Shifting Question

[Moonpennies]

Hi there. I hope you don't laugh too loudly at me but I have a question. I have 900 miles on my P5 (a 5 spd) and I've been taking it easy (because of the break in period). My boys (ages 11 & 15) are telling me that I'm shifting too soon. I shift around the number "3". They say I should shift around 4 - 5. (They ride motorcycles and constantly give me pointers based on their motorcycle experience). So, at what number should I be shifting? Also, they say the car will be more gas efficient if I shift higher -- is that true? I have two backseat drivers and I need to know. I don't want to "bog down my engine" (and all the other terrible things that my kids say I'm doing

Thanks

 

[CharlieP5]

There is nothing wrong with shifting at 3000 rpms.
I think your backseat drivers are just dying to see how the pro5 performs when you push it a little further.

as for gas milage, the softer you drive your car the better the gas milage.

 

[LambOfSilence]

I am not familiar with MTs, but I thought that if your engine revs at lower number, it will consume less gas?

 

[nramsey]

Depends. If you are driving aggressively shifting higher means better power/acceleration. When driving hard I usually shift between 5K and 6K RPM in the Protege5, it doesn't make much power above 6K RPM in stock form. Driving around town in normal traffic I generally keep the revs between 2-3K RPM, has plenty of pull down low and keeps the noise/vibrations down. You shouldn't really be bogging/lugging the engine above 2K RPM, so I don't think there is anything wrong with it.

As for gas milage, I don't see how having the engine rev higher will increase mileage. Common sense says to me that the engine will use more gas if it's spinning 4500-5000 times per minute as opposed to 3000 times per minute. Could be wrong, but makes sense to me.

My $.02 (US)

 

[Moonpennies]

OK. thanks. I know my 15 yr old is just dying to get behind the wheel. (fat chance!) I'll just keep shifting around 3 - 3.5 and I'll be a happy camper. The only time I really shift higher is when I need to accelerate to get onto the freeway.

 

[TexP5]

Shift where you're comfortable but keep your eye on those two little gearheads your raising, LOL! They'll be modding out your P5 in a year or two!

 

[Moonpennies]

YOU'RE SO RIGHT! My 15 yr old already has *Great* ideas for MY P5, starting with a cold air intake. But, I don't want to take any chances of voiding the warranty. They both love the car -- as I do.

 

[redwagon02]

Shift when the needle gets in the RED .

 

[MP5Raycer]

break in perioid?

i dont ever remember the sales person ever telling me to baby it until a certain milege but i was rompingon it abotu one week after i got and and still am not every day .. and it has not given me a bit of trouble at all other then my transmission and clutch is nto doing so hot .. no matter what gear i am in and or what rpm i am at .. i can take my pinky finger and just slightly put the lightest presure on it and it pops right out of gear with no resistance at all ????? so i bet my cluster gears are warn down

 

[Moonpennies]

Thanks for the advice Ricky Redwagon --- my boys would luv ya!

 

[PR5hokie]

In the owners' manual there is a section regarding the "procedure" for breaking-in the engine. Check it out. I followed it for the most part and the car is doing wonderfully. I am not a car buff to say the least but it seems to me that an engine would need a break-in period especially with all the fast moving parts, heat, and pressure. Better to play it on the safe side for a little while.

Matt

 

[cjstringer]

I'm in an MP3, but I did baby, to extremes, my car up until I hit 1008 miles. Then I ran my first AutoX. The car still runs flawlessly and I have a trip to and from Colorado + about 9 races. I don't rev much over 3500 for daily driving because you use less gas at lower revs.
You CAN use more fule if you keep the revs low and try to accelerate too quickly at low revs though. The engine will bog down and take longer to get to speed while dumping in more fuel than is needed at low revs. That is bad for fuel economy. But, if you are more of a cruiser at lower revs, your fuel mileage should be great. Higher revs usually do use more fuel.
My car has over 10500 miles now and she still purrs like a kitten. Best of luck with the P5! Great car..

 

[BK's black P5]

Should be safe to get on it if you have 900 miles.

 

[Don]

Big difference in the 1.8 in my Miata, and the 2.0 in the P5, I can tell you from personal experience.

The Miata makes excellent power from 4,000 to about 6500, and loves to rev, and I oblige and keep it up there. I make MANY shifts above 5500 or 6000 every day.

The P5 has much more torque down low, and doesn't seem near as free to rev, especially abouve 4500, so I seldom push it to 5000.

I noticed while on vacation that the P5 will accelerate just fine from say 70 mph on the freeway to 80 or 85 without downshifting - In fact I think it's quicker 70 to 85 in 5th than it is in 4th - My personal car. Much different torque curve than the Miata, and I'm sure it's much better suited to the car. I don't think I'd care for the Miata engine in the P5, but I DO prefer the Miata engine.

3,000 RPM shifts are a bit early - I think you'll notice a big difference (and not harm a thing) if you push it up a bit - Say to 4K or 4500, especially if you're "in a hurry"

Don

 

[mark@kartboy]

1000 miles is pretty much the rule of thumb in breaking in the engine, and 3000 is a good place to keep it. After that, I'd creep up on it a bit, but 4000 to 5000 is fine for normal driving. We beat our car pretty much most of the time bouncing into the 7000 territory. There doesn't seem to be a very harsh rev-limiter, though there must be one somewhere.

If you plan to keep the car for more than 3-4 years, its probably good to take it easy. If you want to enjoy your car for 2-3 years and then pass it off on someone else, that's a different story.


Mark

 

[Stealth5]

the manual says 600 miles, and it says not to do the obvious stuff...full throttle starts, high revving, hard stops etc. of course i have 171 miles on my p5 and i just cant control myself so every now and then im a bad boy and rev it to about 4000-4500 before i shift