Question about engine wear, shifting, and the throttle body
Gafoto
02-09-2005, 09:07 PM
Sorry if this is a silly question but here goes...
Ok I normally start off and shift each gear approximately at 3000 RPM. Rarely am I ever really exact so I change a little by gear. As soon as I shift into each gear I quickly (but smoothly) floor the pedal to get up to 3000 again, then shift, etc, etc... Despite the flooring I don't accelerate all that quickly because I'm shifting so early.
My question is. Am I causing more wear by opening up the throttle body and accelerating to 3000 RPM really really fast than, say, if I revved more slowly in each gear to around 4000? I've always wondered if it's better to floor it and shift early or just accelerate moderately and shift later. Also which produces better gas mileage? Is there a perfect shift point for every gear? Car's in the sig.
Ok I normally start off and shift each gear approximately at 3000 RPM. Rarely am I ever really exact so I change a little by gear. As soon as I shift into each gear I quickly (but smoothly) floor the pedal to get up to 3000 again, then shift, etc, etc... Despite the flooring I don't accelerate all that quickly because I'm shifting so early.
My question is. Am I causing more wear by opening up the throttle body and accelerating to 3000 RPM really really fast than, say, if I revved more slowly in each gear to around 4000? I've always wondered if it's better to floor it and shift early or just accelerate moderately and shift later. Also which produces better gas mileage? Is there a perfect shift point for every gear? Car's in the sig.
honda_luvr_2000
02-09-2005, 10:26 PM
basicly u'r luggin the engine, and yeah u'r gonna wear it out faster. if u'r talking about revving it up to 3k, then letting out the clutch and accellerating back up to 3k, u'r gonna burn the clutch and wear out the engine. basicly if u just accellerate it moderately/mellow w/o flooring it, and keep u'r shifting around that 3k, u'll keep it around awhile. as long as u do, from time to time, take the rpms up there around 5-6k while accellerating hard. like getting onto the freeway on the entrance ramp. that'd be a good time to do it w/o having to worry about cops
so to sum it up;
flooring and shifting early = bad
moderate accellerating and shifting at 4k = better
moderate/mellow accell and shifting at 3-3.5k = best all around bet (as long as u do the hard accellerating and late shifting from time to time) hondas r designed to take the higher rpms. ever notice the muscle cars top at like 5.5-6.5k, and some hondas go all the way to 9.5-10k? just different designs.
another thing worth mentioning. while a car is accellerating, is when the engine gets a lot of wear. ever notice, even though the rpm's might be around 2.5-3.5k, on the highway is the best mpg. also, if u do mainly highway miles on the car then the engine will see less stress, and therefore have less wear. u could then wait to change u'r oil every 4.5-6k miles instead of 3k.
hope i was able to help w/o boring anyone
so to sum it up;
flooring and shifting early = bad
moderate accellerating and shifting at 4k = better
moderate/mellow accell and shifting at 3-3.5k = best all around bet (as long as u do the hard accellerating and late shifting from time to time) hondas r designed to take the higher rpms. ever notice the muscle cars top at like 5.5-6.5k, and some hondas go all the way to 9.5-10k? just different designs.
another thing worth mentioning. while a car is accellerating, is when the engine gets a lot of wear. ever notice, even though the rpm's might be around 2.5-3.5k, on the highway is the best mpg. also, if u do mainly highway miles on the car then the engine will see less stress, and therefore have less wear. u could then wait to change u'r oil every 4.5-6k miles instead of 3k.
hope i was able to help w/o boring anyone
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