whats the slowest RPM you can hold/top gear?

[undata]

2000 rpm in fifth gear, or any gear. My definition of lugging is going below 2k rpm. By the time the thing bucks you have already been lugging in my book. If you are bicycle rider you know how this feels in your connecting rods (knees), it's not good for the hardware.

[ksa8907]

Originally Posted by undata

2000 rpm in fifth gear, or any gear. My definition of lugging is going below 2k rpm.

So you don't let your engine idle?

[undata]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

So you don't let your engine idle?

Dropping below that cutoff (for me arbitrarily 2k rpm) and then trying to get back up to higher velocity under load. The heavier the load, the worse. As I say you can try it with a bicycle on a steep hill, feels like crap.

[ksa8907]

It obviously depends on the engine. What engine are you using that lugs below 2k?

[undata]

Originally Posted by ksa8907

It obviously depends on the engine. What engine are you using that lugs below 2k?

I will admit I just arbitrarily set the 2k figure. With the older cars/engines, there wasn't all this sound and vibration insulation. You could hear and feel what the engine was doing. Now that cars are all advanced and fancy, you have to read the instruments to know if the engine is running or not! And you don't usually have the instrumentation to know what is really going on, so it's guesswork.

[Diesel_Dave]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

My 1.8L engine is too big!

Yeah, those vehicles with large displacement engines just can't seem to get good fuel economy.

[ecomodded]

My diesel purrs along at 1000 rpm at 50 kmh.
If i really really want to ***** foot it on a back road i can get it down to 925 rpm at 40 kmh. It will idle along in 5th gear at 35 to 40kmh by itself.
With the cheapo fuel pump tuning box on my car it gives it more response and pick up at the low 1000 rpm to 1500 rpm i drive at. I am the first off the stop light and the first to leave the intersection, without raising the rpm over 1500 but shifting threw 1 , 2 and 3rd before leaving the intersection then settle in 5th at 1000 rpm.
I rarely drive in 4th gear,i am always trying to keep the rpm's as low as possible so 4th is used for the rare slow speed hill or a quick gear change up to 5th.
With my style of hypermiling its all about low rpm's with all the N coasting i can manage, sort of a pulse n glide without the pulse.

[bestclimb]

Originally Posted by Gealii

thats pretty surprising you can hold that low of a speed in 5th without lugging, i can hold around 37 in my escort in 5th gear and if i was still constantly driving it i wouldn't be constantly on the throttle like i was

my escort I can get down to 25 in 5th gear with no throttle at idle. If I need to accelerate or with any up hill I need to down shift, likely to 3rd

[serialk11r]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

Yeah, those vehicles with large displacement engines just can't seem to get good fuel economy.

I'm not complaining about the fuel economy, my fuel economy is great (hit 200 miles on the tank and still have well over 100 miles left in there, most of my driving is stop and go with a cold engine, and I've been wasting some gas getting familiar with the car). Seeing that idle consumption however is making me pretty idle conscious now...I cut the engine at all stops lasting more than a few seconds. I wish my starter motor were slightly beefier so my engine takes less cranking to start!

It's just that when you remove the context (zomg such good fuel economy compared to most cars) it's surprising how much room for improvement there is, as I'm very sure you understand . Unfortunately by driving slightly slower than most people I'm already pissing drivers off so I don't feel comfortable with pulse and glide and such

[PaleMelanesian]

Originally Posted by serialk11r

My 1.8L engine is too big!

You know you're an ecomodder if...