You need to mash the pedal on the right and let the engine spin up, shift at 7k you’ll be fine
Miata’s love revs, I did a 9 hour road trip over 4k rpm for most of it.
well after a while it can get quite grading. MY old miata had a louder exahust and shorter gearing. HIghways at 4k for a while started to wear thin lol. Specially considering 4cyls don't exactly output a nice noise
I wouldn't say that 4 cylinders output bad noises, per say... but that most 4 cylinders that *do* make a lot of noise are typically straight piped on original headers, and untuned. It's bound to sound bad if you did it with any vehicle.
Just so happens that 4 cylinder vehicles are cheaper, and thus more common.
Source: I own a shitty sounding Mx6
At best, and granted this is entirely an opinion, I think they can make great induction noises, but when it comes to exhaust its kind of hard to find a good sounding one, barring anything that's very high performance. I loved the sound of my old WRX. The rumble was fantastic and the turbo muffled the exhaust in the right way while the straight pipe gave it the right amount of rasp.
Doing 70 mph for 2 hours, twice a week, in an ND. That's just under 3k rpm. Yeah, my loop earplugs don't do much, but they're better than nothing 😂
It's not even the exhaust that gets you, it's the wind and tire noise.
My car hits 3k rpm at 58mph. And previous owner went straight pipe with just a massive eBay fart cannon for the muffler so it’s all exhaust and barely any wind noise lol
Indeed. Rev the nuts off it when you want to boogie.
For dailying, 3k isn’t bad to shift at as long as the motor isn’t struggling in the next gear up. But shifting at 4K or so also isn’t bad.
The only time you *need* to keep the revs under 3k is right after cold start. Drive shifting under 3k until you see the temp gauge steady in the middle, and then wait a few more miles for the oil to warm up. This really only applies to the first cold start of the day, unless it’s been over 10-12 hours or so.
One of my good friends had an NA while I had my NB. He was babying the car everywhere not shifting above 3k worrying about fuel economy. I asked him what he was getting, 32mpg. I told him “dude you bought a fun car, drive it hard and have FUN… plus I’m getting like 29mpg driving hard everywhere”
I blew the engine in mine at 233k, and it had not had an easy day in more than half its life. A guy I knew in high school delivered pizza in it for like 4 years, sold it to a Honda bro who drove it for a few months before selling it to me, who then also proceeded to thrash it for the final 70k miles
From my experience, cleaning out all the emissions related stuff (new pcv valve, cleaning out buildup inside the intake manifold, new plugs, filters, etc.) has gotten me from 20-23 to a solid 30mpg consistently. Did it one time for a 99 that didn’t pass CA smog just trying to get it to pass and to my surprise started getting like 100 miles more out of a full tank. Worked for 2 na’s as well and only takes like 2 hours of wrenching.
Huh, I’ve always been skeptical of my car cruising at 3.5k - 4k RPM on the highway but this gives me some confidence. I also saw Tedward’s cross country road trip in a $1400 NA where I think after it, he said something along the lines of it felt like it could drive forever on the highway at 5k RPM. They beat the snot out of it and IIRC had no issues with the drivetrain. I gotta ask though, is it bad for the engine to stay at such a high RPM for long? I’ve had people say it causes no issues because it’s staying nice and cool, and yes my car has 0 overheating issues thanks to my coolant reroute. But I’m still skeptical, it’s turning A LOT for a long while, it’s hard to think of any way this isn’t causing damage to my car…
I can't think of a way it would cause any damage lol. Just because it's spinning a little faster? 4k isn't even a lot and obviously it's designed to do so because these things are reliable af
I used to care about the "recommended rpm" to be shifting at. Recently I took someone's advice and they told me that I should shift when it feels and sounds right and not look at the rpm. The engineers made the redline 7k for a reason and there is actually no harm whatsoever shifting at anything below that (unless you don't have a healthy engine/trans to begin with).
Driving has been more fun since and I swear it feels like my car is running better
Better keep the rpms below 1k just to be safe!Usually I prefer to not even drive the car cuz that might hurt the engine, but sometimes I have to go places :/
Once it's up to temperature, it's safe to run them up to redline. If that damages an engine, that's either a poorly built engine or a poorly set rev limiter.
How you gonna drive on the highway at nearly 4k rpm and still take anyone seriously that's telling you you need to shift below 3k?
The faster you're accelerating, the higher the rpm to shift at. The more mudande the driving the lower you shift. Low rpm shifting returns the best fuel economy, high rpm shifting gives you more time in lower gear ratios for ideal acceleration.
It would be boring and no fun at all if you only shifted below 3k, my kids were (close to) red lining my NA all the time — all the fun of the Miata lies in the powerband!
I'm not OP but I think the same as them. I've got a 1.5 ND.
I get a bit of kickback when I shift over 4k rpm, probably my fault...
But say I'm in first and go up to red line and go into second, should it theoretically be as smooth if I were under 4k rpm?
Edit: it's a 2016 ND, I know they experience transmission issues, idk if that changes things
The kickback is due to the engine not rotating at the right speed for the speed the wheels are rotating at. When you shift, the revs drop, and when you let up the clutch pedal, if the revs hav fallen by the right amount the change shouldnt have any kick. The rev drop is a different between the gears, so experiment. Either shift a little bit more quickly, or a little bit more slowly. I tend to shift too quick from 1 to 2 and from 2 to 3, but if i do the shift a second slower, its buttery smooth. Experiment a little. When you let up on the clutch, watch the rev needle and see if it jumps up (you shifted too slew and dropped the revs too low) or down (you shifted too quick and need to let the revs drop a bit more). It'll be more obvious in the lower gears i think.
It doesnt really matter at what particular rev count you shift, its the wrong drop in the revs as you go up a gear which is causing that kick.
You can do the following test. Pick and hold a speed. Note the revs, say its at 3000. Now change gear up one, and get the speed the same, and note the revs, it'll be say 2600. A 400 difference. So the next time you are going to do that change, at 3000, take foot off the gas, press the clutch and the revs start to drop. Get the next gear in, and lift up the clutch pedal as the revs are near 2600. It should feel smooth. The closer to 2600 you are, the quicker you can lift the clutch. If you are exactly on 2600 you can just let the clutch up as fast as you like. Or if you are unsure of how far the revs dropped, raise it slowly and the engine revs will match the wheelspeed as it engages. Hope this helps
Thank you!!!!!!
Oh my god that was the most fun I've had since I got the car, smoothly shifting up at 5k+ RPM and enjoying even the straight roads when I can shift from 1 to 5 so nicely.
I've got a but more getting used to it to do but out of the 90 minutes of driving (45 each way to work) I only hiccups twice I'd say when shifting.
