Fuel Mileage - Automatic vs. Manual

"Automatics" aren't even close to performing that well. They don't know whats ahead or the situation the truck is in. They will claim they can do it because it uses GPS location and terrain maps to shift, even going so far as changing the engine ratings to match the terrain. They still fall on their face time and time again.

I was 7-9/10th better with a 10spd manual than a FL DT12 per month. That's a huge difference.

It was for a Mega that locked out manual mode and stuck it in "efficency" mode. It would go into neutral and ECOAST downhill and all that to save fuel. You could override and tell it what gear to use, and it did help fuel mileage, but it wouldn't do that for long. it would just switch back to "efficency" mode and start sucking fuel in a bad gear for no good reason.

I just gave up trying and let it do it's thing for a while. I called the company bean counters about it and got nothing worth the time as a response. You ask the truck dealer and guess what's going to happen. lets bring it in and take a look $$. it will leave the shop same way it cam in (minus some cleared codes).

 

That may be true. But while you are in the shop, hunting down glitches, and gremlins spending your time, and mayby your $$. I will drive past and squeak my whistle at cha. Toot toot.

 

Lol. All you old farts thinking you can
out perform a automatic transmission.
Im a old fart too, but I know better.
I've got 25 years.
Never once been in a shop for transmission problems.
Stick or automatic.

 

I'm somewhere in-between. I give it a chance but it seems it's geared more to make the manufacturer more money.

All they see is problems and likely abused equipment. Well, a spoon will cut less than a butter knife and takes less steel to make....

 

Lol. I just want LONGEVITY. I get along great with the shop people, but i like lots of miles between our visits. When i hear a million miles with proof on a automatic, or even 800k, then i will be impressed. Am i the perfect shifter, heck no, but 45 years of shifting, i like to at least think i know how. You young wippersnapper..lol.

 

Anybody who thinks a computer can shift their truck better than they can doesn't know how to shift it to begin with.

 

Mack and Volvo are so sure of their transmissions that they come with a million kilometer warranty. They work extremely well, and I know many people who have numerous trucks, with well over a million kilometers, in fact some with around two million trouble free kilometers, and they are loaded heavy and driven hard.

 

That sounds very good. Only thing is i read posts on here about wiring problems and issues, that standards cant even have. Million mile warranty? Wow. Any one on here ever put that warranty to use? My dad had 5 speed mack transmissions with a million miles, not kilometers. Hey, i hope they are great. I am not against them. Its just as (especially) a one truck owner, repair, and sitting in the shop is a killer.

 

AMT's are are the go to transmissions for soccer moms and mega carriers around the world.
Whether you're a greenhorn, a trained monkey, just plain lazy or intellectually challenged, anyone can drive an AMT like a champ.

I wonder how it feels to know your truck is way smarter than you are?

Personally, I don't think I could go on living if that was the case.
I liked shifting gears, gave me something to do while I was driving.
Turning the steering wheel, pressing pedals with my feet, operating the hand brake, watching the gauges, being an efficient and cost effective driver, chasing truck stop waitresses, gave me something to do, kept me in shape, thats what I signed up for.

 

Some of these older drives don't seem to know how to run and AMT transmission. I almost never use manual mode. The Ecoast works good. It seemed strangvat fist but let the computers do their thing and it's a nice setup.

The Downhill Mode is really good. You can go down hills with out needing the brakes and you can go faster. The engine brake on Detroit engines is really strong when you let the transmission work it magic.