coldel Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 ...needed a mindless distraction from some intense work I am doing here in the office so downloaded the 350z manual and flicked to a random page. Read about recommended gear changes and max speed in each gear. Max speed in 2nd gear = 60mph Also... It recommends shifting into 6th gear at 33mph Six gears to get to 33mph...really? Does anyone actually use 6th or even 5th gear around town? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 all the time, car is perfectly happy in 6th at 30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coldel Posted May 26, 2011 Author Share Posted May 26, 2011 I guess near where I live if you do on the rare occasion get to 30mph you have had to hit the brake before you have had a chance to change up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 30mph in 6th is pushing it, any acceleration and the engine labours like buggery which isn't good. It will take it though. I used to stick to the old 'one gear for every 10mph' rule and it never saw me wrong. It's one thing to potter around in 6th at 30mph for fuel consumption purposes, but it's bad driving practice as you can then leave yourself in a situation when you really need a quick blast of acceleration to get yourself out of a pickle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozz Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 30mph in 6th is pushing it, any acceleration and the engine labours like buggery which isn't good. It will take it though. I used to stick to the old 'one gear for every 10mph' rule and it never saw me wrong. It's one thing to potter around in 6th at 30mph for fuel consumption purposes, but it's bad driving practice as you can then leave yourself in a situation when you really need a quick blast of acceleration to get yourself out of a pickle. See now I would agree completely with this, but then why would the manual state it as its produced by the people most familiar with the cars capabilities. I wouldn't normally dream of dropping into 6th that low but perhaps I'll try it. I'm sure my dad used to say it could damage the engine dropping into 5th below 40. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I would like to note there isn't much in the way of hills here so it doesn't have to labour at all on the flat, any kind of incline and it wouldn't like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 My lightweight flywheel would jump out and throttle me if I went 30mph in 6th! Can't see a reason for racing to 6th gear by 30mph as the engine labours, sounds awful and probably uses more fuel.... What revs would you be at? Anything close to or under 2k and my flywheel groans Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I'm actually going to go out and check Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I'm actually going to go out and check Have you actually ever driven at just 30mph anywhere.... ever..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 People may think it is more fuel efficient but it may be more as the engine has to work harder in the lower range. Best too keep the revs over 2500 is my opinion! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjim Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I use 6th for 30... flats or going slightly downhill. (Unless I need engine braking, obviously) She is fine unless you need to power out, as Dan says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I'm actually going to go out and check Have you actually ever driven at just 30mph anywhere.... ever..... despite the current welsh evidence yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LordGrover Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 To illustrate why a high gear is showing a lack of mechanical sympathy, try to think of pulling away on a push bike in top gear, or even just going very slowly. It takes a lot more effort - same as your poor little 3.5l V6. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slimjim Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 To illustrate why a high gear is showing a lack of mechanical sympathy, try to think of pulling away on a push bike in top gear, or even just going very slowly. It takes a lot more effort - same as your poor little 3.5l V6. but if you are all ready up to speed.... and on the flat... you have to work less to pedal in top gear.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 i wouldn't suggest you use 6th at 30mph to accelerate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 i wouldn't suggest you use 6th at 30mph to accelerate +1 too much strain on the engine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DannyBoy Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I remember reading a really in-depth thread on an american forum which was debating something similar, and apparently the idea of low revs putting massive strain on the engine is actually not true. The argument goes that the slightly increased cylinder pressures that are caused by flooring it at low revs are far less damaging than the inertial forces on an engine at very high revs. I'll admit, the noise it makes when you floor it in 6th at 30 makes you cringe, but apparently it does less damage than when it's making a fantastic noise at 6500rpm... who'da thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookbot Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Since having my light weight single mass flywheel, I've been keeping the revs above 2500 and the economy seems to have gone up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltzinblack Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I used to stick to the old 'one gear for every 10mph' rule and it never saw me wrong. It's one thing to potter around in 6th at 30mph for fuel consumption purposes, but it's bad driving practice as you can then leave yourself in a situation when you really need a quick blast of acceleration to get yourself out of a pickle. I've also always stuck to that, most cars I've driven seem happy changing gear every 10mph. In the Zed, I find that doing that makes for the smoothest gear change, change up any earlier or later and there's always a tiny little judder! As for the fuel economy thing, I'm not so sure that 6th in 30 would be best for that. A friend who is a driving instructor told me that high gear/low revs doesn't always work for fuel economy, if you were in 6th at 30 and needed to accelerate, you'd either have to put in a lot more throttle compared to say 4th gear, which wastes more fuel, or you'd have to change down to accelerate and then change back up to 6th, the gearchanges using a little more fuel than if you had just stayed in one gear. And again, if you had to slow down to like 20, you'd probably have to change down as well, whereas if you were just in 4th you wouldn't have to change gear at all. And I was always led to believe that changing gear wastes a lot of fuel if you do it a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 This thread is a joke, isn't it? Please tell me it is. 30 in 6th................. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 if it wasn't for the fact my car was on stilts at the moment i would go and take a video of it being fine. You put a racing flywheel etc on then you pay the price My engine runs perfectly smoothly and is happy at that speed with no grumble or complaint. If i get to a hill i change down, if i slow down i change down, if i want to rapidly accelerate i change down. Also worth noting that my zed will accelerate in 6th from 30mph without making too much fuss. How many people have tuned their cars for more BHP while losing torque...? plenum spacer anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricey Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 30 in 6th has worked for me too........as said wouldn't really want to accelerate in it but for general bumping along in a 30 zone its fine for me...........if for no better reason than it stops you accidentally accelerating breaking the speed limit..............doesn't it Husky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 Only time I ever used 6th was when cruising on the motorway I was always taught 1 gear per 10mph though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Husky Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 its a 3.5V6 i dont think the lessons learned in a 1L learner wagon quite translate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted May 26, 2011 Share Posted May 26, 2011 I usually use 4th in heavy traffic at 30, if there's not much on the road then 5th. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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