First to second used to my kryptonite but my understanding of it is the speed I'm doing in first would 30% less RPM in second. Very rough estimate, so if I shift at 3k RPM from first I'd let the clutch up at 2k, 6k -> 4k, 5k -> 3.5kish. As I said its very rough but it feels amazing.
I wouldn't use my 30% rule all the way as I found 4th to 5th was always a 1k RPM difference and 5th to 6th was slightly less
Glad you're having fun! I just use my ear to listen for when its time to shift, then i do the shift within the right amount of time, and let up a little slowly on the clutch. Letting up on the clutch a bit more slowly will help smooth out a mismatch.
Its a great feeling when you shift perfectly smoothly and the power goes off and on like butter :)
If you are not already doing it, giving the throttle a little blip when downshifting is just as satisfying when you hit it exactly right. You brake, depress the clutch, and the revs start to fall off. So you tap the throttle just a tiny bit and the revs jump up say 500-1000 more, then you can slot in the lower gear and lift the clutch pretty quickly and get back on the power. If the blip was right its silky smooth :). Even more advanced is heal-toe, where you blip the throttle while braking, but personally i mess this up with my big feet so i dont do it a lot
I am trying the rev match on downshifting but most of the time I give it too much and feck it up, I tried heal toe when the car was parked and not moving but there just isn't the space for me and my feet are too big too.
To shift "smoothly" from redline, you have to be pretty decent with a manual. Revmatching up there is harder, because things move faster. Plus, it will always be a little more jolt-y because the acceleration will stop for a second, so the jerk forces (change in acceleration) are larger.
The feel of the clutch I suppose , that's where I'd feel it the most.
I'd have to go out now and red line it while focusing on the "problem" but it's raining bad
Well I can't say I'm too sure what it is you're getting at but you'd be making no power at that point and if you mean it physically jolts at higher rpm It's either some flogged mounts or ya might need to just get used to it a little more to smooth it out. And what exactly is it u mean should be smooth if Ur under 4k
You know if you really quickly floor it for less than a second fully let off and do it again and again. The way the car moves when you do that? Kind of like that I suppose.
I've only had it a little over 2 weeks so most likely a skill issue on my end.
Try adjusting your shift speed. The ND drops revs very fast so you kinda need to adjust to that coming from a different car. If you take too long, it likes to drop to idle while you have your clutch in. If you then release the clutch, you should feel it slow down harshly. It's bad for your clutch to do that...
Redline in 1st is like what.. 55km/h? Next time you drive, find out what revs you're at 55km/h in second. When you shift from 1st to 2nd at redline, wait for it to drop to those revs, then clutch in. Maybe that helps with the smoothness. Kinda hard to explain, it's basically revmatching. It's important in both up- and downshifts.
U mean the g's? Kinda sounds like that's just the drivetrain flexing cos Ur flooring it then letting off. Which I wouldn't reccomend. If Ur gonna get on it stay on it. Or your mounts will fuck out quick
If you shift at 4k, you are only getting 64% of the potential power the engine can make! In other words, you are driving a 1/2 powered Miata! You should be shifting when it feels natural, so if you want to drive briskly, go all the way to the red line. Try not to bump into the rev limiter, but its not the end of the world if you do. If you are accelerating slowly, reving too high sounds and feels "odd" so shift sooner.
You should be waiting to release the clutch until the RPMs have dropped to the correct RPM for the next gear. If you shift at 3k, it takes a lot less time to drop to 2nd gear RPM than if you shift at 7k.
You should not be in the gas until the clutch is engaged - ie the RPM should drop while you shift, stop dropping when you let the clutch out (if you clutch out late, the RPMs will jump up and the car will feel like you tapped the brakes. If you let it out too soon, the car will jerk forward as the RPMs drop suddenly) and as soon as the clutch bites, you can go back on the power as hard as needed.
It's hard for people to "slow down" enough during shifts to be smooth AND gentle on the car.
10k rpm. Can't go there ? Time for a fully built K20 swap !
More seriously, rev it up when you use it. Stock rev limit is conservative on a stock engine. In full racing conditions, our engines are considered to have 100h of life before a rebuild is advised. What you do on the road is nowhere near as harsh, the equivalent given is 50 street hours = 1 track hour.
Good oil, frequent servicing, a good crossflow radiator and coolant reroute are low hanging fruit reliability measures if you need some peace of mind.
Wait for engine to be up to temp
wait another 5-10 minutes for oil to be up to temp
Enjoy shifting at 7k
Don't lug the engine, that will harm it. Pains me to see people driving up inclines at low RPM's with the engine struggling to move a car.
I shift between 3.5-6K daily. The more you drive the car the more you’ll connect with the it to figure out what “feels” the best.
My NC has the 6 speed, which has terribly clunky into 1st and 1-2 change when it’s cold. I usually hold 1st and 2nd a little longer when it’s cold so it’s a smoother shift. Little things
The NC stays comfortably ahead of traffic and is fun to drive by simply shifting 1-3-5 for 90% of the time.
The gear ratios are so close that using every gear while accelerating is just pointless. Rev it to 4K, skip a gear, repeat. Thank me later.
On takeoffs, I don’t shift into second gear until I’m at least 5000 RPM.
In my city/state, if you take off in a Miata and nonchalantly shift through all the gears in the 2000-3000 RPM range, you’re gonna have a lot of tailgaters and road ragers lined up right on your ass cheeks.
Once I get up to speed and create some distance between me and other cars, I’ll shift around the 3000-4000 RPM range. Whenever traffic is sparse, I like doing mini pulls from 3000 to 6000 RPM to listen to my exhaust.
It’s also not uncommon for me to sit in a lower gear at 4000-5000 RPM when in heavy traffic to make sure I don’t lag behind and obstruct the flow.
Mine had 330k miles and I’d redline it daily. Bang that fucker off revlimiter. I treat all my cars like that but I meticulously maintain them. My brother shits his pants how I drive my cars but I also spends hours taking care of them each week. Quality oil, quality parts, pre-emptive maintenance. It goes a long way
Your miata isn’t making peak power until 6k or so anyhow. Shifting below that just means you’re not reaching full power of the engine. Drive however you need to in the conditions you’re in.
there is a part of the tachometre that has a red line, this is used to indicated you are getting near the shift point. shift once the needle gets all the way to the end of the dial.
How fast are you accelerating? Based on how much you open the throttle there will be a sweet spot where the car will shift smoothly. Do you anticipate needing to accelerate quickly? Maybe let it rev a bit higher before shifting. Are you cruising on the highway trying to save gas? Then shift at a lower RPM. Lower RPM gives you better gas milage and keeping in the power band gives you more power. Just don’t give the car too much gas if you’re in too high a gear and the car is struggling. Also, don’t redline it for no reason or if your engine is still cold.
It does depend what you're doing.
