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What RPM do you shift at and what engine do you have?


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Just curious as to how high some folks rev before shifting and the various typical shift patterns of people who drive different engines.

 

EA82T

 

when its cold, at about 3,5k (needle is upright then ;))

normally driving around, cruising at 4k shifting at 5k'ish

flogging, redline :grin: (actually more like 6,5k, will go further, it just doesn't have any more oempf after that)

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You're going to find a wide variety of responses here, even with the same engines.

 

On my EA82 SPFI:

In normal city driving, I shift anywhere between 2800-3400. Accelerating onto the highway, I'll rev it up to 4500 before I shift. Flogging, I'll go to the 6500RPM redline.

 

On my EA81 Turbo:

Its got the 4spd D/R in it. This trans has huge gaps between gears. I shift at about 3500 in the city. If I'm accelerating onto a highway, I shift somewhere near 4000, and keep it in third until I've reached my cruising speed before going into fourth. Flogging, I'll take it to 5500RPM (it redlines at 6000). The engine just doesn't breath well after that.

 

On both cars, when I'm cruising, I try to put it into a gear where I'm at 2000-2500 rpm while just cruising. This keeps the engine from lugging.

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For my EA82s, I ussually shift up somewhere between 2500-4000 during normal, unloaded driving. When trying to accelerate harder or when pulling a load, I will rev at least 4500 and as high as 5500-6000.

 

Running at higher RPM in a lower gear when pulling a load or climbing a hill is best. Trying to push a high gear, you'll be bogging down the motor at low RPM, which is harder on the bearings/rods/pistons/crank.

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For best gas milage you should shift around 1800-2500. You'll be going real slow though.

 

Yeah, that is what I have noticed. I also drive a 5 speed ford ranger and can usually muscle up most hills around here without worry as it has some good low end grunt under 2000 rpm's. Driving the subaru (I have got to name it don't I?) to my folks house yesterday with some good size hills involved made me realize that I need to find out how to shift these things as I was dragonfly most of the way (in case you have never heard this before, dragonfly is "dragon up hill and flyin' down hill") so I figured that I was not keeping the little thing in the right torque band. (not that it has much anyway, but still). From the answers here, it appears as if I will need to increase my shifting range about 1000 RPM's. Just not used to hitting an engine so hard.

 

Hmmm. This might be a good time to try the dual shifter 2wd low idea that I have been following...

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I FLATFOOT SHIFT EVERY TIME :headbang: just kidding, thats bad for your roo unless cuso made it for you.... when I am trying to economy drive I try to shif at 3000 when I am going on a on ramp I shift at about 5400-6000 because the ea-82T begines to run out of power there, although it sounds preety neat to hear an oldie 4banger reving out...(untill you throw a rod):-\

The most important thing is, Dont lug the engine, and by this i mean, dont put it in 5th and floor it when you should be in 3rd, but for the most part engines will get better gas mileage when there reving lower, unless you are lugging them around.

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...

 

On my EA82 SPFI:

In normal city driving, I shift anywhere between 2800-3400. Accelerating onto the highway, I'll rev it up to 4500 before I shift. Flogging, I'll go to the 6500RPM redline.

 

...

 

I drive almost the same like mikeshoup in Both my Wagons, no matter the Engine Differences, but the Yellow one needs less acceleration to take the greater gear...

Also, when my Subies got Low Gas -and as Usualy, I´m Low on Money- I try to Drive ´em shiftin´ gears at less than 3K Rpm´s.

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ha, its crazy how money in our pocket can change the way we will drive.. I do the same thing, I would sometimes hold a few people up untill one time a toatly (looked like it should be totaled) Integra riced up, tride to get the jump on me, (this was before I began having all of the exhaust leaks and issues) so I downshifted and nailed it and she pulled hard up to 85 then I let off, and of course 2 minutes later while I am doing the speed limit the ricer blows by me... I miss my cars power it used to have(bytheby I was overboosted to 10psi)

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if you have a turbo and want power just rev it up, that's why I shift so high

 

I've even noticed it not using that much more gas but it drives tons better if you keep it around 4k, just keep it in fourth gear on the freeway, the engine is really happy at 4k and is remarkable quiet

 

ultimately, yes, you will save some gas by shifting earlier and not revving it too high, but where's the fun in that :lol:

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screw automatic transmissions.:Flame:

 

sorry, i hate the thing... (3at, 2wd, SPFI 87 GL-10, the oxymoron subaru) but I rev it up to the highest it will keep it in 1st at least 2-3 times a day (all the way up to 34-35mph in first, heh) and try to beat 5500 in second at least once a day (I live on a side road off of a road that was just built into a virtual freeway, so I get to punch it up to sixty ASAP alot)

 

I have lately learned that I could, in fact just shift it manually.. but i dont wanna do that. it doesn't feel right in any case, and its not worth the bother.

 

If I had a fivespeed, unless my car had shown differently than it has with the auto, I would be banging 6-6500K in first and second, alot.. but i have no idea what it would actually DO so that doesn't count.

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in my 89xt6(er27 motor) i run it up to 7k almost constantly before i shift, but its kinda my beat the ************ outta it car.

in my svx, i baby it, but that car has ungodly low end torque. i usuly manuelly shift the auto at around 4k,

god do i hate auto tragics

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I usually shift my XT6 ER27 at around 3-4k ..except when I am playing with it..then its 5-6K

 

My Loyale ( EA82 ) and my Imp (EJ18 ) both like to be in the higher RPMs between shifts so its usually around the 4500rpms for them

 

If I am just putsin around then I shift around the 3 k mark..all the cars

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