Don't be silly, fifth gear at sixty is only 3000 RPM. Redline is 7000....

 

You sound like an engine lugger to me. You'll be all carboned up and creaky by 50k.

 

I did lots of city driving today and was able to get a better handle on the shifting and keeping it in that 2000-2500 rpm range and was able to hear/feel when to shift. When i get on the highway I take at 6000+ and she was flying!!!! It's gonna take some time to get it right but it'll come cause I can't stop driving it!!!!!

 

I dunno about you guys but I have 3.73s on a brembo car and 1st gear might as well be a granny/burnout gear lol...I'm starting out in 2nd gear just as smooth if not smoother than first for the sake of saving that fuel. I use first of coarse whenever a Camaro or Challenger decides to play though =)

I am averaging 20 MPG city driving in hill country after 2300 miles...I try to shift around 2100 RPM in each gear when I'm being fuel conscious.

RPMS matter to an extent, but its more about smooth and smart driving! =)

 

Hey Nemo, I take it to the track, shift at redline, and will tune and modify the car. WTF is your point? Because none of that has anything at all to do with cruising around town at 3000 rpm when you could easily be at half that.

 

I don't believe ducky has a V8 mustang.

 

Orly? And why is that?

 

Hey Ducky, no offense meant but I mIght have been a little sarcastic. Glad you're getting to have fun with your car. Still think 1000 rpm is far too low for any normal driving. 2000 to 2500 rpm is a better cruise area. I suppose the OP wanted some advice on shifting and manual driving and he is certainly getting it. I am sure he will be glad for all the view points.

And BTW Adam 2004, I don't think it matters shift-wise between the 6 and 8 cyl.

Have fun guys,

Cheers.

 

1k -1.2k RPM does just fine for easy cruising with no acceleration. Cruise control set, level road, etc. The Ti-VCT will adjust to keep the car running right, and the power this thing has doesnt struggle to coast along at that low RPM. I never dropped below about 1500 in my 4.0 because it lugged. But it was a weaker motor without the variable cams.

 

you picked a **** poor time to relearn how to drive a manual. a 430hp car will get you wrecked. just sayin man. its a lot of car to start in.

 

Depends if he is the kind of newbie that floors the car at every stop, or stalls it constantly. Stalling will never send him into a light pole haha. At least the car is tame if you want it to be.

 

1000 - 1200 is definitely too low for constant travel.
Think about it - you have to spin the mass of not only the lower end (which includes the oil pump that you are running super low spd), but you have 4 cams pushing on 32 valves via chain drive (plus propelling the almost 2t vehicle forward). Running super low rpm's not only is causing the engine to run harder on its bearings to fight the 5.0's higher compression and the drag of the components (plus vehicle weight plus aero drag), but the oil pump may not being spinning enough to provide plenty of oil to the upper cyl head, OHC assembly, timing chains, and the TiVCT hydraulic system - which needs oil flow/pressure!!
With higher rpm's you are gaining the benefit of momentum of the internals and the flywheel.
The engineers designed this engine ro RUN - not idle its life away.
I'm mean why did you bother buying a 5.0 Mustang??
Nothing personal, but I have enough of a mechanics mind & years of amateur experience that I would never want to buy your car when you're done with it.

 

Do you have a 5.0?

 

And that matters how?

I've been going deep inside DOHC's/multi-valves since '77.

Its your engine. Go ahead and trash it.

 

Because this is the same as DOHC motor from the 70's right? Take one for a drive, then talk. If you drive one and decide its still too low, fine. At least at that point you're not talking out of your ***.

 

What are you talkin' about? Do you even know? Or just readin' some crap out of a magazine??


I believe the Prius club is still recruiting. LOL

 

I'm talking about you talking like you know when you dont. I dont care how much experience you have with other motors, you dont have any with this one. I do. I've been driving manual vehicles since I was in elementary school, I know what lugging feels and sounds like.

 

This whole thread is pointless now. The OP received his info and is getting a feel for it.

Drive the car any way you want. If you wanna drive like a grandma that's fine. It's your money.

I'd rather drive it like I stole it though.

 

How is it you write a check and put a key in the ignition and suddenly you're an engineering/mechanical expert??

Fine. Let's pretend. That doesn't change the fact that there is a certain mass that has to be turned. (And I bet the 5.0 much moreso than your elementary school vehicle. LOL) There is a certain oil flow that is necessary - even moreso in this engine with advanced hydraulics. [I'm sure Ford has factored that in, but there is no question you are running at the lower end of oil pressure @1200 while simultaneously putting more pressure on the bearings, chains, etc. Have you ever hand cranked a DOHC 4V to set cam timing? Even with no comp (plugs out)?]

The 5.0 is not black magic/super secret as you suggest. Its an OHC internal combustion engine. And the hydraulic operated variable valve timing is not new either.

If you read better, you'll see I'm not driving a '77. But as my tutor Colin Chapman said, "what happens above the cylinder head is more important than what happens below". There's a lot of OHC drag to the 5.0 compared to most vehicles [that's why OHC's need some revs], but you're driving it like a freakin' Pinto.

The peak torque and peak HP for both the 5.0 32V/4cam and the 4.6 24V/2cam is NOT at 1200. What does that tell you?

Not to mention how you are loading up your brand new clean engine with carbon as you idle along through life.



Like I said. Your engine... and you know everything...

 

Drive an automatic 5.0, I'll bet you they never run anywhere near 1000rpm