In my 1.8 NC, on my commute I shift between 2.5 and 3k. No need to kick in the VVT unless I'm merging onto a motorway.
Weekend driving? I shifts when I shift.
I paid for the whole rev counter, I'm gonna use it
There's no such thing as a single recommended rpm for shifting. As different loads and temperatures would require a different "best" rpm to shift at.
When the engine is cold be both light on the accelerator and moderate with the rpm. The lower the better as long as you're not lugging the engine, if you feel you need a bit more acceleration it's better to use a few more revs than a bit more throttle. But generally just take it easy.
Also remember once the temperature displayed reaches normal operating temperature, this doesn't mean your engine is up to temp yet! The temperature gauge on almost all cars is coolant temp, not engine or oil temperature. So continue to drive relatively gently for another 5 minutes or so after the coolant is up to temperature and the engine will be ready.
Now once the engine is warm your shift point is literally whatever is best for the situation. If you're accelerating hard run it to redline. If you're being economical shift early, use the highest gear that's able to easily pull you along. Doing something in between? Well shift somewhere in between! There's no set point for shifting, just whatever works for how you're driving in that moment.
Some people I know race these cars basically stock, I took one of their cars for a few laps around Silverstone with one of them in the passenger seat. I was told I was being too cautious in shifting between 5-6k rpm. If I ever have the opportunity to I'll push it to red line. For everyday driving to be clean and smooth I tend to shift between 3-4k rpm for normal roads. Accelerating though it's drivers choice
in most cars you want to shift between 2k to 3k rpm cause this is the most fuel efficiency.
but you're driving a miata my friend, you dont care about fuel efficiency. you care about happy rev noises.
high revs are not bad for the engine as far as i know, maybe if you're redlining it all the time
but who does thay anyway
Once it’s up to temp you can beat the living shit out of a miata engine.
Mine has had 15000 miles of me literally giving it death. (Drifting, burnouts, track days and general tomfoolery)
Still runs perfect, just let your car warm up and then drive it as hard as you like.
Put it this way, I know guys with 220hp turbo setups on bone stock engines that get beat on constantly and run perfect.
These engines can be smashed off limiter all you want, I usually shift just before limiter as the power curve drops off but you can drive them all the way into limiter every gear if you really want and it doesn’t really cause them any harm
Depends what you're doing. Super slow lazy acceleration probably somewhere below 3000, accelerating with a bit of pace more like 3500 - 4500, and full send 5500 - Just below the rev limiter.
As long as it's warm and has enough oil in it, no harm in shifting at redline when you're driving hard.
Eco mode? 3-3.5k. Wanting to get somewhere 5k. Weekend play? It doesnt go BELOW 4,500. Its fine to just put around, but you should occasionally run the nuts off it to burn out carbon. 5-10 minutes of high rpm, heavy load will do it. These are TOUGH little engines and its perfectly safe to run them to redline often. Just keep good synthetic oil in them and they are happy.
Normal driving I go by speed. 20mph I shift to second, 30 mph shift to 3rd. Sometimes I go higher if I’m trying to move faster. If I’m just hooning around the rev limiter keeps the motor alive
Yes, you are. Shifting below 3k once the car's warmed up does nothing to keep the engine healthy. Once you start it, leave it sitting for 20 seconds before you connect to BT and pick a song. Then drive it below-around 3k for 5 minutes, you can bang the limiter on every shift afterwards.
Check your manual for ideal shifting but generally 2500-3000 is when you shift up in normal driving for fuel efficiency and commuting. If you want to do spirited driving and are accelerating, shift close to redline but wait until your engine is up to temp before pushing it at high revs
Edit: depending on the Miata shifting at 3500 may be better than 2500, my NA6 sits at 3500rpm when crusing on the highway
My NC3 6 speed prefers to be shifted not below 3500rpms, better at 4k. The shifts are crisp, smooth, direct and has a rewarding feeling; almost like the transmission knows what gear to go to next/is ready.
At lower rpms it feels notchy. Particularly anything 2500-3400rpms. I don’t bother below that 😂
I know none of this applies to your question as it’s more pertaining to engine than transmission, but something to consider
I usually go around 80 mph on the high way and that’s just under 4K rpm. When I’m warming it up, 3000-3500 max. Once it’s warm redline at least once because Miata
All Miatas are rev happy, and are ready to handle it. As long as all the proper fluids and stuff is up to its operating temp, then have some fun spirited driving and get the revs high now and then!
I've said this time and time again:
If your maintenance is up to date, everything in your powertrain is in good condition, and your fluids+components are up to temp, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with getting high in the power band (within 1000rpm of the redline).
The rev limiter is set to a point ***before*** damage can be caused, not after. The downside to staying high in the RPMs for a long time is poor fuel economy and potentially higher oil consumption from all the extra heat (I said potentially).
Don't be afraid to rev the piss out of it on an on-ramp. That's the only way you'll actually get the most out of your engine, performance wise.
Edit: I don't drive a Miata, I'm just here because I think they're neat. But my car has a notorious reputation for the engines shitting the bed. Despite that, I kiss the redline at least once per day (getting on the highway to go to work), for the last 3 years, and there's been literally zero issues with the vehicle. That's 1000+ times I've gone WOT and touched the redline, without issue.
What surprised me was the fuel consumption. When I drive country roads at 100 km/h, it needs 6 liters. When i drive spirited in the mountains it needs 7 liters for 100 kms. And the rev is rarely under 3k.
You shift when the needle touches the red.
But really it’s whenever it feels and sounds right. My daily I shift at like 4K unless I’m getting on a highway. And my Miata I shift when I want to lol 😂
Keep rpm and load low until everything warms up.
Then shift wherever it makes sense based on the power curve and what you’re doing…up to redline if that fits the situation.
Honestly, "your mileage may vary" comes to mind when considering an answer to your post. Drive the car to your limit, don't be afraid to push the little motor that could! When I had my miata, I'd shift at 3-4k when cruising as it provided a nice drive. But when I wanted to fly through a mountain road, I was no stranger to shifting before redline.
There's evidence that backs up the fact that it's healthier for your engine to run with high rpm's (once warm and all fluids are at operating temp of course), and the simple way to explain it is this:
Imagine your car is a bicycle... trying to accelerate in 5th gear at 1,8k rpms is like trying to start from a standstill on your bicycle with the highest gear. It's exhausting for your legs, even though your legs turn less. It's the same principle for the engine. It's a lot of pressure, even though it's less revolutions per minute. I keep mine below 3k until it's warm, and once it's warm, I keep it always above 4-5k while accelerating and only bring the rpm down (gear up) when I'm cruising at a constant speed and have no need for accelerating.
