What RPM to run
#1
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What RPM to run
Just learning my R3. Have read a lot, at least peripheral to the subject. I have not been able to dervie a clear conclusion.
I've seen many folks write to run it to redline once a day or once a week. Others say drive it like you stole it all the time. All for best longevity.
My experience so far (a couple of days) is that the car likes it most when your foot is not fully it. It really likes modest throttle from a stop where it winds up and seems to be enthusiastic to pull itself through up to 8500 rpm while it sings. I get the sense this is not stressful on the engine. I also have a Miata NB 1, and it too likes to rev, but no like the 8. So far with the eight I find it is easy to be on the freeway, and running 7000rpm, even at modest speed.
So my further questions are related to longevity.
1) Is it a good idea to run the Series II engine freely at high rpm for longer periods, in a non-stressful way, fuel efficiency not withstanding?
2) Or do we want to cruise at lower rpm from a wear and tear stand point?
3) Is is OK to repeatedly put your foot into it up to 8000 rpm (more than a dozen times daily) to get up to speed, and then cruise (at high or low rpm) with less stress?
4) Or is it better to let the car pull itself through to high rpm (not have your foot in it) and then cruise at high or low rpm?, or;
5) Not utilize high rpm during acceleration to cruising speed and thereafter?
Thanks for your thoughts.
I've seen many folks write to run it to redline once a day or once a week. Others say drive it like you stole it all the time. All for best longevity.
My experience so far (a couple of days) is that the car likes it most when your foot is not fully it. It really likes modest throttle from a stop where it winds up and seems to be enthusiastic to pull itself through up to 8500 rpm while it sings. I get the sense this is not stressful on the engine. I also have a Miata NB 1, and it too likes to rev, but no like the 8. So far with the eight I find it is easy to be on the freeway, and running 7000rpm, even at modest speed.
So my further questions are related to longevity.
1) Is it a good idea to run the Series II engine freely at high rpm for longer periods, in a non-stressful way, fuel efficiency not withstanding?
2) Or do we want to cruise at lower rpm from a wear and tear stand point?
3) Is is OK to repeatedly put your foot into it up to 8000 rpm (more than a dozen times daily) to get up to speed, and then cruise (at high or low rpm) with less stress?
4) Or is it better to let the car pull itself through to high rpm (not have your foot in it) and then cruise at high or low rpm?, or;
5) Not utilize high rpm during acceleration to cruising speed and thereafter?
Thanks for your thoughts.
#2
Scrappy
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1) The engine doesn't care.
2) The engine really doesn't care.
3) Yes, but the engine doesn't really care.
4) It's not better on fuel consumption, but the engine doesn't care.
5) High load+low engine speed=low combustion temperature, so carbon can build up more readily by doing this. It's not recommended. The same goes for any higher load, lower rpm driving (don't putt around town in 6th).
2) The engine really doesn't care.
3) Yes, but the engine doesn't really care.
4) It's not better on fuel consumption, but the engine doesn't care.
5) High load+low engine speed=low combustion temperature, so carbon can build up more readily by doing this. It's not recommended. The same goes for any higher load, lower rpm driving (don't putt around town in 6th).
#3
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Generally speaking, every 50 miles on the highway I blow it out. Drop it down a gear or two and give it the beans (while obviously following legal speed limits and such) cough cough. Beyond that, car likes it more when it gets to do lots of high speed cornering. It's a slow car that's a hell of a lot of fun to drive fast, so that's how I handle it. I don't use cruise control, or rarely. I prefer to keep the RPM varying slightly during driving, and really these cars cruise pretty easily. Did 1600 miles home from MD to CO with my mechanic. Made it entertaining as we'd go from state to state to state, checking the oil at every stop. Was hilarious as people were asking us what it was, had never seen one before, never even heard of a rotary. Good times...
