Sluggish backing up

[richhop25]

I have a driveway with an incline (about 6%). I was backing into it the first time with the Solera and the engine had to rev to over 3K rpm's to pull itself in. I was surprised it was so sluggish in reverse. I wondered if it would go in at all. Has anyone had similar sluggishness while backing up hill.

[2012WhiteSolera]

Yep, perfectly normal for the diesel Solera to climb that grade slowly. Its all do to torque of a diesel compared to a gas engine. Torque and HP are two different things. Diesels tend to produce more torque at a lower RPM than the same size gas engine. Gasoline engines produce their torque at a higher RPM. Just think of those loaded diesel semi trucks laboring up the steeper hills on the interstate.

[hkreck]

I guess I haven't really noticed any problems backing into my driveway which does have a slight incline. But then I'm usually busy watching out that I don't hit my garage.

[richhop25]

OK, I get the torque differences which baffles me that it revved way above 3K to pull in. Seems that under the logic that the diesel has higher torque at low rpm that it would transfer that torque to the wheels at lower rpms. Yet, it had to really load it up. Ideas?

[Ford Idaho]

How many miles do you have on this unit?

is the transmission due for service or low on fluid?

[dwaynerz]

6% is a pretty steep hill. Reverse gear also lower than forward gears. You certainly don't want to backwards as fast as you can forward.

[2012WhiteSolera]

Dwaynerz is exactly right, 6% grade is steep and your pulling close to five ton.

[richhop25]

Thank you all for chipping in. The coach has 1,000 miles on it, brand new. I haven't checked the fluids but will now. The driveway is an urban street driveway with a sidewalk. From the sidewalk it climbs about two feet elevation in about ten feet of depth. I built a short ramp (4 ft) to level that a bit at the sidewalk so that the stabilizing jacks wouldn't drag. That worked great, but the coach has a really tough time backing up the short hill.

An aside for background -- pulling the hills on I77 from NC to WV the tranny shifted down on only two of the seven long grades. Torgue was good in forward gears.

Another aside -- is the turbo audible? It is on many diesel vehicles.

Thanks again for your thoughts on this. I'll let you know on the fluid levels.

[Twisty]

Originally Posted by richhop25

I have a driveway with an incline (about 6%). I was backing into it the first time with the Solera and the engine had to rev to over 3K rpm's to pull itself in. I was surprised it was so sluggish in reverse. I wondered if it would go in at all. Has anyone had similar sluggishness while backing up hill.

That doesn't seem right to me. I would research the tranny. A diesel needs a low stall torque converter. I had a low stall TC behind a high output big block Chevy to use the torque for four wheeling.
Extensive backing at 3000 rpm's at slow speeds can't be good.

BTW, reverse gear may or may not be lower. Ford's pride and joy SD tranny has a lower first gear than reverse.
1st 3.97:1
2nd 2.31:1
3rd 1.51:1
4th 1.14:1
5th 0.85:1
6th 0.67:1
Reverse 3.12:1

[2012WhiteSolera]

Again, yes that is normal as well. I have driven that route as well. You will find that it downshifts very little on normal interstate grades. Sometimes more with a strong head wind. I know many chim in here trying to add their opinion, but you have to own the MB 6 cyl. turbo Solera, to comment on unit specific questions, from this initial poster in this instance. And, no to your other question, you do not have any noticable "turbo lag" or can you hear any turbo spooling.

[Twisty]

Originally Posted by 2012WhiteSolera

Again, yes that is normal as well. I have driven that route as well. You will find that it downshifts very little on normal interstate grades. Sometimes more with a strong head wind. I know many chim in here trying to add their opinion, but you have to own the MB 6 cyl. turbo Solera, to comment on unit specific questions, from this initial poster in this instance. And, no to your other question, you do not have any noticable "turbo lag" or can you hear any turbo spooling.

Can you please post the brand and specs on the tranny.
I couldn't find anything on the FR site.

[2012WhiteSolera]

Who is posting for the ford owner, now im lost totally.

[Twisty]

Me.

[2012WhiteSolera]

No, I mean who is going to answer your question being your a ford owner in a Solera forum. Sorry for not being more clear. Still lost on how this got off topic.

[Twisty]

"Can you please post the brand and specs on the tranny."
Who builds the "Solera" tranny? Solera?
It doesn't matter that I own a Ford or Jeep or Keejaw.
Why does a diesel need to spin 3000 rpm to move anything?
It is absurd.

[Ford Idaho]

I think the Solera is built on a Mercedes Benz chassis.

[Capt. Mike]

To the OP: You said that you noticed the problem when you were backing into your driveway, which has a 6% incline. Have you noticed it when you back up on a level surface? Is it possible that on the incline, your rear bumper is hitting the ground, making your engine work harder to push the unit up the slope?

Just a thought...

[richhop25]

No it is not rubbing. I built a short ramp to allow the jacks to clear on the driveway surface. So it is not dragging. Good thought though.

[papap]

Mine does the same thing get into barn. There is an incline. But also there is an 1&1/2" lip. I think it's just normal for Solera.

[2012WhiteSolera]

Twisty, try this forum, its specific to the Sprinter, which is the topic of discussion in this thread. Sprinter - Sprinter-Forum Maybe then you can help on the high revs needed to go up a steep grade pulling close to five tons, after researching it for the OP.