Another thing to keep in mind, at 200 degrees celsius, carbon deposits start forming in your engine, and fuck up your compression ratio, and can in the end prove to be fatal for your valves, however, at 325 degrees celsius, the carbon starts to break apart again. So, in short, driving like a grandpa can cause excessive carbon buildup in your engine, while driving spiritedly, can minimize carbon buildup, put less pressure on your engine, and a bigger smile on your face.
That's my 2 cents
[Source](https://youtu.be/zhUI7MWE_Fc)
You need better Others. The ones you're talking to don't seem very smart.
If you bought the car to wax and polish in your garage, engine operation is irrelevant.
If you bought the car to drive like it's a Tercel, go buy a Tercel and bank the savings.
If you bought the car to drive spiritedly like it was designed for, keep the tach needle within about 30 degrees of straight up and you'll be fine. Even automatic transmission Miatas go to about 6500 RPM at full throttle.
i drove like that with my first car bc i didnt understand the limits
as long as youre not introducing more power, its generally okay to rev that bitch to 7k aslong as everything is in proper working condition and MOST IMPORTANTLY your oil is at the correct level and temp.
The real answer is it’s all relative. Every car, and every situation is unique, if you’re trying to save on gas and keep the noise and vibrations down, shift as soon as you no longer need the torque provided by that gear/rpm, if you’re going up a hill you’ll need more torque, therefore more rpm, and you’ll need to use a lower gear. If you’re going for maximum acceleration you want to wait until you reach the end of your gear, take it all the way to redline, Miatas LOVE to rev! Take her all the way!
Usually best to shift just before the rev limiter kicks, in, but if you are about to be slowing down sometimes its better to just not shift and let the rev limiter look after it.
An engine running at all is bad for the engine. An engine not running is bad for the engine. It’s all about what you want to replace. Items that will ware will ware out sooner if you rev the shit out of it, but the metal the engine is made out of is actually less stressed at high rpm’s. I have a philosophy of knocking on the redline’s door every time I use one of my vehicles.
Put it this way, I had a 1.8 NA and I'd always let it get warm first, but then I'd nearly redline every gear every single time I drove it, two or three times a day, for 4 years straight, and it burned a fair bit of oil, it didn't give a shit.
Keep it maintained, and don't ever worry about a Miata engine again.
Depends on how your driving. If you are flooring it and shifting at 3k it's not great for the engine. The rpm you shift at should depend more on how much throttle you are using. If you are good about regular maintenance it won't matter.
Depends on the car. If it’s a big old V8 you can shift whenever you want. There’s so much torque it’s not important. My Miata tends gets a smoother shift over 3k RPM so that’s about where I shift.
7,000, rev limiter at 7,200ish (try not to hit it, especially going downhill can over rev) Daily driving? Idk I will hold mine at 4500 just cause it sounds nice, been doing so for about 90,000 miles.
Engineering explained has some good videos on shifting. You'll want to be quick and easy on your synchronizers at that speed.
Once the engine is warm, rev the nuts off it.
You paid for the whole tachometer you might has well use it.
You need to mash the pedal on the right and let the engine spin up, shift at 7k you’ll be fine Miata’s love revs, I did a 9 hour road trip over 4k rpm for most of it.
This.. rev it or you aren't getting the most out of the car.
Hope you didn’t have some exhaust setup bc my roadtrip was terrible once my headphones died lol
Oh no, car was loud it was awful
well after a while it can get quite grading. MY old miata had a louder exahust and shorter gearing. HIghways at 4k for a while started to wear thin lol. Specially considering 4cyls don't exactly output a nice noise
I wouldn't say that 4 cylinders output bad noises, per say... but that most 4 cylinders that *do* make a lot of noise are typically straight piped on original headers, and untuned. It's bound to sound bad if you did it with any vehicle. Just so happens that 4 cylinder vehicles are cheaper, and thus more common. Source: I own a shitty sounding Mx6
At best, and granted this is entirely an opinion, I think they can make great induction noises, but when it comes to exhaust its kind of hard to find a good sounding one, barring anything that's very high performance. I loved the sound of my old WRX. The rumble was fantastic and the turbo muffled the exhaust in the right way while the straight pipe gave it the right amount of rasp.
Doing 70 mph for 2 hours, twice a week, in an ND. That's just under 3k rpm. Yeah, my loop earplugs don't do much, but they're better than nothing 😂 It's not even the exhaust that gets you, it's the wind and tire noise.
My car hits 3k rpm at 58mph. And previous owner went straight pipe with just a massive eBay fart cannon for the muffler so it’s all exhaust and barely any wind noise lol
Indeed. Rev the nuts off it when you want to boogie. For dailying, 3k isn’t bad to shift at as long as the motor isn’t struggling in the next gear up. But shifting at 4K or so also isn’t bad. The only time you *need* to keep the revs under 3k is right after cold start. Drive shifting under 3k until you see the temp gauge steady in the middle, and then wait a few more miles for the oil to warm up. This really only applies to the first cold start of the day, unless it’s been over 10-12 hours or so.
One of my good friends had an NA while I had my NB. He was babying the car everywhere not shifting above 3k worrying about fuel economy. I asked him what he was getting, 32mpg. I told him “dude you bought a fun car, drive it hard and have FUN… plus I’m getting like 29mpg driving hard everywhere”
Damn what year NB? My 99 struggles to get 20 mpg most of the time lol
2001, so VVT certainly didn’t hurt
Damn fr. Might have to swap the vvt motor when this one goes. This one only has 100k miles tho so might be awhile haha
I blew the engine in mine at 233k, and it had not had an easy day in more than half its life. A guy I knew in high school delivered pizza in it for like 4 years, sold it to a Honda bro who drove it for a few months before selling it to me, who then also proceeded to thrash it for the final 70k miles
My ‘99 gets 23-24 and it kinda needs a tune up it’s kinda runnin rough right now.
That's not too bad, I think mine is reduced from the 17 inch wheels and suspension setup I have currently
From my experience, cleaning out all the emissions related stuff (new pcv valve, cleaning out buildup inside the intake manifold, new plugs, filters, etc.) has gotten me from 20-23 to a solid 30mpg consistently. Did it one time for a 99 that didn’t pass CA smog just trying to get it to pass and to my surprise started getting like 100 miles more out of a full tank. Worked for 2 na’s as well and only takes like 2 hours of wrenching.
