Highway driving in a 5-speed.

[LuxCars]

For some reason this has been bothering me and i just want to know if it is normal.

When driving in a standard vehicle and your on the highway does anyone else feel like the engine is being worked really hard when you maintain the speed limit or try to pass anyone?

My civic is a 5speed and when im doing 110 im revving at around 3300, once i get to 130km/h im reving at approx 3700-3800. And usually when i drive in the city I shift at 3000.

Im just concerned because it seems that at the highway speed limits my engine is revving pretty hard and sometimes (like if going to edmonton, or BC ) your driving for many hours at a time.

Anyone else get the feeling like their engine is working really hard and may possibly get damaged, or is there a certain way to help control the revs while maintaining the speed limit?

I hope what i wrote makes sense, if not ask questions and ill try to explain better.

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

I usually sit @ about 3k going about 110 in my final gear.

It's fine, your not causing any damage... I've seen 5100 maintainted for a full hour (just below vtec) in 5th gear with no problems. As long as your car is roadworthy, you have nothing to be worried about.

[LuxCars]

Originally posted by LilDrunkenSmurf
I usually sit @ about 3k going about 110 in my final gear.

It's fine, your not causing any damage... I've seen 5100 maintainted for a full hour (just below vtec) in 5th gear with no problems. As long as your car is roadworthy, you have nothing to be worried about.


ok, this may be a noob question then. When does vtec usually kick in and what is its purpose?

I always thought the vtec engine was just a specially designed engine with more power and with lighter pieces to help reduce the weight and increase performance.

[ercchry]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: at this entire thread and your granny shifting

[Vietsta]

Originally posted by ercchry
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: at this entire thread and your granny shifting

not double clutching like you should

[LuxCars]

Originally posted by ercchry
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: at this entire thread and your granny shifting


when do you usually shift?

[ercchry]

Originally posted by Vietsta


not double clutching like you should

fuck that just push that shifter right threw the grinding :D

[iblizzard]

I get the same feeling.. but thats just cause I keep my rpms low in the city. I don't think people appreciate it when I drive around waking up the entire neighbourhood.

I would imagine if you're in VTEC or at a really high rpm (within 1000 rpms of redline or so) for an extended period of time that it could damage the engine.

[ercchry]

Originally posted by LuxCars



when do you usually shift?

well over 5k for sure i normally wait till the car beeps at me in 1st then 5k in second then third when ever the speed limit happens and if the limt is over 80 i go straight to 5th after i get to speed in third

EDIT: rotory= no power till 3800rpm

[Akagi Redsuns]

Originally posted by ercchry

..........
EDIT: rotory= no power till 3800rpm

That may be true for a non-turbo, but a stock turbo rotary has plenty of power below 3800 RPM :)

[cityhunter2501]

iirc vtec kicks in around 6k?

for my gear shifting on cold start I change gear at 2k rpm
regularly 3k rpm which in speed term should be
2nd 20
3rd 35-40
4th ~60
5th 80-90

when going uphill, need to accelerate fast or overtake I can go up to 4200rpm.
highest rev I made so far was 5200rpm

[topmade]

Vtec is around 5600, and your car is fine, it's because it has crappy torque. If you want any decent passing power on the highway you will have to downshift to 4th or even 3rd :burnout: :burnout: I've driven my 94 civic si to Vancouver a few times and when going through the mountains there was totally no power on 5th. 5th is basically overdrive

[LilDrunkenSmurf]

Depending on the car... my Vtec is @ 5200

+1 for overdrive... I usually have to downshift to 4th, but do to the b16 short gearing, if i downshift to 3rd, i'm already @ around 7000, so its pointless to get the extra 1000rpm.

I usually shift around 3500 city... As for sitting in vtec for an extended period of time, I would see no reason why it would cause any damage, as its only the crossover that ever burns any oil or such, and vtec is meant for high revs... Ever seen them take an s2k, nsx, or a spoon civic around a track? They try at all costs to always keep it in vtec, even if its a full on race that'll take a few hours.

[DepTrotter]

WOW.. low revving civics, on my ep3 im sitting at about 3900-4100 at 120-130... but that changes based on wind etc..

nothing to be worried about... and if something bad happens, its a civic, ill give you $10 for an easy fix on the engine :bigpimp:

[QuasarCav]

:dunno: :dunno:

The car is designed like that. Be happy you can cruise that low on the highway! I'm at around 3600 @ 100km/hr and close to 5K @ 140 km/hr.

[GTS Jeff]

Doesn't this thread belong on 780tuners?

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by LuxCars



ok, this may be a noob question then. When does vtec usually kick in and what is its purpose?

I always thought the vtec engine was just a specially designed engine with more power and with lighter pieces to help reduce the weight and increase performance.

