Ascending A Grade; Descending A Grade - Monaco DIPLOMAT 2004 Owner's Manual

DIPLOMAT 2004
downhill
2 • 46

Ascending a Grade:

When approaching an uphill grade, try to assess how steep and long it is
before beginning to climb. Prepare early for long climbs.
Unlike gasoline engines, diesels do not necessarily produce more power by
pressing further on the accelerator! A gasoline engine will happily work at full
throttle (at least for a short period of time), but a diesel usually just wastes fuel
at full throttle. The power output from a diesel engine is dependent upon the
following:
• RPM - Every engine has a range of RPM where it produces
power most efficiently.
• Fuel/Air mixture - At a given RPM, an engine, even with the
help of a turbo-charger, can only "pump" a given volume of air
into the combustion chamber. This volume of air can combine
with only so much fuel efficiently; so it follows logically that
feeding more fuel to the fire will simply waste fuel.
Determine the ranges where the motorhome works best by driving long
grades in a way that temperatures will remain stable for the duration of the
climb.
IMPORTANT SAFETY TIP: If the road speed degrades to the point
where the motorhome is moving significantly below the posted
speed, turn on the four way flashers. Take advantage of pullouts if
traffic is building. Once in the pullout, if there is sufficient clearance
for safety, take a break. Idle the engine to allow the exhaust and the
turbo to cool. While these are cooling, the transmission also cools.
Monitor the gauges and enjoy the view while you wait.

Descending a Grade:

When descending a long grade, use the braking force of the engine and the
auxiliary braking device (i.e. the Jake Brake or exhaust Pac Brake) to
maintain a safe, slow speed. Do not rely entirely on the service brakes to slow
the motorhome when descending long grades. "Pumping" and riding the
service brakes is not recommended when descending a grade, as the brakes can
overheat. Over-use can result in the loss of brake effectiveness.
If it is necessary to use the service brakes for additional braking, use
moderately heavy pressure on the brake pedal to reduce the motorhome speed
to the desired speed of travel, then release it.
Before descending a grade, downshift the transmission to a lower gear and
use the engine to slow the vehicle. Monitor the motorhome speed while
descending the grade.
If the motorhome begins to accelerate while proceeding down the grade, or
it becomes necessary to slow the motorhome, activate the auxiliary braking
device.
DRIVING & SAFETY