Accelerator smoothness

[Billion003]

I'm loving my brand new 2011 Golf TDI, 6 speed manual. I've always been good at shifting all the different manual transmission cars, mostly VWs, over the years.
But sometimes my Golf manual transmission seems to have "clinkiness," on occasion, as I make and finalize the shift. Its as though my accelerator pedal has a small hesitation in building RPM right as the shift is accomplished. The pedal itself doesn't feel sticky but the response feels very slightly abrupt.
All this feels like it leads the lower shift range RPM to a slightly notched (though there's no lack of smoothness to the feel of the accelerator) up RPM just as the shift is completed - suddenly clicking the transmission to the point of pull.

Its all very subtle and with deft movement I can avoid it but I remain conscious of having to do. Over time my shifting style might change to unconsciously adapt top this. I am tending to shift at low RPM ranges - 1400 to 1600 from 2-3rd and 3rd to 4th. I am not hot-rodding in any way. Possibly, shifting in ranges that are too low.

I hope description here is adequate. Any thoughts on this situation?

 

[ToeBall]

If you're not pressing the pedal all the way to the floor, the traction control can produce such an effect. The other possibility is that you're noticing the throttle attenuation in the ECU software. For the first there's nothing that can be done, for the second, my tune made the throttle far more linear and sensitive.

 

[Jackiechan005]

I'd shift at least 2500 rpm (2000-2200 if it's bitter cold), because that is quite low to be shifting. I get a slight hesitation when I turn on the car and when I get going and let off the go pedal to shift, it seems to jerk like someone stuffed a potato in the muffler. Not sure if it's those damn emissions flaps or not.

 

[Billion003]

ToeBall...This is a light tough on the accelerator situation. It occurs just after the shift is done and the accelerator has just barely been repressed to keep things going. The transmission goes from very slight drag because of the lower RPM to the point of slight push - again that quick period of time just after the shift.
My low shift RPMs are the result, I think, of the slow take-off, semi-hyper milingish driving I do. The computer based when-to-shift recommendations seem to take into account the torque, or push, at any given point. Very slow take-offs, and slow getting up to speeds, result in low RPM computer shift point recommendations.

When you say "my tune made the throttle far more linear," what is "my tune?"

Another general question: Does the traction control setting change MPG in any way?

JackieChan...I've gotten an odd bump or hesitation - very slight - a couple of times after starting and moving down the road a few thousand feet.
The potato/exhaust bump happened once after I picked the car up from the dealership and I fiddled with the traction control button pushing it on and off a few time while moving.
I wonder if the traction control sometimes engages after getting rolling.

Anyway...40-42 mpg in a town with lots of hills. My highway miles coming home from the dealership - highway only but with air-conditioning running - 56.7 mpg, until I got off the highway.
Yeah...I was nursing it to get that.

 

[glennco]

Based on what you're describing, sounds like ecu throttle mapping to me as well. All newer electronic throttle control vehicles force you to push the accelerator a bit further than you'd like before the computer responds. This is done for EPA ratings like so many other things these days

 

[ToeBall]

ToeBall...This is a light tough on the accelerator situation. It occurs just after the shift is done and the accelerator has just barely been repressed to keep things going. The transmission goes from very slight drag because of the lower RPM to the point of slight push - again that quick period of time just after the shift.
My low shift RPMs are the result, I think, of the slow take-off, semi-hyper milingish driving I do. The computer based when-to-shift recommendations seem to take into account the torque, or push, at any given point. Very slow take-offs, and slow getting up to speeds, result in low RPM computer shift point recommendations.

Are you following the computer shift recommendations? My car doesn't have that so I can't offer advice. On my older cars that had that, the shift recommendation was bogging the engine. Not enough to be a problem for emissions or economy, but enough that I felt the engine load was higher than the oil pressure would justify.

When you say "my tune made the throttle far more linear," what is "my tune?"

I've got a Malone stage 2 tune.

Another general question: Does the traction control setting change MPG in any way?

Not likely. Anyone really using the car in a way that traction control does anything probably doesn't care about mileage, and vice versa.

JackieChan...I've gotten an odd bump or hesitation - very slight - a couple of times after starting and moving down the road a few thousand feet.
The potato/exhaust bump happened once after I picked the car up from the dealership and I fiddled with the traction control button pushing it on and off a few time while moving.
I wonder if the traction control sometimes engages after getting rolling.

Not unless you're driving pretty aggressively, which you're not, or on very slippery roads. Most likely, because you're shifting so low, the EGR is cycling or you're getting more DPF regen cycles. Diesels generally produce more soot down low because there's less airflow and they're running less lean. Good fuel economy is great, but make sure you run the engine hard enough from time to time (every couple of hundred miles or so) to get the exhaust nice and hot so it can burn off the carbon build up in the turbo or DPF. I haven't heard of any CBEA engines with stuck turbo vanes, but they're still pretty new.

Anyway...40-42 mpg in a town with lots of hills. My highway miles coming home from the dealership - highway only but with air-conditioning running - 56.7 mpg, until I got off the highway.
Yeah...I was nursing it to get that.

Not bad. Sort of like a game, huh, see how high you can keep the numbers while staying with traffic?

 

[Billion003]

I agree I may be shifting at to low an RPM range.

Toeball quote: Anyone really using the car in a way that traction control does anything probably doesn't care about mileage, and vice versa.

Would you consider keeping the traction control turned off? I've never had a car that had one and never thought I needed it.

 

[ToeBall]

I agree I may be shifting at to low an RPM range.

Toeball quote: Anyone really using the car in a way that traction control does anything probably doesn't care about mileage, and vice versa.

Would you consider keeping the traction control turned off? I've never had a car that had one and never thought I needed it.

Honestly, the traction control doesn't bother me. It also doesn't turn all the way off in any case. I can tell you that the car drifts fine with the traction control on though.

The only difference I've really noticed is with the traction control off you can do burn outs, with it on you have to modulate the throttle correctly to even slip the tires. Also in a turn, the traction control tends to reduce throttle induced understeer.

 

[Billion003]

For Toeball and others...Thank you. Most grateful.