Ok,


While I’ve posted some general questions in regards to performance mods, truth be told I’m a newbie. Fresh meat. I.E. Great Big Dumbass.

im_with_

Anyway, I have always driven automatics. I know the basics behind driving stick, and have driven around a few of my friends, but this is the first car that I have bought with a manual transmission. I have a great job, and since I wanted a fun car that wasn’t too expensive I thought the V6 Tib with a 6th speed would be a good choice.

Based upon what I have read on this board in regards to Turbos and other mods, I made a mistake. But hey, I’ll live with it.


But anyway, these are my newbie, dumbass questions:


At how many RPM’s should I shift gears? I have heard 3500 rpm (or every 15mph), but that number just doesn’t seem right when driving around town. Maybe I’m not used to it, but I feel like I am shifting a lot more than I should be.

Also, as I cruse down the highway doing 80, I hit 3000 – 3200 RPMS in 6th gear. Is this OK? Won’t this wear out the engine?

Thanks for the help, and putting up with my newbie questions. Please feel free to flame me… get it out of your system… then try and be a nice guy and answer my questions in the most layman terms.

Thanks Again.


Some Guy

[ March 28, 2003, 05:51 PM: Message edited by: Random ]

 

First off, if you can, limit your questions to one area of questions per thread/post.

You ask about transmission mods and engine mods in one question. I'll move this to the transmission forum, and split the post into a second thread for the engine questions.

 

Let me try to explain the transmission question. It might feel like you are shifting maybe because you are. Let me see if this make any sence. lets say that on a five speed goes like so....
1----2----3----4----5

on a six speed it would go like so....
1---2---3---4---5---6

you would go thru the gears a lot quicker. Basically you have shorter gearing. Correct me If i'm wrong guys suicide

 

That is correct, the gears are shorter but you end up with basically the same final drive ratio (they are different, but only slightly) In everyday traffic I shift anywhere between 3200 & 3800 RPM. Cruising on the highway isn't going to kill the engine, however during the break in process you don't want to run at the same RPM for an extended period of time. Doing so can sometimes cause the bearings to wear more in one spot than the other. You want to vary the RPM's frequently to let the bearings wear evenly. But cruising at that RPM isn't going to hurt anything.

 

From my own experience... I only shift when I feel it... The engine rev is the only thing I have to go by, seeing as how my 99 lantra has no tach. When you really get into it you, by driving your car for a while you wont even need a tach. It becomes second nature. When daily driving, looking at the tach just adds to the confusion. Taking your eyes off the road is dangerous, even to monitor RPMS.

 

cruising down the highway at 80mph @ 3200rpms isn't bad. hell, 5 speed tibs cruise at 80mph closer to 4 grand on the tach. as for driving around town, shifting between 3k-3,500rpms is normal. you shouldn't need to use 6th gear around town. 15mph/gear normal. actually, the hyundai manual says to shift at this increment for fuel efficiency.