D3 Torque v. RPM

[844PHW]

In my D3 manual XC60, when pulling away from standstill, I tend to change up to 2nd at around 2000rpm (guessing very approximately - I don't watch the rev counter). If I need to be a bit more aggressive, I might not change up until 3000rpm. That all works perfectly okay. Now very rarely, I need to make a particularly rapid get away, it has only happened twice that I remember. I delay changing up into 2nd as late as possible. What happens is that at around 4000rpm the engine completely runs out of oomph and not only do I not accelerate any more, I feel as though the car slows down. As the rev counter is red-lined at something like 5200rpm, I don't think these little forays harm the engine.
My question is: is the rapid fall off in torque approaching 4000rpm normal, or is it something I should investigate?
T.I.A.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by 844PHW

In my D3 manual XC60, when pulling away from standstill, I tend to change up to 2nd at around 2000rpm (guessing very approximately - I don't watch the rev counter). If I need to be a bit more aggressive, I might not change up until 3000rpm. That all works perfectly okay. Now very rarely, I need to make a particularly rapid get away, it has only happened twice that I remember. I delay changing up into 2nd as late as possible. What happens is that at around 4000rpm the engine completely runs out of oomph and not only do I not accelerate any more, I feel as though the car slows down. As the rev counter is red-lined at something like 5200rpm, I don't think these little forays harm the engine.
My question is: is the rapid fall off in torque approaching 4000rpm normal, or is it something I should investigate?
T.I.A.

They do say the D3 XC60 does this. D5 XC60 revs sweetly all the way to the red line more or less.2 turbos on D5 v 1 turbo etc.

[darbs]

your experience completely reflects the torque/ power curves on the d3. torque drops off from about 2,500. power still increases to about 4,000, but you'll feel less of a push from 2,500 onwards. after 4,000, it will really feel sluggish.

whilst i've heard some say the d3 has the 1 turbo which is the big one, i think it must be the small one ie gives great low down torque, but none at the high end.

[stu0710]

That sounds like mine, pretty much all the 'oomph' appears betwen 1500 and 3000 rpm, however the gearbox (mines a manual) seems to be perfectly matched to this faily narrow torque band.

[844PHW]

So it seems the D3 is rather gasping for air at full throttle and high revs. I guess it would manage the high revs if approached more gently. In fact I recall that on my test drive I was going along a quiet country road and suddenly noticed the rev counter said well over 4000rpm. I wasn't used to the quietness of the vehicle and had been waiting to change up based on engine noise. The accompanying dealer managed to bring the situation to my attention in a restrained way without really saying anything.
It is not a problem, just a matter of understanding the characteristics at the boundaries of performance.

[stu0710]

Actually - having given mine a bit of a thrashing yesterday, the D3 pulls well from 1500 to just over 4000 rpm, but the 1500 to 3000 band is the sweetspot!

[davidjames]

On a related point, i have a D3. When needing to accelerate away quickly (e.g. pulling out of busy junction) the front wheels spin a bit and you have to ease off the gas to stop full wheelspin. Is that usual? I should say that my last car was a petrol 4WD Jag X Type so perhaps i'm just not used to driving turbo diesel 2WD's. This may be a stupid question but just in case something isn't as it should be!

[Pesky]

Unfortunately modern traction control systems do this ie wheels still spin and a little light flashes on the dash!
My current Skoda Octavia vRS does this - about to order a XC60.

One of my work colleagues has a XC60 Drive and he said he prefered it over the D5 he test drove!

As other people have posted the D3 is single turbo whereas D5 is twin turbo, the D3 Drive is a 2ltr 5-cylinder, the D3 AWD & D5 are both 2.4ltr