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right now im shifting at about 3.5-4 rpms when im just driving and 4.5 when im racing does that sound right? i have a 93 sohc 4 cyl. and when im on the highway i stop gasing it at like 4.5 cuz im not sure if its safe to go any higher than 4.5 in 5th gear.

I shift pretty low. generally at around 3.5k, sometimes 3k in 2nd gear, maybe 4k if i'm in a rush or on a hill. I don't really race so I wouldn't know the optimum shift points, but you might as well take it to redline, tho I've always been scared of high revs in first, so i'd probly get out of first before 5k at the latest.

. As long as your not going too low as to stall your car, or so high it redlines, your fine.



(just noticed)
How fast is 4.5 in 5th gear? Isn't that over 100mph? I don't drive much highway (or pay much attention to my speed/rpms). But the last time I was going 115, my tachometer was the last thing on my mind.

u can go all the way to 6 and half on the tach it won't go any more due to a rev limiter no way to get rid of it there to keep ur motor safe. i when i had a sohc in stock form top speed was 105 mph. Add the basics intake exhaust beather filter 120mph but it take forever on level road.

Yeah I'm pretty sure you can take it up to the rev limiter without worry of damage. After all, thats what its there for right?

I've had my MX for 2 years and for 2 years I drive 80% of the time shifting at ATLEAST 6k. Have had not a single problem with the actual engine (185,000 miles on it now)

Duh

LooseChangeRacing wrote:I've had my MX for 2 years and for 2 years I drive 80% of the time shifting at ATLEAST 6k. Have had not a single problem with the actual engine (185,000 miles on it now)

that must eat gas like crazy?!?

Well now, everything eats gas like crazy since the car is basically on it's last leg, but when I bought it 120k on the ODOM and drove it like that I was still getting 26-28MPG City driving, you arnt going to hurt the car though, Mazda's love the Revs!

hey loose change, your from laconia? if so that is awesome cuz im from like manchester so we should have a mini meet.

wow so u guys normally shift ur car that high? i didnt think it was safe to run an engine that high for awhile... specially for like driving on highways.. wouldnt running 4.5k for a couple hours on end be bad for the engine? specially a sohc one?

i shift at like 2.5 and cruise in 5th gear in the city all the time hahah.

thats way too low i shift at atleast 4 just cruising and 4.5 racing it barely even revs it.

when i first got my mx I would shift at 3 all the time, and when racing would rarely take it over 4.5. Now that i've had it for some time I go all over the place with my shifts. Once while playin around racin a friend I decided I'd take it all the way to the rev limiter before i shift, and it seemed like i lost power just before i hit it, so now i shift just before 6 when im gettin on it. For normal drivin it depends on how much gas i have, if i take it easy 2.5 is a good place to shift otherwise 3-4.

yea the power band drops off before the rev limiter hits...maximum horsepower is produced between 5.5k and 6k i think. so slightly past that would be the best place to shift if you were racing.

i shift my BPT between 3-3.5k normal driving and 5.5-6k when having fun. i don't look at my RPM guage much anymore, just go by the sound of the engine.

Focal wrote:i shift at like 2.5 and cruise in 5th gear in the city all the time hahah.

Your like me LOL

Keep the revs low = long engine life + better gas milage. and it sounds cool when your doing 60kmph at just over 1400 rpm