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and I have no VTEC... If I drive my car hard... like shifting at say 5000rpm... is it bad for my engine...?
or is it all good because I have a Honda???
please let me know...

Thanks
Stif

 
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You're just revving it... if you keep it constantly @ a high RPM, then that's bad. I mean, you can shift @ 6800RPMs if you want (especially in earlier gears... if you do this in like 4th too much where speed is of course slower on the pick-up, then you're gonna start wearing the transmission). Basically, ou're just revving the engine. You'll just have to change the oil a bit more frequently from that type of use and that's it.

EDIT: When you downshift, just make sure the tach needle is below 5,000 RPMs after letting off the clutch.

 
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so what is a good place to shift a non VTEC engine at?

 
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whereever your engine isnt straining and your getting the best MPG.

 
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So if I am shifting at 3500 is that too low?

What do you shift at?

 
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As far as I'm concerned, you can shift like that in any car... there are recommended shift points (a.k.a. granny shifting). If I'm not mistaken, they might be in your Civic's owner's manual.

Shift points are just how fast people would take their car through each gear:
1st gear: 15-20MPH
2nd gear: 20-35MPH
3rd gear: 40-45MPH
4th gear: 50-55MPH
5th gear: 60-65MPH

The Civic has good acceleration... can't help but redline 1st, hehe.

 
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In terms of RPM, most people who shift do shift between 3000-4000RPMs... they are equivalent with the MPHs I posted previously.

 
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Thanks man...
so if I drive like "granny style" most of the time ... then the odd time decide to shift at redline my car should be ok?

and should I be using a synthetic motor oil?
and what is the recommended oil change time like... how many miles?

 
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<< So if I am shifting at 3500 is that too low? >>

Not really... but if you're driving... say in a high gear @ a low speed, and your RPMs are constantly below 3,000RPMS, you need to get into a lower gear.



<< What do you shift at? >>


1st gear: Around 20MPH+... maybe a lil' higher... depends on my mood... it'll get tiring and I just shift @ 20MPH.
2nd gear: 40MPH+
3rd gear: (I hate 3rd gear... I personally try to avoid staying long in this gear so I don't know)
4th gear: I like this gear too much... way too much... I'll shift out of it @ like 65-80MPH.

That's just me.

 
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So it really does not matter that I do not have VTEC then?

 
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<< Thanks man...
so if I drive like "granny style" most of the time ... then the odd time decide to shift at redline my car should be ok? >>

Like Honda says about their Civic in their brochure: "Rev it up." (At least for the EX, but anyways...)




<< and should I be using a synthetic motor oil?
and what is the recommended oil change time like... how many miles? >>

I just use what the car recommends though people have tried a lot of other oils in their car... you can search it up.

I would recommend changing the oil every 3,000 miles though many people would change it at 5,000 miles. The difference in how your car will last in the long-run really depend on how often you change it and 3,000 can make a bigger difference than 5,000. If you rev your engine a lot (like I do!) I wouldn't let my car go beyond the 3,000 mile mark. If your car has yet to get it's first oil change, you can do it at 5,000 miles. Our cars use 5w-20 oil by the way.

 
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<< So it really does not matter that I do not have VTEC then? >>

VTEC doesn't necessarily define how you should drive your engine, it defines how the engine drives itself. All Honda engines were made to last so no, it doesn't really matter.

 
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Thanks again bro... and I like your ride...

Stif

 
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<< In terms of RPM, most people who shift do shift between 3000-4000RPMs... they are equivalent with the MPHs I posted previously. >>



I don't know what kinda MPG you guys get if you always shift there...must be low 30's at least if not worse...I usually shift at around 2200-2500...and occasionally will punch but never over 4000...just don't wanna be hard on the engine...I gotta make this car last at least 6 years...

 
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shifting that low is bad for the engine!! cant you tell by the low unhealthy strain you hear at the bottom of the gear you shift into at 2200 RPM???? unless your going downhill all the time- i think thats way too low to shift at with any car

just my .02

 
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Here's a lil' schooling on the VTEC engines in our cars compared to others.

The Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control in the Civic EX is an SOHC (singular over-head cam). The SOHC VTEC was simply made for economical purposes with a pinch of fun to drive performance (while being easy on gas... look at the amount of horsepower).

What made VTEC popular were it's B series engines which were dual over-head cam engines... to put it simple, they were more powerful than the SOHC D series engines found in the Civics (excluding the Si which is a B series engine). Honda's VTEC engine technology for a DOHC engine is a performance bred engine but was still very considerate on gas compared to other cars with their amount of horsepower. These engines get noticably fast after a certain RPM compared to the SOHC engines which (a lot of people should keep in mind!) were made for economy use. These engines will be classic someday as they can easily be built up using parts from other Honda B series cars that were produced here in America, and also including the JDM Civic Type R and Integra Type R.

In the worse way of explaining this without throwing out so much detail, that's what I can tell you about the history of Honda's VTEC engines... but you should search it up or go to (I think it's...) howstuffworks.com. Anyway, hope I helped. I'm goin to bed. zzzzzzzzzzz

 
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I can't remember where I read this, Consumer Reports or something like that. With manual transmission, to get the highest MPG possible, try to keep RPMs at or below 3,000. Just try to find a point close to 3,000 to shift without having that lag like you shifting too early. Of course, if you're looking for aggressive style, then toss this logic out the window.

