6spd MT, what is the optimal RPM to shift for best mileage
06-03-2009, 06:15 PM
#1
6spd MT, what is the optimal RPM to shift for best mileage
I see gas in socal going up everyday and was wondering what's the optimal RPM when shifting for best mpg. 3k? 2k? (is this too low and bad for the clutch?)
06-03-2009, 06:18 PM
#2
Instructor
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Best optimal fuel saving shift points are written in the owner's manual.
I usually shift at 3k rpm for daily driving, I'll shift at 2k on my 1st > 2nd shift if traffic is moving slow.
Our cars have pretty good low end torque, shifting at 2k rpm won't lug the engine but you'll lose a lot of power if you're trying to accelerate.
I usually shift at 3k rpm for daily driving, I'll shift at 2k on my 1st > 2nd shift if traffic is moving slow.
Our cars have pretty good low end torque, shifting at 2k rpm won't lug the engine but you'll lose a lot of power if you're trying to accelerate.
06-03-2009, 07:41 PM
#5
Burning Brakes
How can accelerating too slow result in poor gas mileage? Please explain that one...
I'd say 2000 rpm is a good time to shift if you're accelerating slowly, it's definitely not low enough to hurt anything.
I'd say 2000 rpm is a good time to shift if you're accelerating slowly, it's definitely not low enough to hurt anything.
06-03-2009, 07:55 PM
#6
06-03-2009, 08:12 PM
#7
some like it stock
interesting. i've wondered about that as i usually accelerate quickly off the line but keep the RPMs under 3k. the way i figure it, you have to break inertia so you may as well get it over with.
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06-03-2009, 08:22 PM
#8
yes, but its more work for the engine (equals more fuel) to get up to speed in less time (meaning quicker acceleration). However, by getting up to faster, more efficient speeds (55-60mph) in less time, you will make back some of the mpg's. Most of the time (at least where I drive) its not feasible to drive like a complete grandma unless youre in traffic, so I accelerate briskly...........its more fun anyways!!!!
06-03-2009, 09:03 PM
#9
some like it stock
plus you spend less time on the road (depending on lights of course) by getting up to speed faster. so it probably evens out a bit anyway. if you get a 5% increase in MPG by going slower but you spend 5% longer driving...
06-03-2009, 09:04 PM
#10
Burning Brakes
06-03-2009, 09:11 PM
#11
some like it stock
you can accelerate fast while shifting at low RPM at least in the lower gears. hard to compare a CRX to a TL but he's saying 2.5k in 1st and 2nd. i can get off the line briskly without breaking that too much in the 6MT. but then i have a type S so the base might be different, or the 5AT...
but i think that getting the car in motion is the most critical part. you don't have to accelerate for more than a couple seconds to get the car moving, and from there you can go easy on the throttle. a quick stab to get going and then ease off.
but i think that getting the car in motion is the most critical part. you don't have to accelerate for more than a couple seconds to get the car moving, and from there you can go easy on the throttle. a quick stab to get going and then ease off.
06-03-2009, 09:19 PM
#12
if you go 50-60% throttle and go through the gears shifting at 2500 rpm, you will get a pretty brisk acceleration. This is how you want to do it.
Of course if you redline the car to accelerate youre going to get poor gas mileage, that wasnt my argument.
if you still dont believe me, there's plenty of other studies to prove this driving method. Search the 'net a bit.
06-04-2009, 10:08 AM
#16
Race Director
iTrader: (1)
People do find random crap on the internet and preach it likes its gospel...lol
06-04-2009, 10:21 AM
#18
it's me, Alan Rickman.
REDLINE EACH GEAR BABY!!
(... well it sounded good)
I read a thing in road & track recently about getting the most mpg; they said to accelerate fast off the line, then maintain your speed on the freeway. The logic behind it is that yes, you use a little bit more gas getting up to the speed, but it uses less gas to get up to speed fast and then maintain a steady speed than it does to get up to speed at a slow rate.. so even tho its more gas to start, it takes less time to get to the cruising speed thus saving fuel
Sometimes I shift at 3k RPM.. usually 4500 though (when getting on the freeway)
(... well it sounded good)
I read a thing in road & track recently about getting the most mpg; they said to accelerate fast off the line, then maintain your speed on the freeway. The logic behind it is that yes, you use a little bit more gas getting up to the speed, but it uses less gas to get up to speed fast and then maintain a steady speed than it does to get up to speed at a slow rate.. so even tho its more gas to start, it takes less time to get to the cruising speed thus saving fuel
Sometimes I shift at 3k RPM.. usually 4500 though (when getting on the freeway)
Last edited by timmahh; 06-04-2009 at 10:24 AM.
06-04-2009, 10:22 AM
#19
Its actually a very well thought out and controlled experiment yielding consistent results.
Why dont you prove it wrong if you are so doubtful. I'd love to see the results.
06-04-2009, 10:23 AM
#20
REDLINE EACH GEAR BABY!!
(... well it sounded good)
I read a thing in road & track recently about getting the most mpg; they said to accelerate fast off the line, then maintain your speed on the freeway. The logic behind it is that yes, you use a little bit more gas getting up to the speed, but it uses less gas to get up to speed fast and then maintain a steady speed than it does to get up to speed at a slow rate.. so even tho its more gas to start, it takes less time to get to the cruising speed thus saving fuel
Sometimes I shift at 3k RPM.. usually 4500 though
(... well it sounded good)
I read a thing in road & track recently about getting the most mpg; they said to accelerate fast off the line, then maintain your speed on the freeway. The logic behind it is that yes, you use a little bit more gas getting up to the speed, but it uses less gas to get up to speed fast and then maintain a steady speed than it does to get up to speed at a slow rate.. so even tho its more gas to start, it takes less time to get to the cruising speed thus saving fuel
Sometimes I shift at 3k RPM.. usually 4500 though
thank you. at least someone here understands physics.
