Ok, so I just picked up a '91 LS for commuting this week, and I'm lovin' it. But my drive does include a few highway miles, and the thing seems geared a little low.

At 80 mph, the engine is turning 4000 rpm's - this seems really wound up to me, and it's not comfortable for any length of time. Is this normal? Are there any remedies, such as a taller 5th gear that can be installed? - and how big of a job would that be?

Ok, so I just picked up a '91 LS for commuting this week, and I'm lovin' it. But my drive does include a few highway miles, and the thing seems geared a little low.

At 80 mph, the engine is turning 4000 rpm's - this seems really wound up to me, and it's not comfortable for any length of time. Is this normal? Are there any remedies, such as a taller 5th gear that can be installed? - and how big of a job would that be? It is like that in all honda cars because most of the power is in the upper RPMS. Your not wasting much gas at all at 4000rpms suprisngly enough.

your stuck with it because that’s where the motor is happy in the tegs. Best idea is install a good stereo so you don’t have to listen to the engine at 4k for however long you drive, I drive a good 30 minutes at 80 the whole way to work in my GSR and sometimes wish I had a 6th gear, but I have to say I have never driven another car that can pull in 5th gear at 80 as well as the intergra and still get about 23mpg for my drive to work.

Ok, so I just picked up a '91 LS for commuting this week, and I'm lovin' it. But my drive does include a few highway miles, and the thing seems geared a little low.

At 80 mph, the engine is turning 4000 rpm's - this seems really wound up to me, and it's not comfortable for any length of time. Is this normal? Are there any remedies, such as a taller 5th gear that can be installed? - and how big of a job would that be?
just be glad you dont have a b16 there at 4500@75mph in 5th my gsr is at 4500@ 92mph

You have the tallest 5th gear and final drive that came in the B series trannies. Sorry man you will just have to live with it or have a custom 5th gear made to install.

if you are really bothered by the high rpms, then try a car with automatic transmission. it is slower but, it is very quiet. i can do 50mph at 2k rpm, and at 80mph around 3k rpm, the engine is very quite.

Ok, so I just picked up a '91 LS for commuting this week, and I'm lovin' it. But my drive does include a few highway miles, and the thing seems geared a little low.

At 80 mph, the engine is turning 4000 rpm's - this seems really wound up to me, and it's not comfortable for any length of time. Is this normal? Are there any remedies, such as a taller 5th gear that can be installed? - and how big of a job would that be?


you know man your not really using that much gas there at that RPM. I did a really high tech study one time were i drove at really low rpms the entire tank full and then drove the next tank like a crazy mojo and i got the same mileage the with both tanks. so don't worry about it. get yourself a good stereo and your favorite cd and you'll be happy.

you know man your not really using that much gas there at that RPM. I did a really high tech study one time were i drove at really low rpms the entire tank full and then drove the next tank like a crazy mojo and i got the same mileage the with both tanks. so don't worry about it. get yourself a good stereo and your favorite cd and you'll be happy.
Pretty much on the LS, its safe at any respectable RPM. Yet if you put the GSR in the equation staying below the Vtec engagement would be key to saving gas. For anyone that doesnt know, this is why i think honda is full of geniuses and *majority* of domestic car manufacturers havnt figured it out. With a Vtec car (gsr) you can drive at low RPMS and save alot of gas, and if you want some power its in the upper RPMS. Yet all in all, your not wasting any gas at all while crusing at 25mph around town, while if you had a V8 Mustang , Camaro. Those vehicles have more power at lower RPMS, which is a problem in the lines of fuel economy, because you are at full potential when you just want to go to the store. While with a car with Vtec, you always will save gas... if you want to.

Ahh.. off topic... yet good 1 AM rambling.