General Automotive Discussion General automotive discussion and chat. Honda, Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford. It doesn't matter, just talk about it here.

Highway driving = High revving engine

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #1  
7thG2003's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered!!
 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: FL
Rep Power: 0
7thG2003 is an unknown quantity at this point
Highway driving = High revving engine

(I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this)
Hey guys, I just got my civic 5spd recently and I noticed when I drive on the highway the engine revs really high. I'm about to take a road trip so I would like to be cruising at about 80mph but when I go 70 in 5th gear I'm already at ~3500rpm and the engine seems like its begging me to pull off the gas. I know this is normal for our cars because of searching this site (thank you) but I would like to know if I go 80 @ 4000rpm for a couple hours will my gas mileage decrease significantly? and will this lead to premature wear on the engine? My 240SX never revved this high at 70. and my friends 200SX 1.6L does not come even close and he has less hp and torque.
Thanks guys
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #2  
abmerop18's Avatar
Jam out with your clam out.
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (26)
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 21,820
Likes: 1
From: OH-IO
Rep Power: 511
abmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questionedabmerop18 should not be questioned
yes, that kind of RPM @ that speed is normal. i have a 2k2 LX 5-speed and mine is just the same. as for premature wear, im not quite sure, but i would have to guess no.
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #3  
player's Avatar
iTrader: (8)
 
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,730
Likes: 0
From: Colorado USA
Rep Power: 354
player will become famous soon enoughplayer will become famous soon enough
hondas are high reving engines, so no you are not herting the engine at all, as for the revs i thinks it normal, but i wouldnt know as i drive an auto, so mine is a bit lower then that
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #4  
muzhik's Avatar
where ghetto dogs come for the lowdown on deals...
iTrader: (4)
 
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 728
Likes: 0
From: ~NE~
Rep Power: 285
muzhik will become famous soon enoughmuzhik will become famous soon enough
Re: Highway driving = High revving engine

Originally posted by 7thG2003
(I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this)
Hey guys, I just got my civic 5spd recently and I noticed when I drive on the highway the engine revs really high. I'm about to take a road trip so I would like to be cruising at about 80mph but when I go 70 in 5th gear I'm already at ~3500rpm and the engine seems like its begging me to pull off the gas. I know this is normal for our cars because of searching this site (thank you) but I would like to know if I go 80 @ 4000rpm for a couple hours will my gas mileage decrease significantly? and will this lead to premature wear on the engine? My 240SX never revved this high at 70. and my friends 200SX 1.6L does not come even close and he has less hp and torque.
Thanks guys
I took a road trip few months back, and I was going 85-90mph, my gas mileage dropped, I got around 330-340 miles compared to over 400 miles on my regular driving.

Hope this helps, ohh yeah, and mine is 5-speed also, ex '01
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #5  
WD40's Avatar
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 0
From: Corona, California
Rep Power: 0
WD40 is an unknown quantity at this point
Hahaha! Don't worry, you won't hurt the engine at 4,000 RPM.

Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #6  
honda_2k1's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 848
Likes: 0
From: Puerto Rico
Rep Power: 0
honda_2k1 is an unknown quantity at this point
be careful this could be you.

Last edited by honda_2k1; Sep 14, 2003 at 03:46 PM.
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #7  
honda_2k1's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 848
Likes: 0
From: Puerto Rico
Rep Power: 0
honda_2k1 is an unknown quantity at this point
wd 40 your check engine light is on!!
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #8  
sexcivic2k1's Avatar
Banned
iTrader: (7)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 2,760
Likes: 0
From: Alexandria, Virginia, US
Rep Power: 0
sexcivic2k1 is an unknown quantity at this point
Originally posted by honda_2k1
wd 40 your check engine light is on!!

i was just about to say that
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #9  
tripledoublegs's Avatar
Euro-Spec
iTrader: (11)
 
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,960
Likes: 0
From: So Cal, US
Rep Power: 331
tripledoublegs is just really nicetripledoublegs is just really nicetripledoublegs is just really nicetripledoublegs is just really nicetripledoublegs is just really nice
damn man...130?
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #10  
7thG2003's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered!!
 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: FL
Rep Power: 0
7thG2003 is an unknown quantity at this point
muzhik I'm assuming that was 340 miles on a full tank....so that's about 25-26 mpg on the highway, hmm not good....I guess I'll just fix the engine noise by cranking up the radio.... WD 40 that is madness!!thanks for all the input guys
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #11  
civicvtec1ps's Avatar
Search and Learn
iTrader: (34)
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 14,004
Likes: 0
From: 909, Socal
Rep Power: 432
civicvtec1ps is just really nicecivicvtec1ps is just really nicecivicvtec1ps is just really nicecivicvtec1ps is just really nicecivicvtec1ps is just really nice
340 tahts alot of miles for full tank . i dont even get 300 miles haha
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #12  
gearbox's Avatar
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (95)
 