06-04-2009, 10:43 AM
#22
Banned
My experiment would show exactly the opposite because...
REDLINE EACH GEAR BABY!!
(... well it sounded good)
I read a thing in road & track recently about getting the most mpg; they said to accelerate fast off the line, then maintain your speed on the freeway. The logic behind it is that yes, you use a little bit more gas getting up to the speed, but it uses less gas to get up to speed fast and then maintain a steady speed than it does to get up to speed at a slow rate.. so even tho its more gas to start, it takes less time to get to the cruising speed thus saving fuel
Sometimes I shift at 3k RPM.. usually 4500 though (when getting on the freeway)
(... well it sounded good)
I read a thing in road & track recently about getting the most mpg; they said to accelerate fast off the line, then maintain your speed on the freeway. The logic behind it is that yes, you use a little bit more gas getting up to the speed, but it uses less gas to get up to speed fast and then maintain a steady speed than it does to get up to speed at a slow rate.. so even tho its more gas to start, it takes less time to get to the cruising speed thus saving fuel
Sometimes I shift at 3k RPM.. usually 4500 though (when getting on the freeway)
Physics? Been there, done that, got the AP points. Doesn't matter when you're testing in a relative vacuum.
06-04-2009, 10:52 AM
#24
Safety Car
lol myron ur part of canada has their own supply of oil n gas, to my understanding...but then again cost of living is higher. im sure its a lil cheaper.....i saw a gas station here the most ive seen it in a year and it was 3.21 for super per gallon .
06-04-2009, 10:56 AM
#25
it's me, Alan Rickman.
That would be great if you were the only person on the road. Unfortunately, the real world and it's traffic render this pretty useless. If I'm flooring it five times a mile (like often happens where most of the population live), then it's worthless.
Physics? Been there, done that, got the AP points. Doesn't matter when you're testing in a relative vacuum.
Physics? Been there, done that, got the AP points. Doesn't matter when you're testing in a relative vacuum.
Well, in areas where you're stopping 5 times per mile you're most likely not on the freeway, which means you wouldn't be reaching cruising speeds where gasoline engines are most efficient. So the point is pretty moot; you can't really get good gas mileage in stop and go traffic.
06-04-2009, 10:57 AM
#26
Banned
Well, in areas where you're stopping 5 times per mile you're most likely not on the freeway, which means you wouldn't be reaching cruising speeds where gasoline engines are most efficient. So the point is pretty moot; you can't really get good gas mileage in stop and go traffic.
Point being, I'm sure I could get similar results to the website in question - if I drove the exact same route with no traffic. It doesn't have any bearing on those of us who don't do that. I'll get much better MPG by doing the exact opposite.
While some of the tips could be applied to some people some of the time, I have to question the validity of a test on a basically closed course.
Last edited by CocheseUGA; 06-04-2009 at 11:00 AM.
06-04-2009, 11:01 AM
#28
it's me, Alan Rickman.
Then the latter of my response is true; you're in stop and go traffic.
The fact that you're in traffic and cannot perform fast accelerations to cruising speed has no bearing on whether or not the "jack rabbit" method works or not.
.. and no, obviously I have never been in Atlanta traffic.
The fact that you're in traffic and cannot perform fast accelerations to cruising speed has no bearing on whether or not the "jack rabbit" method works or not.
.. and no, obviously I have never been in Atlanta traffic.
06-04-2009, 11:08 AM
#29
Banned
Then the latter of my response is true; you're in stop and go traffic.
The fact that you're in traffic and cannot perform fast accelerations to cruising speed has no bearing on whether or not the "jack rabbit" method works or not.
.. and no, obviously I have never been in Atlanta traffic.
The fact that you're in traffic and cannot perform fast accelerations to cruising speed has no bearing on whether or not the "jack rabbit" method works or not.
.. and no, obviously I have never been in Atlanta traffic.
06-04-2009, 11:21 AM
#31
redlining and brisk acceleration are obviously different. I was not saying to hit 7k rpm every shift. Fact of the matter is, merging onto the highway and accelerating into an open area would clearly benefit from brisk acceleration, not hard and not redlining. Accelerating into a highl traffic area or one with traffic lights would probably benefit more from slow acceleration since you will probably never get up to cruising speeds or even stay there for enough time to make back the fuel economy.
06-04-2009, 12:01 PM
#34
anyone that's been driving stick for a while (i.e. years) KNOWS when the best time to shift is. You can just feel it.
Lower than 3K the car bogs IMO...past 4K and I KNOW it's using more gas. How...cause it feels so friggin good....and if it feels good it comes at a cost.
Lower than 3K the car bogs IMO...past 4K and I KNOW it's using more gas. How...cause it feels so friggin good....and if it feels good it comes at a cost.
06-04-2009, 12:25 PM
#36
there is oil in my part of canada but I believe most of it goes to US and then gets sold back to canada haha And the gas here is more expensive then in US and it is way more expensive to live here. I am paying 1.07$/liter for 94octane. (1 gallon=3.8 liters).Last summer it was 1.42$/ liter. We get screwed on everything but the healthcare system lol OH CANADA...
06-04-2009, 12:48 PM
#37
06-04-2009, 12:51 PM
#38
Safety Car
lol i know bro i was busting chops. the gas balances out though its within 10-20cents in difference at all times. i lived in toronto for a few months. i compared a lot of things gas and ass being a couple of those things 
