Optimal RPM range for cruising and RPM max for morning startup

[torqueno]

Hey all. I tried using the search button but aside from random comments posted in unrelated threads, I couldn't find a solid consensus on an optimal cruising RPM range for the BRZ, as well as a max RPM for cold morning startups.

Your input on this would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[fatoni]

the manual will tell you something to do and following isnt likely bad. engine builders and engineers say that keeping the rpms high and the load low is the best way to warm up a car. i usually let it idle just to get the juices flowing and then drive around in a gear lower than i normally would until its up to temps.

[aznatama]

gearbox and diff need to "warm up" as well.... just drive around "normally" as in... easy on the pedal and shift before 3500 until you're warmed up. it's not rocket science. Just don't romp on it w/ everything cold.

[torqueno]

Originally Posted by fatoni

the manual will tell you something to do and following isnt likely bad. engine builders and engineers say that keeping the rpms high and the load low is the best way to warm up a car. i usually let it idle just to get the juices flowing and then drive around in a gear lower than i normally would until its up to temps.

In the morning before heading to work, I wait until the rpms drop below 1 so I think I'm good there. Also, I'll check the manual. I didn't even think about that.

Originally Posted by aznatama

gearbox and diff need to "warm up" as well.... just drive around "normally" as in... easy on the pedal and shift before 3500 until you're warmed up. it's not rocket science. Just don't romp on it w/ everything cold.

This was helpful, thank you. The car makes no power or torque so usually I find myself having to go up to 3500 in the morning anyway unless I want to be honked at by angry drivers rushing to work.

[carma143]

In the morning I give a couple of ~3000 rpm revs with the car in neutral. Then I pull into the road and I shift into second at around 6000 rpm. After that I drive normally/cruise at about 3500 rpm for a minute, then switch to 4th gear going around 42 mph, resulting in about 2500 rpm.

Its around 65F in the morning when I drive off to school.

[TStafford]

The issue for me is if driving on the interstate I would love to be clocking 2000 RPM...problem is you are not going all that fast in 6th gear. I usually clock closer to 3000 RPM with cruise control on. I think that is about 70MPH. I get about 35 MPG doing that.

[strat61caster]

This thread should be stickied, or referenced in the FAQ's
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48264

In particular this post:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...0&postcount=82

With regards to highway cruising Tstafford nailed it, in 6th gear cruising at 65+ is well over 2,700 rpm, a strange feeling for those used to larger displacement engines or automatics which like to humm along under 2,000 rpm. I feel like you can kick it into eco mode between 1,500-2,000 rpm w/ cruise control and as long as you're not getting run off the road it's all good, any change in load (going up a hill) or need to accelerate though and you need to downshift to get above 2k otherwise you'll lug it.

[torqueno]

Originally Posted by carma143

In the morning I give a couple of ~3000 rpm revs with the car in neutral. Then I pull into the road and I shift into second at around 6000 rpm. After that I drive normally/cruise at about 3500 rpm for a minute, then switch to 4th gear going around 42 mph, resulting in about 2500 rpm.

Its around 65F in the morning when I drive off to school.

lol thanks for the details, but are you sure you should be shifting at 6000 rpm in the morning? Even if it's a nice 65 degrees there?

Originally Posted by TStafford

The issue for me is if driving on the interstate I would love to be clocking 2000 RPM...problem is you are not going all that fast in 6th gear. I usually clock closer to 3000 RPM with cruise control on. I think that is about 70MPH. I get about 35 MPG doing that.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by strat61caster

This thread should be stickied, or referenced in the FAQ's
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48264

In particular this post:
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...0&postcount=82

With regards to highway cruising Tstafford nailed it, in 6th gear cruising at 65+ is well over 2,700 rpm, a strange feeling for those used to larger displacement engines or automatics which like to humm along under 2,000 rpm. I feel like you can kick it into eco mode between 1,500-2,000 rpm w/ cruise control and as long as you're not getting run off the road it's all good, any change in load (going up a hill) or need to accelerate though and you need to downshift to get above 2k otherwise you'll lug it.

I drove an M3 before this so I'm used to seeing cruising RPMs of 2700-3200RPM. But with our cars, cruising in 6th gear at a low RPM might net 35mpg+, but the moment you need power you're dipping well into the 10s in 6th gear due to the lack of power. I just downshift a gear or two then. Much thanks for the links.

[slicktop]

Originally Posted by carma143

In the morning I give a couple of ~3000 rpm revs with the car in neutral. Then I pull into the road and I shift into second at around 6000 rpm. After that I drive normally/cruise at about 3500 rpm for a minute, then switch to 4th gear going around 42 mph, resulting in about 2500 rpm.

Its around 65F in the morning when I drive off to school.

Haven't looked at the manual but 3k rev blips in neutral and 6k rpm shift before its warmed up is asking for thermal expansion problems.

I keep mine below 3500rpm until the engine has been running for about 10-15 min.

[chrisl]

Originally Posted by carma143

In the morning I give a couple of ~3000 rpm revs with the car in neutral. Then I pull into the road and I shift into second at around 6000 rpm. After that I drive normally/cruise at about 3500 rpm for a minute, then switch to 4th gear going around 42 mph, resulting in about 2500 rpm.

Its around 65F in the morning when I drive off to school.

I personally wouldn't go up to 6k until the engine had already warmed up a bit. 6k as your first shift point of the day sounds a bit too high.

I tend not to follow a hard and fast rule per se, but I don't rev any car above about 3k-3.5k until the temp gauge has started reading something other than full cold, and then I don't go above about 1.5-2k below redline until the engine is fully warm.

[carma143]

Originally Posted by chrisl

I personally wouldn't go up to 6k until the engine had already warmed up a bit. 6k as your first shift point of the day sounds a bit too high.

I tend not to follow a hard and fast rule per se, but I don't rev any car above about 3k-3.5k until the temp gauge has started reading something other than full cold, and then I don't go above about 1.5-2k below redline until the engine is fully warm.

I just researched a bit on this topic and found it being discussed in a Miata forum. Apparently most wear and tear in modern engines occur when the engine is cold. Thats depressing because my average drive spans about 10 minutes If I continue to drive the way I have been driving, there will probably be an extra ~$2500 per ~50000 miles on the engine for maintenance.

[rtyp3]

Originally Posted by carma143

Apparently most wear and tear in modern engines occur when the engine is cold. Thats depressing because my average drive spans about 10 minutes

FYI, if you drive longer than 10 minutes the engine still has to warm up.

[carma143]

Originally Posted by rtyp3

FYI, if you drive longer than 10 minutes the engine still has to warm up.

How long would it be then? Because after about 8 minutes of driving the oil temp (Edit: Engine Coolant) is just below the half way mark on the gauge.

[awhatzable]

Originally Posted by torqueno

In the morning before heading to work, I wait until the rpms drop below 1 so I think I'm good there. Also, I'll check the manual. I didn't even think about that.



This was helpful, thank you. The car makes no power or torque so usually I find myself having to go up to 3500 in the morning anyway unless I want to be honked at by angry drivers rushing to work.

Same here, I really hope this is normal since it sounds like it's beginning to work hard at 3500. Every morning I shift at 3500 when taking off at a round about that's also going up hill and anything under 3500 will lug after shifting into 2nd... I have to do this even when its really cold too