Quote:
Originally Posted by SentraSE-R
I don't see why you need to go over 2200 rpm. That should get you to 55 mph in top gear, and why do you want to go any faster? 2200 rpm on a 55 degree engine is easy duty.
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The car lugs and sputters below 1700rpm under any kind of acceleration or throttle load. Despite being a 6 speed, there's not 500rpms between gears. If I was to shift from 3rd to 4th at 2200rpm, I'd be lugging the engine at 1500-1600rpm when I arrived in 4th. Peak torque for this engine is something ridiculous, like 7100rpm. This car has zero torque at the bottom end, so even keeping it below 3k is challenging, but possible with enough attention.
I'm still not comfortable with the idea of being an impediment to traffic when most cars are doing at least the posted limit of 65mph and there's only two lanes. Besides, I'm still adjusting to 65mph. Usually I didn't bother looking at the speedo, but when I did, it was generally significantly above the PSL.
I just want to keep the engine and one piece. Given the feedback I've received, I can probably coast another half mile, start it up as I hit the on-ramp and accelerate from 40-65 comfortably before the merge lane ends, and go on about my way. I probably have one more week before the mornings are too dark and I'll need the headlights, so I better enjoy it while it lasts! It'll be late January before it's this light again and by then there's likely to be snow on the ground, frost on the windshield, and temperatures in the single digits in the morning. Uggh, I hate winters.