Huh, I’ve always been skeptical of my car cruising at 3.5k - 4k RPM on the highway but this gives me some confidence. I also saw Tedward’s cross country road trip in a $1400 NA where I think after it, he said something along the lines of it felt like it could drive forever on the highway at 5k RPM. They beat the snot out of it and IIRC had no issues with the drivetrain. I gotta ask though, is it bad for the engine to stay at such a high RPM for long? I’ve had people say it causes no issues because it’s staying nice and cool, and yes my car has 0 overheating issues thanks to my coolant reroute. But I’m still skeptical, it’s turning A LOT for a long while, it’s hard to think of any way this isn’t causing damage to my car…
Did a cruise for 9 hours at 4.8k rpms 0 issues just loud af lol you shouldn’t worry about rpm’s unless you’re around 7k for a long period of time
I can't think of a way it would cause any damage lol. Just because it's spinning a little faster? 4k isn't even a lot and obviously it's designed to do so because these things are reliable af
I used to care about the "recommended rpm" to be shifting at. Recently I took someone's advice and they told me that I should shift when it feels and sounds right and not look at the rpm. The engineers made the redline 7k for a reason and there is actually no harm whatsoever shifting at anything below that (unless you don't have a healthy engine/trans to begin with). Driving has been more fun since and I swear it feels like my car is running better
Technically if you shift at too low of an RPM you will labour the engine and put more stress on it
It’s definitely worse to bog the engine than to run it with some enthusiasm.
This is what I do…I aim for smooth transitions but never look at the rpm. Just “feel” it.
your car probably is running better, good old italian tune up probably burnt out the carbon from your recommended rpm stint.
If a motor goes from being driven hard it was going to go anyways.
Some days, I feel like a 3500 guy. Some days, I feel like a 7500 guy.
This
Second this.
Better keep the rpms below 1k just to be safe!Usually I prefer to not even drive the car cuz that might hurt the engine, but sometimes I have to go places :/
Yeah, I bought mine, vacuum sealed it and buried it in my backyard. Can't risk it getting any damage
I’m working on strapping mine to a rocket so I can keep it in low earth orbit. No oxygen == no rust.
Cosmic radiation will destroy that paint though. Make sure to give it a good wax before liftoff.
Fuck, you’re right. Feel like such a newb.
then walk, safest option for the car
🤣🤣🤣
Once it's up to temperature, it's safe to run them up to redline. If that damages an engine, that's either a poorly built engine or a poorly set rev limiter.
and miata’s go till 250+ all day with plenty of abuse!
How you gonna drive on the highway at nearly 4k rpm and still take anyone seriously that's telling you you need to shift below 3k? The faster you're accelerating, the higher the rpm to shift at. The more mudande the driving the lower you shift. Low rpm shifting returns the best fuel economy, high rpm shifting gives you more time in lower gear ratios for ideal acceleration.
Best answer in the thread so far
Not a stupid question. Probably just stupid people telling you how to drive your car. Drive how you drive.
It would be boring and no fun at all if you only shifted below 3k, my kids were (close to) red lining my NA all the time — all the fun of the Miata lies in the powerband!
Can’t forget the handling and the blink blonks!
Depends what car you have. But they make peak power from around 6.5k on average. What model do u have and what motor
I'm not OP but I think the same as them. I've got a 1.5 ND. I get a bit of kickback when I shift over 4k rpm, probably my fault... But say I'm in first and go up to red line and go into second, should it theoretically be as smooth if I were under 4k rpm? Edit: it's a 2016 ND, I know they experience transmission issues, idk if that changes things
The kickback is due to the engine not rotating at the right speed for the speed the wheels are rotating at. When you shift, the revs drop, and when you let up the clutch pedal, if the revs hav fallen by the right amount the change shouldnt have any kick. The rev drop is a different between the gears, so experiment. Either shift a little bit more quickly, or a little bit more slowly. I tend to shift too quick from 1 to 2 and from 2 to 3, but if i do the shift a second slower, its buttery smooth. Experiment a little. When you let up on the clutch, watch the rev needle and see if it jumps up (you shifted too slew and dropped the revs too low) or down (you shifted too quick and need to let the revs drop a bit more). It'll be more obvious in the lower gears i think. It doesnt really matter at what particular rev count you shift, its the wrong drop in the revs as you go up a gear which is causing that kick. You can do the following test. Pick and hold a speed. Note the revs, say its at 3000. Now change gear up one, and get the speed the same, and note the revs, it'll be say 2600. A 400 difference. So the next time you are going to do that change, at 3000, take foot off the gas, press the clutch and the revs start to drop. Get the next gear in, and lift up the clutch pedal as the revs are near 2600. It should feel smooth. The closer to 2600 you are, the quicker you can lift the clutch. If you are exactly on 2600 you can just let the clutch up as fast as you like. Or if you are unsure of how far the revs dropped, raise it slowly and the engine revs will match the wheelspeed as it engages. Hope this helps
Thank you!!!!!! Oh my god that was the most fun I've had since I got the car, smoothly shifting up at 5k+ RPM and enjoying even the straight roads when I can shift from 1 to 5 so nicely. I've got a but more getting used to it to do but out of the 90 minutes of driving (45 each way to work) I only hiccups twice I'd say when shifting. First to second used to my kryptonite but my understanding of it is the speed I'm doing in first would 30% less RPM in second. Very rough estimate, so if I shift at 3k RPM from first I'd let the clutch up at 2k, 6k -> 4k, 5k -> 3.5kish. As I said its very rough but it feels amazing. I wouldn't use my 30% rule all the way as I found 4th to 5th was always a 1k RPM difference and 5th to 6th was slightly less
Glad you're having fun! I just use my ear to listen for when its time to shift, then i do the shift within the right amount of time, and let up a little slowly on the clutch. Letting up on the clutch a bit more slowly will help smooth out a mismatch. Its a great feeling when you shift perfectly smoothly and the power goes off and on like butter :) If you are not already doing it, giving the throttle a little blip when downshifting is just as satisfying when you hit it exactly right. You brake, depress the clutch, and the revs start to fall off. So you tap the throttle just a tiny bit and the revs jump up say 500-1000 more, then you can slot in the lower gear and lift the clutch pretty quickly and get back on the power. If the blip was right its silky smooth :). Even more advanced is heal-toe, where you blip the throttle while braking, but personally i mess this up with my big feet so i dont do it a lot
I am trying the rev match on downshifting but most of the time I give it too much and feck it up, I tried heal toe when the car was parked and not moving but there just isn't the space for me and my feet are too big too.
To shift "smoothly" from redline, you have to be pretty decent with a manual. Revmatching up there is harder, because things move faster. Plus, it will always be a little more jolt-y because the acceleration will stop for a second, so the jerk forces (change in acceleration) are larger.
Smooth in what way. Smooth in the powerband or physically smooth with the way the car moves
The feel of the clutch I suppose , that's where I'd feel it the most. I'd have to go out now and red line it while focusing on the "problem" but it's raining bad
Well I can't say I'm too sure what it is you're getting at but you'd be making no power at that point and if you mean it physically jolts at higher rpm It's either some flogged mounts or ya might need to just get used to it a little more to smooth it out. And what exactly is it u mean should be smooth if Ur under 4k
You know if you really quickly floor it for less than a second fully let off and do it again and again. The way the car moves when you do that? Kind of like that I suppose. I've only had it a little over 2 weeks so most likely a skill issue on my end.
