At what R.P.M are people changing gears at?

[County4.4]

Reading a post last week where someone mentioned they change at 4500rpm in their disco got me wondering.
In my 3.5 County with lt95 and 285/35 tyres I seem to be changing at around3000rpm. Sometimes when having to drag race a toyota off at the lights I'll go to 4000.
Obviously all motors will be different so just curious.

[BigJon]

With my old 3.5 I think it went to 6000+ a few times:eek:.

I found out the tacho wasn't accurate and I thought I was only going to about 5000.

The 3.9 I have installed at the moment runs out of breath over about 4500, but I am sure I will train it to love the upper end of the rev scale :twisted:.

Normal round town driving will see me change anywhere from only just above idle to about 3000.

[130man]

Hi County4.4, in my view, wear and tear in a motor are directly related to the revs the motor runs at so I would avoid using high revs as a regular thing and drive around the mid range of the rev band.Helps with economy too.Cheers, 130man.

[D110V8D]

I drive mine flat to the boards. Not really concerned with engine longevity or economy that much. Yes I service it and look after it but if it lets go I'll just get another one and away I go again. Thats the beauty of rover V8's. Cheap as chips and there are heaps of them around. :angel:

As far as changing gear go's....usually around 3500rpm but 4500 isn't unusual. Thats not really all that high anyway and I reckon it drives alot better when you're ringing it's neck. Sounds alot better too!:twisted:

[big guy]

Hmm

I drove my V8's always to the power/torque band.

I am not really as gung ho and just drive it to breaking point, they were never meant to rev like that, a V8 is designed to use its torque and if pushed they will wear prematurely.

If I feel game I do push to higher rpm but usually just around the 2-2500rpm mark.

thats just me but I get around quite nicely.

Oh, thats the auto box version also. I can hold in gear and listen to the note of the engine but they are not really a performance tuned motor and sound more like boat motors really.

[V8Landy]

When working mine any where up to 4500rpm. general driving anywhere from just above idle to 3000rpm. I think it really runs out of puff at 4g's but the extra 500 just makes sure:twisted::twisted::twisted:

[Sprint]

not exactly on topic here, but in my '94 XR8, regularly shift 4-4500RPM, occasionally anywhere up to 6,000..... redline is at 5500 :twisted:

wound it out to 6k twice going home last night, 6k in 2nd going past some moron in a campervan trundling down the highway at 60km/h at 7:30pm...... not happy jan! pulled 3rd and kept going to 6k once i got past him!

[bussy1963]

I am amused at some of these threads and the RPM people change at.

I have a 94 D1 3.9i V8 i never ever rev it out. I change at 1800 - 2000 RPM. It pulls away ok at that range. So why flock your car. Just stupid or you must have plenty of money for fuel.

[BigJon]

I didn't buy a V8 4WD because I was concerned about fuel economy!

I love the noise :twisted:, and as far as I am concerned I will drive it how I see fit.

If you have any concerns about how stupid I am, how about we start doing some IQ testing...

[DaveS3]

3.5 - 4.5k

Why not...

[Lucy]

I am amused at some of these threads and the RPM people change at.

I have a 94 D1 3.9i V8 i never ever rev it out. I change at 1800 - 2000 RPM. It pulls away ok at that range. So why flock your car. Just stupid or you must have plenty of money for fuel.

I'd hate to see the inside of your engine, it would probably be full of bananas, may be time for an italian tune-up. And just because I choose to drive my car differently, why does that make me stupid?:confused:

For the record, I drive at whatever combo of revs and road speed is safest and will give me the best performance and fuel efficiency. I don't labour my engine, and must admit, that every now and then, I like to give it some, more so when I had the V8. I don't look at the tacho much.

[GuyG]

I utilize the full rev range in all my cars:twisted:, well except one - if you don't have the revs and road speed correct you can't change gears - mmm no synchro:o, accelerator in the middle - handbrake outside:eek:, if you miss the gear change you have to stop and start again. The rangie on the other hand is an auto and the V8 is sweet:cool:, you have to love that kick down. Couldn't give you an accurate rpm that I take it to as the rev counter is out due to the alternator pulley - but its a lot:cool::twisted:

The Alfas are made to be fanged and actually go better in the higher revs. I had it tuned once by a mechanic who obviously didn't do many alfas of that age and he set the power lower in the rev range and it sucked, as soon as it was reset it was again sweet - you have to love those windy mountain drives - the Italian tune.

[D110V8D]

I am amused at some of these threads and the RPM people change at.

I have a 94 D1 3.9i V8 i never ever rev it out. I change at 1800 - 2000 RPM. It pulls away ok at that range. So why flock your car. Just stupid or you must have plenty of money for fuel.

LMAO! You're some kind of joker or something aint ya?:angel:

[rovercare]

I am amused at some of these threads and the RPM people change at.