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 51,241
Likes: 20
From: NV
Rep Power: 811
gearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond reputegearbox has a reputation beyond repute
My new record is 22mpg!
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #13  
TheHughMan's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 157
Likes: 0
From: Houston, Texas, US
Rep Power: 0
TheHughMan should not be trusted
i got 43 miles to the gallon going between 75-80 for about 144 miles
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #14  
PicCoLoboi02's Avatar
Registered!!
iTrader: (12)
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 1,310
Likes: 0
From: Sac, California, US
Rep Power: 0
PicCoLoboi02 is on a distinguished road
Originally posted by honda_2k1
wd 40 your check engine light is on!!
I'm thinking that he has an aftermarket downpipe (no cat)..that's what is setting it off.
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #15  
Boilermaker1's Avatar
Jap-Euro Fusion
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (16)
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,151
Likes: 3
From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424
Boilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to behold
The car doesn't care. Its designed to run like that. Its an itty bitty engine, it needs to rev to make any sort of power. I took a 700 mile road trip last month and AVERAGED 36 to the gallon. It was all highway, mostly at 73 mph.
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #16  
Drnknmnky13's Avatar
Registered!!
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore,MD US
Rep Power: 0
Drnknmnky13 is an unknown quantity at this point
the faster you go..the worse your gas milage will be. That true in any car. if you could do the whole trip at 50mph you would get great gas milage. It wont hurt the car though.
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #17  
Drnknmnky13's Avatar
Registered!!
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,255
Likes: 0
From: Baltimore,MD US
Rep Power: 0
Drnknmnky13 is an unknown quantity at this point
Re: Re: Highway driving = High revving engine

Originally posted by muzhik
I took a road trip few months back, and I was going 85-90mph, my gas mileage dropped, I got around 330-340 miles compared to over 400 miles on my regular driving.

Hope this helps, ohh yeah, and mine is 5-speed also, ex '01

Jeeeeeeeez. I get 330 to 340 if I'm lucky. I average about 300. Damn sticky 215 17's. And stupid hills.
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #18  
SlammedBlueEM2's Avatar
All Eyes On Z
iTrader: (2)
 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,487
Likes: 0
From: asdfjkl;
Rep Power: 0
SlammedBlueEM2 is on a distinguished road
I got 343 MPG to the gallon, and that was with a lot of hard driving.
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #19  
Renamazazo's Avatar
Registered!!
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,668
Likes: 0
From: Redmond, Washington, US
Rep Power: 0
Renamazazo is an unknown quantity at this point
Uh... Your gas milage will be more effected by things like leaving the AC on all the time, and any extra weight you don't need to be hauling around.

It also depends more on how many times you slow down and speed up.
Reply
Old Sep 14, 2003
  #20  
IronFist's Avatar
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (3)
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 22,702
Likes: 0
From: Chicago Burbs, Other, ZEBRA
Rep Power: 527
IronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond reputeIronFist has a reputation beyond repute
I thought it was RPMs and not speed that caused gas mileage to be affected.

I guess speed would, too, though, due to wind resistance.

But I assume like 55mph @ 6400rpm would get worse gas mileage than 60mph @ 3000rpm.
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #21  
mk32382's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Rep Power: 0
mk32382 is an unknown quantity at this point
Wow...you guys seem to be getting not-so-great mileage. My fuel light usually turns on at 350-360...and when I fill up I only need about 10 gallons. So this establishes two things...My fuel light is the three gallon mark (woot for reserves!) and that I am getting about 36 miles a gallon...mostly doing 80+ on the highway, but with some city driving interspersed. So, I am getting pretty damn near the advertised 38 mpg highway.
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #22  
mk32382's Avatar
Registered!!
 