Anyway, TL;DR - Drive it in any gear but 6th in town. On the highway cruise as you like. I like to "blow it out" every 50mi. It's also obnoxiously loud so if I just happen to be next to a highway wall or something that's a bonus.
Anyway, TL;DR - Drive it in any gear but 6th in town. On the highway cruise as you like. I like to "blow it out" every 50mi. It's also obnoxiously loud so if I just happen to be next to a highway wall or something that's a bonus.
#4
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You're way overthinking this, drive the car like you would any other. Not sure what you mean by "the car likes it most", but partial throttle isn't going accomplish anything meaningful. You want high load, high pressure, open throttle, for a sustained period, to self-clean the engine. That's best accomplished at a race track
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(Or very curvy mountain roads! Without endangering people! If possible! coughcough.) Pretty much what Loki said. I tend to drive it like I stole it when I'm outside of the city where I can be loud without any real complaints. and so my wife doesn't have to hear it.
#10
Lol, that almost impossible. In 2nd, on the freeway, I could be pulled over for speeding lol
#11
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It's not necessarily wrong, it takes a fixed amount of power to propel a car at a fixed speed. You can make that power with more throttle and low rpm or low throttle and high rpm. Since we are a high-strung motor, it could be more efficient at 5k than 3k, for example.
I have been cruising higher than usual, about 4500 to test this theory, but results are not significantly better so far. It started with a tank at 23mpg though, which is among my best ever, going 80mph for hours on a long trip.
I have been cruising higher than usual, about 4500 to test this theory, but results are not significantly better so far. It started with a tank at 23mpg though, which is among my best ever, going 80mph for hours on a long trip.
#12
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Thanks for the replies. So the hypothesis from some is that higher rpm does not put greater longterm wear and tear on the engine, all things considered?
Separately, regarding RX N8, I'd like to see some data on higher rpm and fuel efficiency based on part of the discussion above, at the same vehicle speed.
Separately, regarding RX N8, I'd like to see some data on higher rpm and fuel efficiency based on part of the discussion above, at the same vehicle speed.
Last edited by stevekat; 11-18-2016 at 03:05 AM.
#14
You gonna eat that?
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#15
You gonna eat that?
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Thanks for the replies. So the hypothesis from some is that higher rpm does not put greater longterm wear and tear on the engine, all things considered?
I'd like to see some data on higher rpm and fuel efficiency based on part of the discussion above, at the same vehicle speed.
I'd like to see some data on higher rpm and fuel efficiency based on part of the discussion above, at the same vehicle speed.
"Drive it like you stole it" is very good advice.
#16
You gonna eat that?
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On second thought, that's not entirely true.
If you're getting less than around 14 MPG, then something isn't right.
My original comment is more along the lines of 'driving this car the way it should be driven does not lend itself to efficient fuel consumption.'
I average 14-16 MPG, and I drive VERY enthusiastically.
If you're getting less than around 14 MPG, then something isn't right.
My original comment is more along the lines of 'driving this car the way it should be driven does not lend itself to efficient fuel consumption.'
I average 14-16 MPG, and I drive VERY enthusiastically.
#19
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I am all for that, however I would drive differently if taking the car up to or near redline every other shift reduced longevity by 50%. This question is the essence of the thread.
#20
RX-Heaven
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Driving it hard all the time and redlining the engine frequently will cause increased wear on the engine. The engine can rev to redline in between every shift, but doing so will cause unnecessary wear on the engine. Yes, take it to redline here and there. Once a day if you want, but don't drive it full throttle all the time. Drive the car with respect and it will return the favor. People say to drive the **** out of these cars and that word spreads like wildfire and people think they are supposed to beat the snot out of the engine and low and behold we get a ton of threads about engine failure.
The best thing you can do is to maintain the entire car. Routine fluid changes, oil every 3000 miles, coolant and spark plugs every two years, gear oil every 60k, belts every 50k, coil checks every 6 months if they aren't new, air filter every 25k, tire rotation with every oil chenge etc.