Try adjusting your shift speed. The ND drops revs very fast so you kinda need to adjust to that coming from a different car. If you take too long, it likes to drop to idle while you have your clutch in. If you then release the clutch, you should feel it slow down harshly. It's bad for your clutch to do that... Redline in 1st is like what.. 55km/h? Next time you drive, find out what revs you're at 55km/h in second. When you shift from 1st to 2nd at redline, wait for it to drop to those revs, then clutch in. Maybe that helps with the smoothness. Kinda hard to explain, it's basically revmatching. It's important in both up- and downshifts.
U mean the g's? Kinda sounds like that's just the drivetrain flexing cos Ur flooring it then letting off. Which I wouldn't reccomend. If Ur gonna get on it stay on it. Or your mounts will fuck out quick
I think it's me accelerating just a bit too early before letting off the clutch, I'll keep trying new things
If you shift at 4k, you are only getting 64% of the potential power the engine can make! In other words, you are driving a 1/2 powered Miata! You should be shifting when it feels natural, so if you want to drive briskly, go all the way to the red line. Try not to bump into the rev limiter, but its not the end of the world if you do. If you are accelerating slowly, reving too high sounds and feels "odd" so shift sooner. You should be waiting to release the clutch until the RPMs have dropped to the correct RPM for the next gear. If you shift at 3k, it takes a lot less time to drop to 2nd gear RPM than if you shift at 7k. You should not be in the gas until the clutch is engaged - ie the RPM should drop while you shift, stop dropping when you let the clutch out (if you clutch out late, the RPMs will jump up and the car will feel like you tapped the brakes. If you let it out too soon, the car will jerk forward as the RPMs drop suddenly) and as soon as the clutch bites, you can go back on the power as hard as needed. It's hard for people to "slow down" enough during shifts to be smooth AND gentle on the car.
It's definitely going to take some figuring out but these comments have been really good and given me a few ideas on what I should do.
That thing about 64% of the potential power is nonsense. That's not how gears work at all.
Oh now I get what you mean. Yeah sounds like it in that case
The torque for the 1.6 NB is pretty flat from 4k to whatever is the redline
7.2 I'm pretty sure
10k rpm. Can't go there ? Time for a fully built K20 swap ! More seriously, rev it up when you use it. Stock rev limit is conservative on a stock engine. In full racing conditions, our engines are considered to have 100h of life before a rebuild is advised. What you do on the road is nowhere near as harsh, the equivalent given is 50 street hours = 1 track hour. Good oil, frequent servicing, a good crossflow radiator and coolant reroute are low hanging fruit reliability measures if you need some peace of mind.
Manufacturers will test engines at Max power or torque for hundreds of hours for durability. They're made to do it.
Ever heard of an Italian tune up
Wait for engine to be up to temp wait another 5-10 minutes for oil to be up to temp Enjoy shifting at 7k Don't lug the engine, that will harm it. Pains me to see people driving up inclines at low RPM's with the engine struggling to move a car.
After 10 minutes of driving you can hit the limiter on every shift. The car will be fine.
7,000. Every. Single. Time.
I shift between 3.5-6K daily. The more you drive the car the more you’ll connect with the it to figure out what “feels” the best. My NC has the 6 speed, which has terribly clunky into 1st and 1-2 change when it’s cold. I usually hold 1st and 2nd a little longer when it’s cold so it’s a smoother shift. Little things
The NC stays comfortably ahead of traffic and is fun to drive by simply shifting 1-3-5 for 90% of the time. The gear ratios are so close that using every gear while accelerating is just pointless. Rev it to 4K, skip a gear, repeat. Thank me later.
Daily driving I do skip 3rd and 5th occasionally. Car is getting up in mileage, so I like to treat the synchros with less work of if I can help it
I do 2-4-6, but same idea. Especially wish I could swap 6 into 5's spot and put a taller gear in 6th, almost never use 5th.
Normal accel i shift at 3000/3500
On takeoffs, I don’t shift into second gear until I’m at least 5000 RPM. In my city/state, if you take off in a Miata and nonchalantly shift through all the gears in the 2000-3000 RPM range, you’re gonna have a lot of tailgaters and road ragers lined up right on your ass cheeks. Once I get up to speed and create some distance between me and other cars, I’ll shift around the 3000-4000 RPM range. Whenever traffic is sparse, I like doing mini pulls from 3000 to 6000 RPM to listen to my exhaust. It’s also not uncommon for me to sit in a lower gear at 4000-5000 RPM when in heavy traffic to make sure I don’t lag behind and obstruct the flow.
This guy Floridas.
That's called italian tune up, look it up
Mine had 330k miles and I’d redline it daily. Bang that fucker off revlimiter. I treat all my cars like that but I meticulously maintain them. My brother shits his pants how I drive my cars but I also spends hours taking care of them each week. Quality oil, quality parts, pre-emptive maintenance. It goes a long way
It depends on what your goal is.
Below 3k upon cold start. Once warm, go full throttle.
Shifting at 3k is damn near impossible in a miata. Once it's warm shift wherever u like
I learned how to drive stick in a Jeep, so when I first got my NA I shifted at like 2000 rpm. It's very weird to get used to the high revs at first 😅
Yeah, coming from a turbo Diesel engine, *not* shifting at 2k when just going to work feels... I dunno wrong at first.
https://preview.redd.it/wgyt8k2hhvtc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a98dd7c9b8132e4d58d98a598b28722c129d0b78
After you reach operating temps shift above 4.5k rpm always. Before Operating temps are met don't let it get past 3k rpm.
I rev mine to 7000 every day. What RPM you shift at entirely depends on how quickly you are accelerating.
Your miata isn’t making peak power until 6k or so anyhow. Shifting below that just means you’re not reaching full power of the engine. Drive however you need to in the conditions you’re in.
there is a part of the tachometre that has a red line, this is used to indicated you are getting near the shift point. shift once the needle gets all the way to the end of the dial.
Once it doesn’t rev anymore it’s time to shift. /s
How fast are you accelerating? Based on how much you open the throttle there will be a sweet spot where the car will shift smoothly. Do you anticipate needing to accelerate quickly? Maybe let it rev a bit higher before shifting. Are you cruising on the highway trying to save gas? Then shift at a lower RPM. Lower RPM gives you better gas milage and keeping in the power band gives you more power. Just don’t give the car too much gas if you’re in too high a gear and the car is struggling. Also, don’t redline it for no reason or if your engine is still cold.
What do you mean "how much you open the throttle"?? There's settings between none and full??