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Rep Power: 0
mk32382 is an unknown quantity at this point
Also, mpg is a bell curve...cars have an optimal cruising efficient speed. Also, keeping the AC on on the highway is more gas-efficient than leaving all the windows open. All windows+moonroof open is a LOT of drag.
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #23  
Boilermaker1's Avatar
Jap-Euro Fusion
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (16)
 
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,151
Likes: 3
From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 424
Boilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to behold
Cruising at speed doesn't really waste that much gas. Go test drive a BMW... just drive down the highway and look at the MPG gauge in the cluster. You can be doing 75 MPG and the car is instantaneously getting 30 MPG. Then just accelerate a little bit. As you step on the gas, the gauge goes down less than 12 (according to my dad's trip computer, WOT is 7.8 MPG). They also cruise 75 at about 3400 RPM. Sure doing 55 gets you better milage, but with the cruise control set on, all the car really has to do is keep moving. Hook up an A/F gauge, you'll find that with the cruise control on the car basically goes into lazy mode, it runs lean, because all it has to do is stay on at a constant rate. It isn't doing much work because the momentum of the car and the rotating inertia of the crankshaft keeps things going. Also what's 5th... .74:1 or something? So at 3500 RPM, the wheels are moving at about 2600 RPM. Once again... even less work the engine actually has to do.
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #24  
nookiemonster's Avatar
RESIDENT ROTOR HEAD
 
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 3,207
Likes: 0
From: , Other, ZEBRA
Rep Power: 328
nookiemonster is a glorious beacon of lightnookiemonster is a glorious beacon of lightnookiemonster is a glorious beacon of lightnookiemonster is a glorious beacon of lightnookiemonster is a glorious beacon of light
Check this out man, I drove from LA to vegas a couple weeks ago, did it in three hours, and only burned a half tank of gas going about 90 the whole way back (it was late at night). LA is about 286 miles away from vegas by the way. Yeah it amazed the hell out of me since I usually get about 300 to 350 miles to a tank in the city...

(2k1 EX coupe w/ 42k miles) I believe the engine was revving at about 4k
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #25  
OsOBooSTeD's Avatar
OsOBaNNeD
iTrader: (5)
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 3,959
Likes: 0
Rep Power: 0
OsOBooSTeD is an unknown quantity at this point
Re: Highway driving = High revving engine

Originally posted by 7thG2003
My 240SX never revved this high at 70. and my friends 200SX 1.6L does not come even close and he has less hp and torque.
Thanks guys
you cannot compare another car to ours.. especially a 240sx... redline in that car is what like 5500 at most?
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #26  
WD40's Avatar
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 0
From: Corona, California
Rep Power: 0
WD40 is an unknown quantity at this point
Originally posted by PicCoLoboi02
I'm thinking that he has an aftermarket downpipe (no cat)..that's what is setting it off.
Actually my engine is bone stock. The only thing I've done to the airflow system is remove the resonator. I still have the stock airbox and everything. The check engine light came on shortly after I bought the car and I never bothered to find out why. Might have had something to do with removing the resonator. *shrug* I'm not too worried about it.

Speaking of mileage... I set a new personal record for worst mileage the other night. I did the 30-mile run from my girlfriend's house to mine going 120-130mph the vast majority of the way. I calculated that I got 7.5MPG on that run. That's some serious fuel consumption for a 4-banger! I got that kind of mileage when I drove my roommate's Corvette.
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #27  
WannaBFast's Avatar
Prowlin' with a Purpose
iTrader: (16)
 
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 5,239
Likes: 0
From: Minnesota
Rep Power: 338
WannaBFast will become famous soon enoughWannaBFast will become famous soon enough
ive done 42mpg going about 300 miles in fog at night going 70mph@3500rpm.. so tahts about where the key fuel economy setting is at.. altho i did have the cruise on for the majority of the trip
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #28  
7thG2003's Avatar
Thread Starter
Registered!!
 
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 57
Likes: 0
From: FL
Rep Power: 0
7thG2003 is an unknown quantity at this point
OsOBooSTeD I wasn't really comparing the our cars to my 240sx b/c I know they're two different animals. I was refering to the gearing of the cars. and the 240sx DOHC engines redlines the same as the civics (7000 RPM). Anyways according to some members' posts, they seem to be getting pretty good mileage on the highway(excluding some people getting an SUV 22 and 7 mpg hehe) so i'm not that worried. I'll just get used to it like you guys have.
Attached Thumbnails Click image for larger version

Name:	240_civic_engines.jpg
Views:	150
Size:	39.2 KB
ID:	9297  
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #29  
cryption's Avatar
2003 Nissan Frontier
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 6,137
Likes: 0
From: Houston
Rep Power: 0
cryption should not be trusted
yeah i get horrible mileage, i never know why. Even on highway driving, I've never gotten 300 miles to a full tank.
Reply
Old Sep 15, 2003
  #30  
WD40's Avatar
iTrader: (1)
 
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 1,223
Likes: 0
From: Corona, California
Rep Power: 0
WD40 is an unknown quantity at this point
I get somewhere between 210 and 270 miles per full tank. I drive hard though.
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:47 AM.