Smoothing out DSG shifts: Observations
01-04-2012, 10:30 AM
#11
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Pretty much agree with NWS4Guy. I never expected the DSG to be smooth. It's a performance car, after all. But I've found it to be surprisingly smooth. Maybe too much so for my taste; I kind of like the feeling of donkey-kicked-me-in-the-back shifts. I wish the S4 would shift more firmly (especially at high RPM WOT, but I've beaten that horse to death).
That said, the DSG sometimes doesn't react well to sudden changes in throttle input. It can get clunky when you change the throttle input after the computer is already in the process of executing a shift.
That said, the DSG sometimes doesn't react well to sudden changes in throttle input. It can get clunky when you change the throttle input after the computer is already in the process of executing a shift.
01-04-2012, 11:54 AM
#12
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DSG Shifts
And I have no complaints other than the potential confusion with a near stop. Other than that, I'm pleased with the transmission - my shifts are generally very smooth and quick. Not sure I could be smoother with a MT - and I've had a few years behind the wheel as well...
01-04-2012, 07:10 PM
#13
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Try going relatively slow from a stop, and shift to 2nd at around 2000rpm's after holding your speed for a second or two. I know that seems odd, but that's where it shifts in auto mode, and If I'm at a stop light the traffic moves slowly enough that is what happens in real life. The shift to 2nd is clunky to the point of painful.
It seems it smooth out when I accelerate more quickly and shift at higher rpm's 1-2. The confounding thing is that the 3-4 shifts seem to work the opposite, where the clunk is more likely under a bit of acceleration and not when at a constant speed. 2-3 seems somewhere between these 2 in behavior. The clunks aren't as harsh but can occur at constant speed or mild acceleration
01-05-2012, 06:02 AM
#14
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Try going relatively slow from a stop, and shift to 2nd at around 2000rpm's after holding your speed for a second or two. I know that seems odd, but that's where it shifts in auto mode, and If I'm at a stop light the traffic moves slowly enough that is what happens in real life. The shift to 2nd is clunky to the point of painful.
It seems it smooth out when I accelerate more quickly and shift at higher rpm's 1-2. The confounding thing is that the 3-4 shifts seem to work the opposite, where the clunk is more likely under a bit of acceleration and not when at a constant speed. 2-3 seems somewhere between these 2 in behavior. The clunks aren't as harsh but can occur at constant speed or mild acceleration
It seems it smooth out when I accelerate more quickly and shift at higher rpm's 1-2. The confounding thing is that the 3-4 shifts seem to work the opposite, where the clunk is more likely under a bit of acceleration and not when at a constant speed. 2-3 seems somewhere between these 2 in behavior. The clunks aren't as harsh but can occur at constant speed or mild acceleration
01-05-2012, 06:16 AM
#15
AudiWorld Super User
Try going relatively slow from a stop, and shift to 2nd at around 2000rpm's after holding your speed for a second or two. I know that seems odd, but that's where it shifts in auto mode, and If I'm at a stop light the traffic moves slowly enough that is what happens in real life. The shift to 2nd is clunky to the point of painful.
It seems it smooth out when I accelerate more quickly and shift at higher rpm's 1-2. The confounding thing is that the 3-4 shifts seem to work the opposite, where the clunk is more likely under a bit of acceleration and not when at a constant speed. 2-3 seems somewhere between these 2 in behavior. The clunks aren't as harsh but can occur at constant speed or mild acceleration
It seems it smooth out when I accelerate more quickly and shift at higher rpm's 1-2. The confounding thing is that the 3-4 shifts seem to work the opposite, where the clunk is more likely under a bit of acceleration and not when at a constant speed. 2-3 seems somewhere between these 2 in behavior. The clunks aren't as harsh but can occur at constant speed or mild acceleration
01-05-2012, 02:26 PM
#16
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If you feather hte acclerator ever so slightly at the shift, even if at low rpm/low acceleration, it can be perfect as well.
01-05-2012, 05:49 PM
#17
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I experienced a hard clunk today in auto mode, making a right turn onto a freeway on-ramp going about 20mph, I let off the throttle completely to let a car merge-in, and then went to 1/2-3/4th throttle to quickly get behind that car before the next car caught up and merged in, and then a fairly severe CLUNK was followed by the expected spirited acceleration. Seems like the DSG can't deal very well with quickly changing throttle input under a few conditions. I need to keep reminding myself to ease on the throttle instead, maybe I'll get it down someday, I just have 1300 miles on it so far.
01-06-2012, 08:59 AM
#18
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All of this ruminating on how the DSG "should" act has been interesting to me.
I love the DSG, warts and all. I never "expected" it to do anything - after all, how would I know what it's supposed to do, since I've never previously owned a car so-equipped?
Instead, like any other feature on any car you might care to mention, I've adapted to it, and I no longer have to think about how it might act at this point.
With time, barring any mechanical defects, I would expect any owner to arrive at the same point of understanding and adaptation.
I love the DSG, warts and all. I never "expected" it to do anything - after all, how would I know what it's supposed to do, since I've never previously owned a car so-equipped?