R.S.

 
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<< shifting that low is bad for the engine!! cant you tell by the low unhealthy strain you hear at the bottom of the gear you shift into at 2200 RPM???? unless your going downhill all the time- i think thats way too low to shift at with any car

just my .02 >>

You're right. That is bad shifting... you'll be using more gas that way. (It's kinda like misusing your engine if you don't let it rev.) You're just revving the engine for christ sakes, and your car will last 5 years that way. j/k You're not hurting your car when you're revving it. LoL, I dunno what's up with you guys and hearing the engine rev.

Some people think revving is bad on the engine when it's not... it's just spinning fast. THAT'S WHY IT'S A MANUAL TRANSMISSION. If you have any type of forced induction on your car, then that's when the engine is taking it's toll. Otherwise, you see that redline for the RPM gauge? It's there for a reason... that's the place where your engine shouldn't go because you'll ruin your transmission redlining it but thankfully there's a rev limiter.

Some people think it's bad on gas mileage. You guys have definitely been brought up on automatic transmissions, I can tell. Gas goes in differently than an automatic (which is why manuals save more gas than automatics.) You're not using THAT much gas unless you're racing for quite a bit of time. Yeah, you'll use a tad bit more but it's really not that much but hey, it's your car. I'm not trying to tell anyone how to shift, but I just think they also shouldn't worry about gas mileage that much in terms of hearing the engine go BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

 
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<< I can't remember where I read this, Consumer Reports or something like that. With manual transmission, to get the highest MPG possible, try to keep RPMs at or below 3,000. Just try to find a point close to 3,000 to shift without having that lag like you shifting too early. Of course, if you're looking for aggressive style, then toss this logic out the window.

R.S. >>

You are right. Thanks for your input on gas mileage... but I still believe if it's too low, your car is not gonna drive (or sound) well driving. So personally, anywhere around 3,000RPMs suits me.

 
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you're not hurting your car if you bumble down a 40 mph road in 5th gear at 1900rpm, when im not trying for any performance i'll usually shift 1st-2nd-5th on most 25&35mph roads, you wont have any acceleration to speak of but its not hard on your engine, its actually easy on it.... revving your motor over and over and over is not easy on it, no matter how advanced our honda motors are. if you're easy on your car it will last longer, thats the bottom line. Its not a strain on your engine below 2500rpm, you just arent going to be developing any power. Shifting your car at 6500rpm every single 1st-2nd shift IS going to hurt the car and IS going to have a negative effect on your mileage.

edit again : the redline is for your engine, your engine is not just "spinning fast" at higher rpm, your pistons are moving faster which puts more strain on the con rods and boss pins, and the valves are moving much faster, straining your valve springs. ever heard of an engine having its valves "float" at high rpm? also, you have to think about oil pumps and oil supply to the journals at that kind of engine speed. Dont get me wrong, I rev to 6750 a few times here and there, but I know its not easy on my engine

 
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<< so what is a good place to shift a non VTEC engine at? >>



Read your manual....

 
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<< you're not hurting your car if you bumble down a 40 mph road in 5th gear at 1900rpm, when im not trying for any performance i'll usually shift 1st-2nd-5th on most 25&35mph roads, you wont have any acceleration to speak of but its not hard on your engine, its actually easy on it.... revving your motor over and over and over is not easy on it, no matter how advanced our honda motors are. if you're easy on your car it will last longer, thats the bottom line. Its not a strain on your engine below 2500rpm, you just arent going to be developing any power. Shifting your car at 6500rpm every single 1st-2nd shift IS going to hurt the car and IS going to have a negative effect on your mileage.

edit again : the redline is for your engine, your engine is not just "spinning fast" at higher rpm, your pistons are moving faster which puts more strain on the con rods and boss pins, and the valves are moving much faster, straining your valve springs. ever heard of an engine having its valves "float" at high rpm? also, you have to think about oil pumps and oil supply to the journals at that kind of engine speed. Dont get me wrong, I rev to 6750 a few times here and there, but I know its not easy on my engine >>

If you say so. :-D

 
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yes thats right AND DONT YOU FORGET IT HOW DARE YOU [IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]

have a beer my fellow oaklandville member [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG]

 
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i dunno.....1900 rpm in 5th gear sounds like a bad idea to me [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-puke.gif[/IMG]. unless your going downhill, or cruisin on a flat strech; you will have close to no power at all, and stepping on the gas wont help much in this case either. sounds to me like you should be in 3rd or maybe 4th gear. I would never consider shifting 1, 2, 5... unless i took 1st and 2nd all the way up to redline (or damn close)- to get me up to 60 or 70 mph.

 
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If your just driving it you will save gas at low RPM's in 5th.

 
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<< i dunno.....1900 rpm in 5th gear sounds like a bad idea to me [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-puke.gif[/IMG]. unless your going downhill, or cruisin on a flat strech; you will have close to no power at all, and stepping on the gas wont help much in this case either. sounds to me like you should be in 3rd or maybe 4th gear. I would never consider shifting 1, 2, 5... unless i took 1st and 2nd all the way up to redline (or damn close)- to get me up to 60 or 70 mph. >>



why not, its not hurting your engine... like AJ means if your not racing save some gas and some wear