|
Engine "lugging"
I got into a conversation on another board with a guy about "lugging" my focus. I had stated that I wish there was a way I could install a higher 5th gear to get better mileage and thought it could easily pull a considerably higher gear because I could easily pull slight hills at 35 in 5th.
He thought that at that speed, I may be doing damage because I was lugging it. I disagreed because, judging by sound and feel, things were still operating smoothly, so long as I didn't call down to the engine room for anything more than a slight throttle opening.
My question here is at what point does lugging cause increased engine wear? Are you fine, so long as the sound and feel are good? Are you already doing damage if you hold a gear until the engine starts complaining? Is it better to just kick it down a cog well before lugging symptoms occur?
I guess this is yet another reason to invest in a scan guage type instrument as I would think that you would see a drop off in mpg before you felt any lugging symptoms.
And for the foci owners out there, I have an 05 ZX3 5 speed 2.0 duratec. What do you feel is a minimum acceptable speed for holding slight grades in 5th? Did this come with different "rear end" ratios? The guy I was talking to had a 2.3 duratec and it sounds like he may have had higher gearing which would explain his opinion on driving 35 mph in fifth. His claim was that with his car, you could basically idle in 5th on the flats, but anything requiring even the slightest throttle opening would result in a lugging condition. I find that I can idle along on the flats at 30mph in 5th, no problem.
|