When to shift?
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When to shift?
I have a 97 Ranger 2.3l 5 speed. Is there a general rule of when to shift?. Lately I have been shifting around 3000 RPM's except when shifting from 1st to 2nd and then its usually around 2200 RPM's. I have heard to let these 4 cyl. engines rev up some before shifting. Is this true? Sorry if this question has been asked before.
Mike
Mike
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Most I have seen do better when shifting over 2500 rpm. Just don't get into a "lugging" situation, it's not good for the engine or drive train. It is also more efficient to get up to speed as fast as you can without going to wide open throttle. If you have seen the acceleration of a vehicle with cruise control, that is the best speed. jd
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Feel free to rev the 2.3L out...the four banger likes it's RPMs. I'd say 3K is about right for averge day to day driving...though I'd keep the RPMs lower than that for the first minute of driving or so to let everything get through that initial warming up session.
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Well...it's a durable engine and doesn't mind revving. Running it around all day at lower RPMs won't kill it, but it's going to waste gas since you're going to have to practically floor it accelerate and be on the verge of lugging it at points.
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From: Mount Airy, NC
I have a '96 2.3 5-speed, and I usually let her go to between 3000 and 3500 but no higher. It's good enough to get rid of the chugging, but low enough to keep your gas mileage good, and it's not too rough on the engine. 
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
Originally Posted by blackie96
I have a '96 2.3 5-speed, and I usually let her go to between 3000 and 3500 but no higher. It's good enough to get rid of the chugging, but low enough to keep your gas mileage good, and it's not too rough on the engine.
I've driven one 2.3L Ranger and shifted around 3K, the owner said that's about where he shifted as well. I also drove a 2.5L (deriative of the 2.3L) and the owner thought I was out of my mind to rev it to 3K before shifting...no wonder his mileage sucked and he complained about the power. 
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From: Mount Airy, NC
Well, for me it's also a comfort issue. I never really knew the proper time to shift (if one exists). So far I've driven 2 Rangers with manual trannys....mine and my mom's 4.0. I was taught to rely more on sound and feel, and anything above 3500 sounds like I'm trying to kill it to me. But, of course, what do I know.....I'm just a girl! HAHAHA
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Thats why my gas mileage has gotten better lately. I had no idea it was the higher RPM's causing this. When I was shifting around 2200-2500 I was getting alot of chugging. I just didn't want to hurt the engine .
Thanks guys,
Mike
Thanks guys,
Mike
Post Fiend
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
The four banger REALLY has to work when it's shifted that low. For people who always do it, it seems normal to them and they continue to do it.
Even with my 4.0L, I run it out to 2500 or so before shifting. "Lugging" on a 4.0L is basically anything below 1100 RPMs, so I have a lot of free room to shift, but when I went from shifting at 2K roughly to 2500, my gas mileage actually went up from the engine having to work less hard to move the vehicle.
I'm with you blackie96...by feel and sound...I shift when I feel like shifting, it all depends on my mood. Some days (and early in the morning all the time) I am tired and shift early and take it gentle. Other days it's my hot-rod and I'll run it up 4500 out of a light. All by sound and feel.
Even with my 4.0L, I run it out to 2500 or so before shifting. "Lugging" on a 4.0L is basically anything below 1100 RPMs, so I have a lot of free room to shift, but when I went from shifting at 2K roughly to 2500, my gas mileage actually went up from the engine having to work less hard to move the vehicle.
I'm with you blackie96...by feel and sound...I shift when I feel like shifting, it all depends on my mood. Some days (and early in the morning all the time) I am tired and shift early and take it gentle. Other days it's my hot-rod and I'll run it up 4500 out of a light. All by sound and feel.
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From: Mount Airy, NC
Well, I learned on my mom's truck, and my dad told me that looking at the tach is good, but you won't always be able to rely on a tach, so he would actually go as far as to cover it up to teach me to go by sound and feel. When you do that, you can actually know what the RPMs are just by the way it sounds. With mine, if you shift any earlier than 2500 or so, you're still lugging.
Post Fiend
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From: Durant, OK (SOSU)
That's a really good idea to teach someone not to use their tach. I glance at mine when I check all my gauges every now and then, but most everything I do by sound, feel, and throttle response.
Eventually you get to that point where you forget your driving a stick anyways and it just comes second nature. I check mine out of habit, but I rarely use it for anything else. Just by looking at the speedo and knowing what gear I'm in (I leave my hand on the stick usually), I can pretty well guess my RPMs without hearing the engine if the radio's up.
Either way, now that I've rambled about useless stuff for a while, I do hope this thread helped you!
Eventually you get to that point where you forget your driving a stick anyways and it just comes second nature. I check mine out of habit, but I rarely use it for anything else. Just by looking at the speedo and knowing what gear I'm in (I leave my hand on the stick usually), I can pretty well guess my RPMs without hearing the engine if the radio's up.
Either way, now that I've rambled about useless stuff for a while, I do hope this thread helped you!
