Best shifting for maximum gas mileage?

[RhainyC]

I have a 4.0L with a 5spd and am trying to maximize my gas mileage...

So what would the best shifting range be? I know that her sweet spot for cruisin' down the road is btwn 2500-3000rpm, but, should I be taking her up past say 3500-4000rpm then allowing her to drop back into the sweet spot as I am accelerating? Or should I try to short shift her?

I am being kind of AR about this I am sure...but seriously with gas at nearly $4.00 per gallon here, every penny counts, which is why I now drive 60mph on the freeway instead of the allowable 70mph. I also tend to drive about 5mph lower than the posted speed on surface streets too...just call me Granny Rhainy! :

 

[snoborder42]

I tend to shift my expo around 2500-3000, and get around 17-18 with mixed driving.

I tried shifting between 2000-2300 and my mileage was actually worse, I think that it never got to the true powerband so I was having to use more throttle to get things going.

 

[lycan91]

i shift about 3grand. my milage sucks anyways. but thats where i feel comfortable shifting.

 

[Glen4X4]

Not sure what the landscape is like where you live, but personally in my explorer's that were 5spd's on pretty much flat land I'd shift bout 1 1/2 grand sometimes 2grand just don't jump on the throttle hard after puttin it in gear, my gas mileage was fair when doing that, but sucked when going to 2 1/2.

 

[rwenzing]

You will get significantly better fuel economy with a manual if you short shift it (2000 RPM or less) and use 3/4 to wide open throttle while accelerating. Low RPM reduces frictional losses and near-zero vacuum reduces pumping losses. You must do both to get the maximum effect.

Do not use full throttle when RPMs are greater than 2000 because the calibration will take the A/F mixture into power enrichment.

BTW, the low RPM/big throttle technique can't be done with most automatics. For improved FE with an automatic, use light throttle and keep the RPM and road speeds as low as practical.

 

[RhainyC]

I tend to shift my expo around 2500-3000, and get around 17-18 with mixed driving.

I tried shifting between 2000-2300 and my mileage was actually worse, I think that it never got to the true powerband so I was having to use more throttle to get things going.

Sno, yeah Shady does not like me lugging her at all...I did try short shifting and she just seems to kind of shudder. I know she probably needs a tune up and such, but for now, when at highway speeds I do try to keep her in the sweet spot, which for her seems to be about 2500rpm's in 5th, at about 65mph.


rwenzing, I have tried to short shift but she doesn't seem to like the low rpms...could it be the gearing that is causing that issue? Or is it most likely a tune-up issue? I am pretty new to computer'ed motors and fuel injection, so my learning curve is kind of high...sorry if the questions seem silly.

For what it's worth most of my driving is on fairly flat farmland type roads at btwn 45-70mph, with few stop signs and such. Pretty straight forward...

 

[Burns]

I also shift at 3000 and sometime i let it hang till 4500 hehe just kidding


3000 is my shift point.

I get 16-17 every tank

 

[rwenzing]

rwenzing, I have tried to short shift but she doesn't seem to like the low rpms...could it be the gearing that is causing that issue? Or is it most likely a tune-up issue? I am pretty new to computer'ed motors and fuel injection, so my learning curve is kind of high...sorry if the questions seem silly.

The engine should run smoothly when short shifted but the acceleration will be "leisurely". The Mazda manual transmission used in Rangers really doesn't like the low RPMs and tends to have a lot of gear growl when short shifted. It is unpleasant to listen to but should do no damage. If you can adjust to this technique, you should see a measurable increase in FE. Of course, you'd also want to do all of the usual common sense things - keep up on your maintenance, no long morning warmups, combine trips, don't carry around unneeded weight in the truck, keep your speed down.

 

[Anime]

The gearing seems to make a difference in whether or not you can short shift, with the lower geared rigs (3.73, 4.10) able to short shift, and the higher geared (3.27, 3.55) not as easily short shifted without lugging. Of course weight comes into play too, the lighter ranger standard cab, unloaded, will probably short shift better than say, a loaded up 4-door Explorer. Basically you just have to play around with what you have and see what works for your ride. I seem to be able to short shift just at or slightly over 2000 RPM, either downhill or on mostly level ground with enough momentum, with ~2200-2300 being normal, and ~2500 the point for max torque if needed.

 

[Totalled]

The gearing seems to make a difference in whether or not you can short shift, with the lower geared rigs (3.73, 4.10) able to short shift, and the higher geared (3.27, 3.55) not as easily short shifted without lugging. Of course weight comes into play too, the lighter ranger standard cab, unloaded, will probably short shift better than say, a loaded up 4-door Explorer. Basically you just have to play around with what you have and see what works for your ride. I seem to be able to short shift just at or slightly over 2000 RPM, either downhill or on mostly level ground with enough momentum, with ~2200-2300 being normal, and ~2500 the point for max torque if needed.

Yeah. I've noticed allot of those 2nd gen 4.0 rangers had 3.08 gears, which definitely wouldn't like short shifting.

I have 3.73s in my explorer and I can make turns in town in 3rd gear and accelerate without lugging. Of course, I also have a 2.9L M5OD in my explorer, so the gear ratios in 1-2-3 are different than a 4.0 M5OD, and that effects it too.