What RPM should I be shifting at?
- Thread starter Tscott
- Start date
Not me .
First ,I set my steering wheel where I can't see it .
Second , the light's parameters don't matter if you aren't geared close to stock
Third , I have always considered it a suggested shift point , not mandatory
Last ,and this is the real reason why I could care less about the light, I drive my TJ by how I I want to treat it: I don't want it screamed or lugged , the clutch abused or the transmission jerked around.
I'm watching the tach and listening to the engine .
If the light is on the money , that's fine , but the road, incline /grade, gear and throttle position, along with rpm is what I go by.
First ,I set my steering wheel where I can't see it .
Second , the light's parameters don't matter if you aren't geared close to stock
Third , I have always considered it a suggested shift point , not mandatory
Last ,and this is the real reason why I could care less about the light, I drive my TJ by how I I want to treat it: I don't want it screamed or lugged , the clutch abused or the transmission jerked around.
I'm watching the tach and listening to the engine .
If the light is on the money , that's fine , but the road, incline /grade, gear and throttle position, along with rpm is what I go by.
Nope, that's why the EPA changed the way they measured fuel economy in 2008. To match how people drive these days.
Yes I have but it's almost like you don't understand I'm not stating my opinion on when to shift, I'm suggesting you to listen to Jeep if you want to know when to shift for economy. I hope that makes sense. That's exactly why I say things like "I don't know anything, that's why I listen to Chrysler" so you understand this isn't my opinion on the subject.
With a bit less than full throttle input, the 42 in my 04 TJ Unlimited shifts over 3600 and generally up to just shy of 4000.
jesseshoots
TJ Enthusiast
I have a '97 sport with an ax15. It has the shift light. I started out trying to shift by it and quickly realized there was no hope.
I shift from first to second around 2-2500 but all the others typically 3500-4000. I like to have fun with the thing on the road. Hell it drives great on the winding mountain roads and around town. I’m always impressed with how well it can keep up with stock vehicles when it has 37”s.
DustyRhodes03
TJ Enthusiast
Maybe my gearing is off cause there's no way I could shift at 3000 or 3500.
2500 is probably the highest I can shift my Jeep. And by 2500 its screaming for the next gear.
2500 is probably the highest I can shift my Jeep. And by 2500 its screaming for the next gear.
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I used to shift at 2k 2,200 rpm.
Avg'd 13mpg.
33's with 3.07 gearing.
I realised that I was pushing the pedal to much while I was in low rpms when shifting like this. Started shifting at 2750-3000, I actually gained mpg, to 15mpg. And I'm way less into the gas pedal this way as well.
Shift when you want, do some testing on a few tanks of gas, see what you think works best, and what gets the results you like.
And like was said before, it's not a hot rod. It definitely IS a tractor.
Avg'd 13mpg.
33's with 3.07 gearing.
I realised that I was pushing the pedal to much while I was in low rpms when shifting like this. Started shifting at 2750-3000, I actually gained mpg, to 15mpg. And I'm way less into the gas pedal this way as well.
Shift when you want, do some testing on a few tanks of gas, see what you think works best, and what gets the results you like.
And like was said before, it's not a hot rod. It definitely IS a tractor.
All instrument clusters after a certain year have the shift light, regardless of transmission. On automatics and Jeeps equipped with the NSG370 (05-06 only) it is not used. The 05-06 factory service manuals actually point it out on the instrument cluster information section and just refer to it as “not used”.
I guess "folks that design and build vehicles" really do know something!
DustyRhodes03
TJ Enthusiast
Now you have to share. What is your gearing, transmission and tire?
As far as I know the gears have never been changed. At least the person I bought it off of wasnt aware of it being done so who knows really. But otherwise they're whatever came stock on a 2000 Sport
Other than that just a 4.0 5-speed with 31"s
DustyRhodes03
TJ Enthusiast
It sounds like your idea of a screaming engine is different than mine is.
I doubt it lol it's not only how it sounds. I can feel it in the throttle, at 2300-2500 it has that peppy throttle response as if its ready for the next gear. 3000-3500 and the nose would drop when I let off the gas. I'll take a video next time I have a passenger with me.
Trust me, 2500 rpms with our engines is not "screaming for the next gear", that is less than 50% of its top safe rpm. You just have to get used to what is normal and shifting at 2500 is just too low of an rpm to shift at for most driving situations. Our Jeep 2.5 and 4.0 engines are commonly called "tractor engines" due to their near bulletproof design and strength. Don't be afraid of using higher rpms, they're where the engine runs best at.
To give you real-world example of that... my engine was at 2300 rpms or so on the highway with 35" tires at 70 mph or so and it was lugging. It never even made it quite to 12 mpg. I regeared the axles to 5.38 (I have the 42RLE automatic transmission) which raised my 70 mph rpms to around 2600-2650 or so. The engine just ran better at those cruising rpms and the mpg went up over 2 mpg, it now regularly gets 14.6 or 14.7, well over 2 mpg better, at the slightly higher cruising rpms.
Keep in mind that lower rpms are not always better.
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When accelerating I shift at about 3000-3500. Cruising I try to keep the RPMs close to 2000 on flat ground, 2500 on mild hills.
When accelerating hard I will shift at 5000, and when climbing steeper hills on highways I’ll keep the RPMs around 4500 or so for a few minutes.
When accelerating hard I will shift at 5000, and when climbing steeper hills on highways I’ll keep the RPMs around 4500 or so for a few minutes.
I don't doubt that too much. However, by shifting too low, the next gear starts off even lower. That's not to say there isn't a time and place for cruising at a low rpm, but I can't agree that should be normal driving.
I've almost stopped participating in these discussions. One, I have a 2.5 / AX-5. Two, hardly anyone who isn't already a convert can be convinced to shift around the torque peak or just past anyway. Cruise at a couple of hundred RPM below peak torque for awhile, and tell us what you think.