myth or truth???

[IH8HSV]

ive been told before and again last night from a taxi driver, that its better to leave your car in 'power' because its better for the gear box and fuel economy.especially when putting around town. has anybody heard of this?
Personally i would tend to agree with the fuel economy being better in 'power' because the gears hold out longer and the engine kicks back into third instead of lugging around in 4th.

What do you guys think???

[Racecraft]

I have heard something similiar, I think it had to do with the increased line pressure being better for the friction bands.. Dont know about the fuel economy though

[snypereb]

Dont understand the fuel economy cause it holds the gear longer so that means it revs higher which means it uses more fuel. Probably is good for the bands but not fuel!

[FordFan86]

Heres an idea. Floor it whilst in 1st/2nd up to speed, in economy and bob's your uncle.
Actually my uncle's name is Norm. But you get the point.

[CruizinEB]

yeah i have an uncle who's name is bob and he is my god father

[montyv8]

Kyle, you have no idea how badly i want to edit your post.....
please TRY to stick to the topic...

[triple8nitro]

I sat on115 for 600kms sydney traffic for 150kms in i6 auto cruise cat back 2.5"
used 3/4 tank fuel with power the whole time

[CruizinEB]

well i think to my self, who cares if its true or not, all cars wear out god, if you worry that your Power/Economy preference mite hurt the car then....don't drive it lol

[triple8nitro]

ef (76litretank) pulp (one dog one passenger ) dog made least noise

[efgiar]

it might use less fuel, because the motor isnt trying as hard to get to speed, eg high revs is easier to get faster, low revs its harder... like putting a 5 grand stall in a worked motor, saves petrol

[Walkinshaw]

If in town, leave it in 3rd and put it in power.

[stiddy]

get a manual :P lol

did 300km's yesterday and used just under a 1/4 of a tank

[Age182]

the mechanic at my work told me that too and to put in economy on the freeway

[K_Man]

Originally Posted by Age182

the mechanic at my work told me that too and to put in economy on the freeway

I've been doing that, i leave it power around town and if i was to run the tank to empty, i'd get close to 450km city driving. Economy mode around town just annoys me because the shift points feel so unnatural, like it's shifting before it should.

[efgiar]

Originally Posted by Age182

the mechanic at my work told me that too and to put in economy on the freeway

doesnt matter, 4th gear is the same in econ or power

[-jjM-]

iv heard this myth too, and really i kinda think its abit true
really i only use my power button when i see a commo or goin up a hill
i was thinkin of just leavin it on all day

[EBFalcs]

the owners manual says to leave it in power around the town and i think it says to leave in 3rd too

[Madhatter]

AFAIK the switch only activates two modes.

1. Change gears at silly intervals and use loads of fuel

and

2. Change gears at real stupid intervals and use even more fuel.

Car is practically never out of econ mode (quite frankly, considering where the engine makes peak power and peak torque, it really isnt needed to rev right past this), done 260,000km and the gearbox is still great. It definately uses more fuel if you use the power setting, only if you drive with a heavy foot and like to rev it out.

My tip? keep it in econ mode, the money you save from the petrol bills can go towards a trans service. Thats going to prolong the life of your gearbox more than anything, when was the last time yours had a service?

[LTDHO]

Myth.

You will use more fuel, wear the engine more, etc.

I only used it when towing.

Some people think it gives more power! lol

[HSVETAR]

Economy uses less fuel for sure, it only stands to reason, it doesnt rev out as much.

[EBII Fairmont]

Doesn't it pretty much just let you rev the car out harder?
Well thats what I have understood when driving it. I only use when doing country drives and have a full car load, just to make it easier for the car to move.

[Stevo]

The EL Stays in Econo mode all day , except for hilly areas. When climbing hills etc, economy mode is stupid, and changes up and down into the wrong gear continually.

[Hunter]

As far as I understood, power mode basically only changes the shift points of the auto... I don't like power mode myself. In fact I find it counterproductive. I can get off the line quicker with econ on than I can in power. Its really odd, in power mode it will rev its tits off like you wouldn't believe, easily hit 4000 rpm (as madhatter said, well past peak torque) and seems to generally behave like some shoved a red hot poker up its butt ie lots of yelling and screaming but doesn't seem to do much.

I only use power mode for gentle climbing hills - letting the engine rev out just a little bit more allows me to climb the hill easily and I don't have to knock it down to 3rd or 2nd on the shifter.

[Aaron_EF8]

I leave mine in economy all the time, except for hills as well. The 5.0 has enough low down torque to still move along quick enough in higher gears.

doesnt matter, 4th gear is the same in econ or power

Changing from econ to power/normal alters when the trans convertor locks up as well.

[JC]

I've been told the Power button is good for up to 15rwkw.

j/k. Leave it in power mode around town, up hill and down dale. It doesn't mater. It only holds the transmission in each gear for around an extra 500rpm, so doesn't rally do an awful lot anyway. Power/econ - it's like the old economy guage on the XEs - dores stuff all, but makes the driver think they are driving the car using less fuel if in economy!

[EBII Fairmont]

Is the car ment to be idling when changing from power to economy, or vice versa? Does, it cause any problems if you change it while the car is in motion?

I never use it even when going up hills. I find my car copes really easily in economy. The only time I was use it is when I'm doing country drives and I have a full car load.

[snypereb]

Thats exactly waht the power button is for LTDHO definately a MYTH!