I have a 94 D1 3.9i V8 i never ever rev it out. I change at 1800 - 2000 RPM. It pulls away ok at that range. So why flock your car. Just stupid or you must have plenty of money for fuel.

Got to love a big build up of carbon from an engine thats never worked

Not that I'd tell YOU that it makes you the stupid one for NOT flogging your car every now and then, as I'm just not that kind of person:D

[Sprint]

So why flock your car. Just stupid or you must have plenty of money for fuel.

i thrash my XR8 mercilessly every day since i bought it, 300,000km on the clock now, still runs like a dream, and still averages a combined 11.2L/100km, and 9.7 on long trips cruising at 160

[rovercare]

i thrash my XR8 mercilessly every day since i bought it, 300,000km on the clock now, still runs like a dream, and still averages a combined 11.2L/100km, and 9.7 on long trips cruising at 160

You must do alot of LOONG trips, my sprint was only ever good for 15-16:D, but I was an idiot:angel:

[4wd4fun]

Rover V8 sound sweet at revs and who looks at the tacho.:burnrubber:

I once had a run against a mate in his pathy v6 with my Old RRC and just was about to grab third all sounding sweet:twisted: and Bang :eek:, dinted Bonnet and all sorts of noise.
Whats happened. :confused:
Pulled staright over pop bonnet and see all soughts of carnage The main cooling fan decided to let the blades go.
1 into bonnet/fan shroud,1 through radiater ,1 through radiator hoses and 1 hit just beside battery. my mate was :Rolling::Rolling: all over the place but i had him till then.
Apparently problem with old fans. All easily fixed.:D

[def-90]

i'm abit lazy...i dont change gears the ZF does, and any where between 2500 and about 5800, usually round 4000rpm, but hey its not a daily driver...

[County4.4]

Many thanks to all who have replied.
Very interesting comments by all.
One of the reasons I love a V8 is that you have loads of torque down low and yes you can amble around all day and cruise through roundabouts in top gear.
But its also nice to know that when you want a bit of noise going to 4000rpm won't hurt it.
wes

[lambrover]

county 4.4, did you fit that motor in, I have the 3.5 carb in mine and have thought about going bigger, how is your fuel consumption. I to love the sound and power delivery of the v8, but am torn between changing to a diesel or a bigger 8,:twisted:

[justinc]

I see the fuel governor regularly, a whopping 3200rpm:eek:


JC

[DAMMAG]

I have upped the change points in my D1 to 3250 to 4000. It seems to take off around 3000. Why have a V8 if you're not going to use it.

If I'm not on the highway I have forgotten I have a 5th gear. Much better to drive that way on back roads. Even if travelling near 100 km/h.

You can rev to this point easily with little load so it is not doing the motor any harm and if anything it is good for it. Why lug a motor down low when it freely revs like a Rover V8.

Ride the torque, don't lug up it.

Damian.

[isuzurover]

I am amused at some of these threads and the RPM people change at.

I have a 94 D1 3.9i V8 i never ever rev it out. I change at 1800 - 2000 RPM. It pulls away ok at that range. So why flock your car. Just stupid or you must have plenty of money for fuel.

As an engine reconditioner once said to me: "high revs don't kill engines, driving at constant revs kills engines"

Your engine sounds like it needs to be worked hard to burn off all the deposits. The cars used by a little old lady to go to church on sunday are always the first to give problems.

[muddymech]

God i must be old, in teh uk i thrashed my little 1l cars to red line every time, but now its between 1500-2500rpm. except first may hit the heady heights of 3000 just to get going as its pretty low geared.

[rovercare]

I see the fuel governor regularly, a whopping 3200rpm:eek:


JC

Your a bad boy JC:mad:




:twisted:





:D

[V8Landy]

Gee Busy1963 is getting a hammering between this and the dogs thread ROFLMFAO

[Rangier Rover]

My 3.5 auto sees 5000 RPM every day. Drive it like you stole it:twisted: They seem to go better that way. They don't have enough stroke or power to self destruct:p

Tony

[dullbird]

Gee Busy1963 is getting a hammering between this and the dogs thread ROFLMFAO

yeah but cant help but feel he might not got jumped on as much if he hadn't posted in the dogs thread.......

SO lighten up guys no need to hammer, we all share the same passion on here "landies":)

We are not about hammering people:(

[BigJon]

I haven't called anyone stupid...

[big guy]

Directly, no you haven't but daring for a IQ challenge does imply same.

On that note, we are here to help and support and no need for name calling like he did.

Land rover people are definately passionate.

[V8Landy]

If you call people names you will get hammered. I don't think i'm stupid;)

[BigJon]

Directly, no you haven't but daring for a IQ challenge does imply same.



That was in direct response to the stupid accusation. I wasn't implying anything. I just think that if people want to call me stupid, then they better have something to back it up.

I have had IQ testing done and I know what I am fronting with :twisted:.