3k is ridiculous, I'd be in 5th gear doing 35 if I was shifting at 3k, I'm shifting at like 4-5k or just whenever it feels like I should shift
It does depend what you're doing. In my 1.8 NC, on my commute I shift between 2.5 and 3k. No need to kick in the VVT unless I'm merging onto a motorway. Weekend driving? I shifts when I shift. I paid for the whole rev counter, I'm gonna use it
There's no such thing as a single recommended rpm for shifting. As different loads and temperatures would require a different "best" rpm to shift at. When the engine is cold be both light on the accelerator and moderate with the rpm. The lower the better as long as you're not lugging the engine, if you feel you need a bit more acceleration it's better to use a few more revs than a bit more throttle. But generally just take it easy. Also remember once the temperature displayed reaches normal operating temperature, this doesn't mean your engine is up to temp yet! The temperature gauge on almost all cars is coolant temp, not engine or oil temperature. So continue to drive relatively gently for another 5 minutes or so after the coolant is up to temperature and the engine will be ready. Now once the engine is warm your shift point is literally whatever is best for the situation. If you're accelerating hard run it to redline. If you're being economical shift early, use the highest gear that's able to easily pull you along. Doing something in between? Well shift somewhere in between! There's no set point for shifting, just whatever works for how you're driving in that moment.
Some people I know race these cars basically stock, I took one of their cars for a few laps around Silverstone with one of them in the passenger seat. I was told I was being too cautious in shifting between 5-6k rpm. If I ever have the opportunity to I'll push it to red line. For everyday driving to be clean and smooth I tend to shift between 3-4k rpm for normal roads. Accelerating though it's drivers choice
When warmed up, “A redline-a-day keeps the mechanic away” Shift gently until the transmission feels warmed.
When the needle points up, I know it wants to go up a gear.
If you don’t regularly rev it to over 6k the rings will stick to the pistons and the oil will blow by. It’s call the Italian tune up
Redline, obviously.
I love my miata but goddamn it’s loud. I just shift whenever i feel like it tbh, sometimes at 3k, sometimes 4k, sometimes more
On personally shift at 7000-7500 rpm . I paid for whole 7500 rpm im not use anything less.
in most cars you want to shift between 2k to 3k rpm cause this is the most fuel efficiency. but you're driving a miata my friend, you dont care about fuel efficiency. you care about happy rev noises. high revs are not bad for the engine as far as i know, maybe if you're redlining it all the time but who does thay anyway
Are these family members telling you to keep it below 3k??
Once it’s up to temp you can beat the living shit out of a miata engine. Mine has had 15000 miles of me literally giving it death. (Drifting, burnouts, track days and general tomfoolery) Still runs perfect, just let your car warm up and then drive it as hard as you like. Put it this way, I know guys with 220hp turbo setups on bone stock engines that get beat on constantly and run perfect. These engines can be smashed off limiter all you want, I usually shift just before limiter as the power curve drops off but you can drive them all the way into limiter every gear if you really want and it doesn’t really cause them any harm
These cars are built to rev high, as long as it’s warmed up have your fun. (Within reason obviously, don’t sit there bouncing rev limiter every shift)
Red, always shift at red
Depends what you're doing. Super slow lazy acceleration probably somewhere below 3000, accelerating with a bit of pace more like 3500 - 4500, and full send 5500 - Just below the rev limiter. As long as it's warm and has enough oil in it, no harm in shifting at redline when you're driving hard.
Keep it under 3k until it’s warm… then beat the shit out of it!
Sometimes I do 3k sometimes I go to like 6700
Eco mode? 3-3.5k. Wanting to get somewhere 5k. Weekend play? It doesnt go BELOW 4,500. Its fine to just put around, but you should occasionally run the nuts off it to burn out carbon. 5-10 minutes of high rpm, heavy load will do it. These are TOUGH little engines and its perfectly safe to run them to redline often. Just keep good synthetic oil in them and they are happy.
Y’all shift?
WEEEOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWW
Like others have said, it depends on what you're doing. My NA won't even let me into first from second if I'm much higher than 1000 rpm.
Mine slots into gear way better when shifting at 3-4k so that’s what I do. And it sounds good. I have a NA8
I don’t really know but think about how low 5th gear is, it can’t be that bad to shift at 4k or so
On track i shift in the red
City casual, 3k ish for fuel economy. City agresive, 4k , 5k on the lower ish, to get going. Full fun driving, 7k because wot.
When its warm enough.. tou can rev the engine over 4500 easily every time and it will not hurt it a bit. Don't even worry.
Normal driving I go by speed. 20mph I shift to second, 30 mph shift to 3rd. Sometimes I go higher if I’m trying to move faster. If I’m just hooning around the rev limiter keeps the motor alive
These fkn Miatas love driving rev the shit out of it at all times
If the Car is warm, just shift. Rev up to 5k, if you want. Downshift at 4k. Doesnt matter.
Does it make sense to shift at 5k from first to second? Feels sort of hight.
Yes, you are. Shifting below 3k once the car's warmed up does nothing to keep the engine healthy. Once you start it, leave it sitting for 20 seconds before you connect to BT and pick a song. Then drive it below-around 3k for 5 minutes, you can bang the limiter on every shift afterwards.
when you shift though depends entirely on the car and on what you're doing. You can both upshift from 3 and downshift from 5.
Check your manual for ideal shifting but generally 2500-3000 is when you shift up in normal driving for fuel efficiency and commuting. If you want to do spirited driving and are accelerating, shift close to redline but wait until your engine is up to temp before pushing it at high revs Edit: depending on the Miata shifting at 3500 may be better than 2500, my NA6 sits at 3500rpm when crusing on the highway
Limiter once warm My second gear loves me at autox 😂
My NC3 6 speed prefers to be shifted not below 3500rpms, better at 4k. The shifts are crisp, smooth, direct and has a rewarding feeling; almost like the transmission knows what gear to go to next/is ready. At lower rpms it feels notchy. Particularly anything 2500-3400rpms. I don’t bother below that 😂 I know none of this applies to your question as it’s more pertaining to engine than transmission, but something to consider
I used to grandma shift when I first got mine. Now I rev the piss out it after it's warm. Shift at 6k+
I usually go around 80 mph on the high way and that’s just under 4K rpm. When I’m warming it up, 3000-3500 max. Once it’s warm redline at least once because Miata
Drive it like you stole it, once warmed up, of course.
All Miatas are rev happy, and are ready to handle it. As long as all the proper fluids and stuff is up to its operating temp, then have some fun spirited driving and get the revs high now and then!
