times that's all that is needed. If I push it hard enough to downshift, I have to lift some after or it will keep speeding up. This is the part some people consider tiring for them to manage and it feels like the engine is "struggling". Even with cruise control on, there is some loss of speed followed by an excess after it shifts.

So my answer is yes, even with no noise/tach feedback from the engine the need is still there to move the throttle pedal more and would be noticeable. More gears will certainly lessen that effect.

I'm more than happy with the power and am fine managing the gears and pedal.
rexlion
Explorer
Apr 08, 2019
An electric vehicle such as Tesla, if towing, has no engine noise and so it would not seem to be straining while towing up a steep grade... but it would be straining the electric motors. So, it seems to me that a lack of gas engine noise/tach feedback would preclude any sensation of strain other than the need to press the pedal down more.
AlmostAnOldGuy
Explorer
Apr 07, 2019
I think the powertrain behavior directly translates into driving comfort. Add a turbo or two and enjoy the benefits of low end torque, lower rpms and fewer downshifts. There is a reason the EcoBoost is a popular engine on this forum. Is it like one of the big diesels? No, but it covers a broad spectrum of folks who tow.

Take it easy,
Stu
wanderingaimles
Explorer
Apr 07, 2019
If you watch, the Gas A folks do talk about it, and the benefit of a 2017 or newer model so they have the extra gears.
With the upcoming 7.3 engine and possibility of an 8 or 10 speed tranny it will likely become less of an issue.

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Would gas engine opinions change if.....

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