Instead, like any other feature on any car you might care to mention, I've adapted to it, and I no longer have to think about how it might act at this point.
With time, barring any mechanical defects, I would expect any owner to arrive at the same point of understanding and adaptation.
01-08-2012, 12:31 PM
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Here are some new observations:
The touchiness from 1st to 2nd is related to rpm's at shiftpoint and rate of rpm climb.
When under 2500 or so rpms shifts are very clunky, particularly if accelerating very slowly like when you are 3rd in line leaving a stop light. Kind of like an underlugging shift in a MT, except the rpm's are way above what causes an MT underlug. Feathering the gas much as you would in a MT is very effective at accomplishing a smooth shift. The difference is that with the DSG the lift required is imperceptible, as is the time the throttle is lifted. It's almost as if you lift your toe ever so slightly and drop it back in one constant motion.
From around 3000 rpms on up, there is an inverse relationship between rpm's and the rate of acceleration needed. The lower the revs at shift the harder is the acceleration required for smooth shifts. Also, feathering the gas can help when not accelerating hard enough to get that engine "blurp".
As you upshift from 2-3, 3-4, etc, the same principals seem to apply. The care required is progressively less and less in the higher gears.
This is intriguing, beacause the DSG definitely is able to shift quicker than an MT, so if you can accomplish those smooth shifts you can beat the feel of a smooth MT shift because you don't feel that "coasting" loss of momentum inherent when you feather the clutch and gas appropriately.
The touchiness from 1st to 2nd is related to rpm's at shiftpoint and rate of rpm climb.
When under 2500 or so rpms shifts are very clunky, particularly if accelerating very slowly like when you are 3rd in line leaving a stop light. Kind of like an underlugging shift in a MT, except the rpm's are way above what causes an MT underlug. Feathering the gas much as you would in a MT is very effective at accomplishing a smooth shift. The difference is that with the DSG the lift required is imperceptible, as is the time the throttle is lifted. It's almost as if you lift your toe ever so slightly and drop it back in one constant motion.
From around 3000 rpms on up, there is an inverse relationship between rpm's and the rate of acceleration needed. The lower the revs at shift the harder is the acceleration required for smooth shifts. Also, feathering the gas can help when not accelerating hard enough to get that engine "blurp".
As you upshift from 2-3, 3-4, etc, the same principals seem to apply. The care required is progressively less and less in the higher gears.
This is intriguing, beacause the DSG definitely is able to shift quicker than an MT, so if you can accomplish those smooth shifts you can beat the feel of a smooth MT shift because you don't feel that "coasting" loss of momentum inherent when you feather the clutch and gas appropriately.
Last edited by gmermel; 01-08-2012 at 12:51 PM.
01-09-2012, 06:31 AM
#20
AudiWorld Super User
Here are some new observations:
The touchiness from 1st to 2nd is related to rpm's at shiftpoint and rate of rpm climb.
When under 2500 or so rpms shifts are very clunky, particularly if accelerating very slowly like when you are 3rd in line leaving a stop light. Kind of like an underlugging shift in a MT, except the rpm's are way above what causes an MT underlug. Feathering the gas much as you would in a MT is very effective at accomplishing a smooth shift. The difference is that with the DSG the lift required is imperceptible, as is the time the throttle is lifted. It's almost as if you lift your toe ever so slightly and drop it back in one constant motion.
From around 3000 rpms on up, there is an inverse relationship between rpm's and the rate of acceleration needed. The lower the revs at shift the harder is the acceleration required for smooth shifts. Also, feathering the gas can help when not accelerating hard enough to get that engine "blurp".
As you upshift from 2-3, 3-4, etc, the same principals seem to apply. The care required is progressively less and less in the higher gears.
This is intriguing, beacause the DSG definitely is able to shift quicker than an MT, so if you can accomplish those smooth shifts you can beat the feel of a smooth MT shift because you don't feel that "coasting" loss of momentum inherent when you feather the clutch and gas appropriately.
The touchiness from 1st to 2nd is related to rpm's at shiftpoint and rate of rpm climb.
When under 2500 or so rpms shifts are very clunky, particularly if accelerating very slowly like when you are 3rd in line leaving a stop light. Kind of like an underlugging shift in a MT, except the rpm's are way above what causes an MT underlug. Feathering the gas much as you would in a MT is very effective at accomplishing a smooth shift. The difference is that with the DSG the lift required is imperceptible, as is the time the throttle is lifted. It's almost as if you lift your toe ever so slightly and drop it back in one constant motion.
From around 3000 rpms on up, there is an inverse relationship between rpm's and the rate of acceleration needed. The lower the revs at shift the harder is the acceleration required for smooth shifts. Also, feathering the gas can help when not accelerating hard enough to get that engine "blurp".
As you upshift from 2-3, 3-4, etc, the same principals seem to apply. The care required is progressively less and less in the higher gears.
This is intriguing, beacause the DSG definitely is able to shift quicker than an MT, so if you can accomplish those smooth shifts you can beat the feel of a smooth MT shift because you don't feel that "coasting" loss of momentum inherent when you feather the clutch and gas appropriately.