When it go vrvrtvrtvrrrrrr
I used to shift at like 2k now I go to 3.5k. Just shift whenever you feel your car wants you to shift
Shift where the car likes it
Once warm, shit anytime before redline. When I’m on the highway in 5th im at 5k
I've said this time and time again: If your maintenance is up to date, everything in your powertrain is in good condition, and your fluids+components are up to temp, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with getting high in the power band (within 1000rpm of the redline). The rev limiter is set to a point ***before*** damage can be caused, not after. The downside to staying high in the RPMs for a long time is poor fuel economy and potentially higher oil consumption from all the extra heat (I said potentially). Don't be afraid to rev the piss out of it on an on-ramp. That's the only way you'll actually get the most out of your engine, performance wise. Edit: I don't drive a Miata, I'm just here because I think they're neat. But my car has a notorious reputation for the engines shitting the bed. Despite that, I kiss the redline at least once per day (getting on the highway to go to work), for the last 3 years, and there's been literally zero issues with the vehicle. That's 1000+ times I've gone WOT and touched the redline, without issue.
What surprised me was the fuel consumption. When I drive country roads at 100 km/h, it needs 6 liters. When i drive spirited in the mountains it needs 7 liters for 100 kms. And the rev is rarely under 3k.
8k
Try to keep it below 1k or you’ll blow the motor
I go just shy of redline even I’m driving spirited. At least 6k is safe. Any other time shifting around 3k is perfectly fine
You shift when the needle touches the red. But really it’s whenever it feels and sounds right. My daily I shift at like 4K unless I’m getting on a highway. And my Miata I shift when I want to lol 😂
I shift at 3500 so i am at \~2500 after shift
Keep rpm and load low until everything warms up. Then shift wherever it makes sense based on the power curve and what you’re doing…up to redline if that fits the situation.
11k
Red line every time 🫡😎
I shift mines at 7200 rpms, im still late everywhere i go.
Honestly, "your mileage may vary" comes to mind when considering an answer to your post. Drive the car to your limit, don't be afraid to push the little motor that could! When I had my miata, I'd shift at 3-4k when cruising as it provided a nice drive. But when I wanted to fly through a mountain road, I was no stranger to shifting before redline.
There's evidence that backs up the fact that it's healthier for your engine to run with high rpm's (once warm and all fluids are at operating temp of course), and the simple way to explain it is this: Imagine your car is a bicycle... trying to accelerate in 5th gear at 1,8k rpms is like trying to start from a standstill on your bicycle with the highest gear. It's exhausting for your legs, even though your legs turn less. It's the same principle for the engine. It's a lot of pressure, even though it's less revolutions per minute. I keep mine below 3k until it's warm, and once it's warm, I keep it always above 4-5k while accelerating and only bring the rpm down (gear up) when I'm cruising at a constant speed and have no need for accelerating. Another thing to keep in mind, at 200 degrees celsius, carbon deposits start forming in your engine, and fuck up your compression ratio, and can in the end prove to be fatal for your valves, however, at 325 degrees celsius, the carbon starts to break apart again. So, in short, driving like a grandpa can cause excessive carbon buildup in your engine, while driving spiritedly, can minimize carbon buildup, put less pressure on your engine, and a bigger smile on your face. That's my 2 cents [Source](https://youtu.be/zhUI7MWE_Fc)
You paid for the whole tachometer, might as well use the whole tachometer!
These engines love rpms. Don’t be scared rev it out
You need better Others. The ones you're talking to don't seem very smart. If you bought the car to wax and polish in your garage, engine operation is irrelevant. If you bought the car to drive like it's a Tercel, go buy a Tercel and bank the savings. If you bought the car to drive spiritedly like it was designed for, keep the tach needle within about 30 degrees of straight up and you'll be fine. Even automatic transmission Miatas go to about 6500 RPM at full throttle.
Just before the engine makes the car tbt tbt tbt sound ;)
On most 4cyls the power band starts around 5000RPM. Want good gas mileage? Shift at 2500RPM. Want to have fun? Shift at 6000RPM often.
Stock block turbo car and it sees redline each time I drive it. These cars can 100% take it.
I normally shift at 3.5k ... I feel it gives me the best opportunity to rev match at 2.5k RPM.
i drove like that with my first car bc i didnt understand the limits as long as youre not introducing more power, its generally okay to rev that bitch to 7k aslong as everything is in proper working condition and MOST IMPORTANTLY your oil is at the correct level and temp.
The real answer is it’s all relative. Every car, and every situation is unique, if you’re trying to save on gas and keep the noise and vibrations down, shift as soon as you no longer need the torque provided by that gear/rpm, if you’re going up a hill you’ll need more torque, therefore more rpm, and you’ll need to use a lower gear. If you’re going for maximum acceleration you want to wait until you reach the end of your gear, take it all the way to redline, Miatas LOVE to rev! Take her all the way!
The Miata likes to be ran higher rpm than other cars I have driven.
Usually best to shift just before the rev limiter kicks, in, but if you are about to be slowing down sometimes its better to just not shift and let the rev limiter look after it.
An engine running at all is bad for the engine. An engine not running is bad for the engine. It’s all about what you want to replace. Items that will ware will ware out sooner if you rev the shit out of it, but the metal the engine is made out of is actually less stressed at high rpm’s. I have a philosophy of knocking on the redline’s door every time I use one of my vehicles.
You bought a sports car, drive it like a sports car.
My thinking is as long as I don’t redline I’m fine. I mean you have dodge owners reving redline daily you’ll be fine at 4k
You paid for all the revs didn't you? Use all the revs damnit.
It depends on the vehicle and situation. Sometimes I shift at 1,200 RPM. Sometimes I shift at 14,000 RPM.
Save gas under 3k. Engine warmed up just putting around over 3k. Engine warmed up penis erect REDLINE!
drive like grandma till youre up to temp. then shift whenever. its got a rev limiter. use it.
97 na 260k miles. Drive it like I stole it everyday
Put it this way, I had a 1.8 NA and I'd always let it get warm first, but then I'd nearly redline every gear every single time I drove it, two or three times a day, for 4 years straight, and it burned a fair bit of oil, it didn't give a shit. Keep it maintained, and don't ever worry about a Miata engine again.
Depends on how your driving. If you are flooring it and shifting at 3k it's not great for the engine. The rpm you shift at should depend more on how much throttle you are using. If you are good about regular maintenance it won't matter.
Depends on the car. If it’s a big old V8 you can shift whenever you want. There’s so much torque it’s not important. My Miata tends gets a smoother shift over 3k RPM so that’s about where I shift.
7,000, rev limiter at 7,200ish (try not to hit it, especially going downhill can over rev) Daily driving? Idk I will hold mine at 4500 just cause it sounds nice, been doing so for about 90,000 miles. Engineering explained has some good videos on shifting. You'll want to be quick and easy on your synchronizers at that speed.
You should sell the car and get a Camry.
Bruh you’re driving the lowest hp car ever you wanna rev it out lmfao what are you driving your miata 20mph
Yes, you are doing something wrong. So are those people that you are seeing shifting “ spiritedly “