Quick VTEC link:
http://auto.howstuffworks.com/camshaft2.htm

[Redlyne_mr2]

I remember back in the day tearing down highway 2 in a type R.. 225 kmhr at like 7500 rpm.. car had exhaust on it as well and was just screamin'. It was a bit foggy out, 2am in the morning and out of nowhere there was this crazy gray haired old man with a long beard hitch hicking and standing right near the line to the shoulder. I got a glimpse of him for a second , I swear he was thrown into the ditch by the VTEC sonic boom. :rofl: What im trying to say is 4 cylinder cars are like that on the highway, especially with no 6th gear.

[Isaiah]

Q:
Originally posted by LuxCars
When driving in a standard vehicle and your on the highway does anyone else feel like the engine is being worked really hard when you maintain the speed limit or try to pass anyone?

A:

Originally posted by LuxCars
My civic...

:confused:

[asp integra]

ya thats really low rpms for shifting, i normally shift about 4000-4500 for normal driving, and on the highway if im going 130 or so then my rpms are at around 3700 in 5th, i dont think it will really screw up your car at all if ur driving in higher rpms, i have heard that it is worse for your engine to drive below 1500rpm than it is to drive at 5000 rpm cause there is more load on your evgine at low rpm, i think as long as your not redlining your safe and the car will be fine

[LuxCars]

^^^

what are you trying to prove with those quotes?

EDIT: Meant for Isaiah



thanks to everyone who answered, and the link for vtec helped out.

[Mike w]

it may seem like that and it probably is working hard but thats the way they designed it if they didnt think it was capable of handling that rmp and that speed then they woulda changed the gearing. its fine. my old celica used to rev at around 3800 doing 100 and thats just what it was geared for

[arian_ma]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
What im trying to say is 4 cylinder cars are like that on the highway, especially with no 6th gear.

My Honda has a sixth gear, and I am still at 4000 RPM going about 120-130.

"NO TORK" FTL hahaha

[thanatos1111]

My 03 Jetta in 5th on the highway doesn't rev NEAR that high.... I think 2300 cruising at 120K. Over 3K is kinda high for any kind of fuel economy.

[djayz]

its a civic and its fine.
I was doing 160km/h on the way home from the cruise yesterday and I was revving around 3800rpms. As long as the engine is staying around normal operating temperature and not over heating I wouldnt be worried about engine damage.

[Mar]

VTEC is Variable Timed Electronic Cams. Basically there's a second cam shaft with a more aggressive profile that switches on at a certain RPM. So one CAM with short lifters switches off and another cam with longer lifters turns on and holds the valves open for a longer period of time on each rotation allowing a higher fuel/air ratio.

I know I'm not completely right but it's basic. Don't argue with me, I don't claim to be an expert on the topic.

[Skyline_Addict]

nothing to worry about at all.

[Schwa]

Originally posted by Mar
VTEC is Variable Timed Electronic Cams. Basically there's a second cam shaft with a more aggressive profile that switches on at a certain RPM. So one CAM with short lifters switches off and another cam with longer lifters turns on and holds the valves open for a longer period of time on each rotation allowing a higher fuel/air ratio.

I know I'm not completely right but it's basic. Don't argue with me, I don't claim to be an expert on the topic.

:rofl: What the fuck? If you don't know anything then don't post for the sake of posting. You don't even have the acronym right.

I'd say more but you said don't argue. Just don't post next time.

[Euro_Trash]

Originally posted by Mar
VTEC is Variable Timed Electronic Cams. Basically there's a second cam shaft with a more aggressive profile that switches on at a certain RPM. So one CAM with short lifters switches off and another cam with longer lifters turns on and holds the valves open for a longer period of time on each rotation allowing a higher fuel/air ratio.

I know I'm not completely right but it's basic. Don't argue with me, I don't claim to be an expert on the topic.

You missed the link I posted above

[Mitsu3000gt]

Think about what happens in Europe. Most cars there are manual and on the autobahn and autostrata there is no speed limit, and there are little 4cyl cars flying down there all day long at crazy speeds. Our rental car was a 4cyl as well, turning 4-5k the whole time (many many hours), and engine temp and oil temp were just fine. Nothing to worry about.

[Annoyingrob]

Even though you're cruising at 3300, the motor isn't doing all that much other then spinning fast-ish. There isn't much load being put on it while cruising at a constant speed. If you have a vacuum gauge, you'll probably notice that the motor is still running decent vacuum (like -10mm or so) ie: not a lot of load.

My car typically cruises at 3500 or more due to the short rear end, and there's no problems at all driving at that rpm. I've even once drove 300km straight at over 5k, and never had a problem.


Originally posted by topmade
5th is basically overdrive
Look at the gear ratios. 5th gear isn't "basically overdrive", it IS overdrive.