A well maintained car will give you many years of service and will take a beating every now and again and still be a reliable car. I have owned, maintained and restored RX-7's for the last 18 years and the 8's really aren't that much different. I've owned three and they are wonderful cars if maintained properly.
The best thing you can do is to maintain the entire car. Routine fluid changes, oil every 3000 miles, coolant and spark plugs every two years, gear oil every 60k, belts every 50k, coil checks every 6 months if they aren't new, air filter every 25k, tire rotation with every oil chenge etc.
A well maintained car will give you many years of service and will take a beating every now and again and still be a reliable car. I have owned, maintained and restored RX-7's for the last 18 years and the 8's really aren't that much different. I've owned three and they are wonderful cars if maintained properly.
#21
You gonna eat that?
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Driving it hard all the time and redlining the engine frequently will cause increased wear on the engine. The engine can rev to redline in between every shift, but doing so will cause unnecessary wear on the engine. Yes, take it to redline here and there. Once a day if you want, but don't drive it full throttle all the time. Drive the car with respect and it will return the favor. People say to drive the **** out of these cars and that word spreads like wildfire and people think they are supposed to beat the snot out of the engine and low and behold we get a ton of threads about engine failure.
The best thing you can do is to maintain the entire car. Routine fluid changes, oil every 3000 miles, coolant and spark plugs every two years, gear oil every 60k, belts every 50k, coil checks every 6 months if they aren't new, air filter every 25k, tire rotation with every oil chenge etc.
A well maintained car will give you many years of service and will take a beating every now and again and still be a reliable car. I have owned, maintained and restored RX-7's for the last 18 years and the 8's really aren't that much different. I've owned three and they are wonderful cars if maintained properly.
The best thing you can do is to maintain the entire car. Routine fluid changes, oil every 3000 miles, coolant and spark plugs every two years, gear oil every 60k, belts every 50k, coil checks every 6 months if they aren't new, air filter every 25k, tire rotation with every oil chenge etc.
A well maintained car will give you many years of service and will take a beating every now and again and still be a reliable car. I have owned, maintained and restored RX-7's for the last 18 years and the 8's really aren't that much different. I've owned three and they are wonderful cars if maintained properly.
I maintain it properly, premix, and no cat.
#22
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Thanks for the response. My question less is related to full throttle/maximum load, but rather partial throttle, redline or near redline.
The car can get to redline without maximum acceleration and stress - so the question is more whether take it to very high rpms at modest load consistently, or keep rpms in the lower range in regular non-high load, modest acceleration situations.
My NB Miata(s) loves high rpm and so far doing quite well.
The car can get to redline without maximum acceleration and stress - so the question is more whether take it to very high rpms at modest load consistently, or keep rpms in the lower range in regular non-high load, modest acceleration situations.
My NB Miata(s) loves high rpm and so far doing quite well.
#23
///// Upscale Zoom-Zoom
What tires and what kind of tire life BC when you drive it like you stole it? I have the Nexen that the previous owner installed.
#24
You gonna eat that?
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#25
Thanks for the response. My question less is related to full throttle/maximum load, but rather partial throttle, redline or near redline.
The car can get to redline without maximum acceleration and stress - so the question is more whether take it to very high rpms at modest load consistently, or keep rpms in the lower range in regular non-high load, modest acceleration situations.
My NB Miata(s) loves high rpm and so far doing quite well.
The car can get to redline without maximum acceleration and stress - so the question is more whether take it to very high rpms at modest load consistently, or keep rpms in the lower range in regular non-high load, modest acceleration situations.
My NB Miata(s) loves high rpm and so far doing quite well.
Feel free to rev your Renesis high whenever you like. Once a day or several times a day. But no, you won't be helping engine longevity by constantly shifting at 8,500 RPM!
Last edited by New Yorker; 11-21-2016 at 10:33 AM.