[dullbird]

If you call people names you will get hammered. I don't think i'm stupid;)

give me a break! he never called anyone stupid directly he made a generlization which isn't much better.....

but no one likes the "he started it miss" either

So I will ask once again lets please just get back on topic.

[BigJon]

So I will ask once again lets please just get back on topic.

I can't see your answer to the original posted question... :p.

[dullbird]

I dont need to my partner posted for me we drive the same car ;)

[B92 8NW]

If you call people names you will get hammered.

It also happens if you drink a six pack of Bundies:D.

My ZF shifts, usually I let it shift around 1800-2200. Freeway on-ramps provide a clear out opportunity, kickdown, around 4000.

[Disco Steve]

I shift somewhere between 3500-4000rpm...


....but have reved the bike out to 18500rpm!!!!:woot:

[dullbird]

I shift somewhere between 3500-4000rpm...


....but have reved the bike out to 18500rpm!!!!:woot:
jeez hope that wasn't your MTB:p....

[Disco Steve]

jeez hope that wasn't your MTB:p....

Nah the kawasaki, but I have a tacho on the pushy now:eek: only taken that to about 200.

[Newbs-IIA]

1st to 2nd - 0rpm, 2nd to 3rd - 0rpm, 3rd to 4th - 0rpm

Really should get my tacho fixed :p

[Waxenwane]

Changing gears.......around 3 to 4 thousand, bit of off road driving on the other hand.....4 to 5 thousand up hills, with a tired old 3.5, gotta love em they cant be killed. and no I,m not stupid, just enjoy my toy.:p

[Sprint]

You must do alot of LOONG trips, my sprint was only ever good for 15-16:D, but I was an idiot:angel:
i do 120-150km a day between home and work and back again, so the average is kept down, if i burn a tank around town, it will drop to 16L/100km

[McDisco]

Gees I dont know about you V8 owners...my Td5 revs to 4500 easily...albeit with a good dump of smoke! :twisted:

I shift around 2500-3000 most of the time...

Angus

[justinc]

Interesting to see all you 3.5 V8 owners are not afraid to rev the little things to the max. These are fantastically underrated engines, I have never broken one and I have taken plenty to valve float:twisted:

I guess the problem is that to get more HP you need more cubes, and that generally seems to reduce the lifespan of the rover V8 . I have seen many 250K + 3.5's still going, allbeit with round camshafts now, but they get a sound caning regularly and just refuse to give up. Maybe it is the lack of cam lkobes and lift that is the inbuilt rev limiter...?

JC

[Relay]

:D On average it's at 3k. On a bad day I'll take my 3.5 v8 all the way out to 5k. The gas system doesn't like that much, and I've blown a few air filters out doing that. I need a bigger holley to suck it down!

But how awesome does it sound?!
I believe ours has just over 300k on the clock. It's a bit confusing, since my speedo reads 10km/h over everywhere & has been changed before.

And let's face it. The biggest killer of an engine is revving when it's cold. I never do that. I drive like a granny until the thermostat opens and then nothin' matters. I mean really, let's consider taxis. You cant tell me they dont get thrashed, but, since they're always at op-temp the damage is minimal. I apply the same rule to all my cars.

[Outlaw]

I'm shifting in the fender at 3000-3500 (actually can't get it much higher than that anyway :angel:

Old 3.5 rangy 3000-5000 depending on what was going on ;)

3.9 D1 auto usually goes up to about 5500 if i'm pedal to the metal :)

Must admit though most cars i've driven over the years has always been shifting around the 3000-3500 range or otherwise when the engine sounds like it's ready for it for a smooth shift.

On the otherhand... the missus shifts in her little mazda at about 2000 and you can hear the car struggling to get moving again, where as up to 3000 and it's all good.

[sclarke]

define a good "change" of RPM....

auto rangie on the way to tamworth.... changine at 4-5000rpm depending on the hill and what warp speed i wanted to get up to....

[Bush65]

I generally change at about 3000, but that is with a diesel engine.

Some of the Rover V8's need to be regularly taken to higher revs or they get a carbon build-up on the valve stems, which leads to sticky valves - some (not 3.5) are notorious for this.

[scarry]

Now the Disco changes whenever the ZF decides to,most of the time:angel:,exept in low range in sports mode:)

Now the Puma,if you change any lower than at least 3000,it will labour in the next gear:(
This of course depends whether you are going up,down or on the flat......

It doesnt seem to like being under 1800 rpm,as is with the case with the TD5,and most other small turbo diesels.

[vnx205]

I have not given a lot of thought to what I rev the engine to before I change up.

I tend to think more about whether the engine will be happy doing what I want it to do after I change gear.

That might mean going down hill that I don't even need any help from the turbo in the next gear.

On the other hand, up a steep hill with the camper on the back, I definitely want a bit of boost when I select the higher gear.