Driving related question

Hi.

If I drive at 30mph or so, but in 5th gear does this do any damage to my car? It keeps revs down - according to the dashboard dial - but is it doing any harm?

PostRe: Driving related question by **Pilch** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:15 pm

I'm no car expert so what I'm about to say may be horribly, horribly misinformed. That disclaimer out the way, I would say, "no". If you ride a bike really slowly in a high gear it doesn't damage the bike, does it? It just means you can't accelerate very quickly.

PostRe: Driving related question by **Dual** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 10:23 pm

It'll do nothing to the car. You're just driving economically, which is a good thing

You're best off by keeping the engine at a medium level of revs - mainly as that's what they're designed for, both in a efficiency sense and wearing of the engine. For example, very low revs for an extended time would be putting different strains on the engine through lower pressures of oil and fuel, even though the engine is doing just as much work.

Also, from a general good driving perspective, being at a medium level of revs would allow you to accelerate well if necessary and would reduce the likelihood of stalling if you have to brake.

So yeah, drive how you're taught. Doing otherwise is silly.

PostRe: Driving related question by **jamcc** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 11:11 pm

Slartibartfast wrote:You're best off by keeping the engine at a medium level of revs - mainly as that's what they're designed for, both in a efficiency sense and wearing of the engine. For example, very low revs for an extended time would be putting different strains on the engine through lower pressures of oil and fuel, even though the engine is doing just as much work.

Also, from a general good driving perspective, being at a medium level of revs would allow you to accelerate well if necessary and would reduce the likelihood of stalling if you have to brake.

So yeah, drive how you're taught. Doing otherwise is silly.

Generally, try to keep your revs at about 2,000 RPM, or a bit over.

PostRe: Driving related question by **Buffalo** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 9:55 am

Is that a rule for petrol and diesel cars?

PostRe: Driving related question by **jamcc** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:36 am

Dunno, probably. Depends more on the size of the engine and type. I'm no real expert on the matter, just what I've been told. Seems plausible.

PostRe: Driving related question by JV » Tue Aug 18, 2009 10:40 am

I find I get the best from my Civic's engine by keeping it in the 6800-7000rpm range.

PostRe: Driving related question by **Curls** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:09 pm

Maurice Merleau-Ponty wrote:I find I get the best from my Civic's engine by keeping it in the 6800-7000rpm range.

Are you being SERIOUS?

I'd Imagine 4th Gear would do no harm, but 5th gear would be a bit pushy and there's a large chance you may stall. What car do you drive by the way?

PostRe: Driving related question by **OnlyShallow** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 12:10 pm

You will knacker your clutch and drivetrain. To use the bike analogy, if you choose a really high gear and pootle along slowly all is fine and dandy, but if you try and accelerate you can't do it. All you do is give yourself a hernia and put unnecessary strain on the chain.

Same thing happens with your car, so whilst you maybe saving a miniscule amount of fuel, you are causing long term stress on your drive train and clutch. Also if you are in 5th gear at 30 you will be unable to use engine braking to slow down, so you find yourself on the brake all the time, which is the least fuel efficient way of driving.

Here is my guide to gears and speed
0-10 mph 1st gear
10-20 mph 2nd gear (20-40 if accelerating)
20-35 mph 3rd gear (40-60 if accelerating)
35-45 mph 4th gear (40 - 70 if overtaking)
45+ fifth gear

Backwards into a wooden post - reverse gear

OnlyShallow wrote:You will knacker your clutch and drivetrain. To use the bike analogy, if you choose a really high gear and pootle along slowly all is fine and dandy, but if you try and accelerate you can't do it.

I tend to do it when I don't need to accelerate. There's a few miles of road I often drive which is just straight, usually empty but with a 30mph limit (because there's houses each side I guess). You come of a national-speed limit road onto this one. So I drop down to 30mph but often don't bother changing out of 5th gear.

When I come to the end of the stretch, back to the national-speed limit section I'll change down to 4th gear, accelerate and then change back into 5th gear once I get to around 45/50mph.

Was just wondering if that's doing much harm to my engine/gears/car/whatever.

PostRe: Driving related question by **OnlyShallow** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 4:25 pm

Zenigame wrote:
OnlyShallow wrote:You will knacker your clutch and drivetrain. To use the bike analogy, if you choose a really high gear and pootle along slowly all is fine and dandy, but if you try and accelerate you can't do it.

I tend to do it when I don't need to accelerate. There's a few miles of road I often drive which is just straight, usually empty but with a 30mph limit (because there's houses each side I guess). You come of a national-speed limit road onto this one. So I drop down to 30mph but often don't bother changing out of 5th gear.

When I come to the end of the stretch, back to the national-speed limit section I'll change down to 4th gear, accelerate and then change back into 5th gear once I get to around 45/50mph.

Was just wondering if that's doing much harm to my engine/gears/car/whatever.

Depends on your car ultimately. If it has lots of torque it shouldn't be too much of a problem but it is not something I would do myself despite having a car with a lot of torque.

Huw wrote:
Maurice Merleau-Ponty wrote:I find I get the best from my Civic's engine by keeping it in the 6800-7000rpm range.

Are you being SERIOUS?

I'd Imagine 4th Gear would do no harm, but 5th gear would be a bit pushy and there's a large chance you may stall. What car do you drive by the way?

same here hitting vtec is lovely

PostRe: Driving related question by **Oh Teh Noes** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 3:43 am

Best to change down when you slow down. Driving in too high a gear will make you go faster (duh) but give you less control over the car.

As long as your engine isn't below tickover revs it will be fine and it saves petrol.

I cruise along in 5th at 30. I'd disagree at keeping the engine at 2000 revs, I change gear at 2000 unless I'm going uphill or need high revs to overtake quickly.

PostRe: Driving related question by **SEP** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 6:26 pm

Oh Teh Noes wrote:Best to change down when you slow down. Driving in too high a gear will make you go faster (duh) but give you less control over the car.

I had no idea you drove. What do you have?

PostRe: Driving related question by **Oh Teh Noes** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:13 pm

MCN wrote:
Oh Teh Noes wrote:Best to change down when you slow down. Driving in too high a gear will make you go faster (duh) but give you less control over the car.

I had no idea you drove. What do you have?

I'm still learning at the moment.

Fatal Exception wrote:As long as your engine isn't below tickover revs it will be fine and it saves petrol.

I cruise along in 5th at 30. I'd disagree at keeping the engine at 2000 revs, I change gear at 2000 unless I'm going uphill or need high revs to overtake quickly.

Somewhere near 2000 revs gives best fuel efficiency at most speeds. You keep the pressure up all through the engine, allowing it to behave in the way it was designed. Plus when considering braking and acceleration, a medium level of revs is safer.

PostRe: Driving related question by **SEP** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:29 pm

Oh Teh Noes wrote:
MCN wrote:
Oh Teh Noes wrote:Best to change down when you slow down. Driving in too high a gear will make you go faster (duh) but give you less control over the car.

I had no idea you drove. What do you have?

I'm still learning at the moment.

What are you learning in?

PostRe: Driving related question by **Oh Teh Noes** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 7:35 pm

MCN wrote:
Oh Teh Noes wrote:
MCN wrote:
Oh Teh Noes wrote:Best to change down when you slow down. Driving in too high a gear will make you go faster (duh) but give you less control over the car.

I had no idea you drove. What do you have?

I'm still learning at the moment.

What are you learning in?

Little Vauxhall Astra. Pleasant car to drive.

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