[5 Speeds Only]

[European Sportwagon]

New Plugs

Clean Air Filter

Fresh Oil

And Summer Tires...

Time for a Spring Performance Report:

I've had my 95 NA wagon for about two years now. It feels like I'm still learning how to drive her.

It's a bit slow off the line, but once I hit third @ 2500-3000 rpm, it's a fast car

As long as I keep up some momentum and plan ahead, I can pass V8's in the mountains @ 65.

Been very pleased with the performance so far. [stock 15" wheels-Bilstein HD shocks and rear sway bar ]

I can't imagine having 300hp in that beast. I'd get in trouble for sure.

I'm wondering how high you guys rev up... 5000?

I've got her up to 4500 a couple times, but not too often.

Didn't want to push too much...any reason not to? Different for turbos?

Please share some of your 5 speed driving stories...

[ErikS]

Please share some of your 5 speed driving stories...

I dream about them, but you get to live it.

[shanehutton]

I used to regularly rev my NA to redline. Once the engine is warm I wouldn't hesitate to reg it all the way up from time to time. Even the auto tranny will rev the engine almost to redline before it upshifts.

[European Sportwagon]

So...can short shifting @ 2500 be bad for the motor?

It seems like first and second are smoother @ 3500. anything lower and it'll lugg

[maiku]

what do you mean by short shifting?

and that "lugg"you feel is your NA powah

my clutch is wearing thin, so if I really rev engine to 6500+, the car goes nowhere and I smell a lot of bad burning stuff

i shift pretty early, like 2k early

good for gas going 60kph @ 1000 rpm in 5th gear

but i need R clutch :(

[thewhiteguy1]

It seems like first and second are smoother @ 3500. anything lower and it'll lugg

i agree with this statement. not sure about the short shifting. don't think so though.

[ProjectT-5R]

Some hard revs can actually help to blow out some build up from your combustion chamber on back. So from time to time it can be a good thing.

[Dave 54]

I dream about them, but you get to live it.

Me too

[Chilled man]

I dont shift anything below 4500

And wind it out daily to 6500

and its turbo ;)

[B Mac]

Lugging around your vulva is what causes oil damage (sludge and other crap built up). If you exercise the motor frequently, you'll keep it running clean and strong. I told my dad the same thing for his 99 t5m, and now he'll just goose it when he goes up onramps or up hills or something. You don't need to beat the balls off the car, but give it a little workout every now and then man!

Oh, and I swapped my 850 to a 5spd....19t wg actuator, s60R exhaust manifold, 3" full exhaust.....the fun STARTS at 3k rpm :lol:

[magicaljake]

yeah...i reved my NA up to 6200 all the time and didnt' think anything of it

[Boost3237]

I dont shift anything below 4500

And wind it out daily to 6500

and its turbo

I dont rice nearly as hard... If the streets are crouded and during normal DD I'll behave but if the situation calls for it say.... a 350ft wide 4 lane intersection with an amazing left hand sweeper with no traffic I'll pwn 3rd gear all the way through wind it out shift 4th... keep going.....throw 5th stay for a second then start braking.... I love that road.....

[RZT5]

our engines arent very happy below 2000. increased vibrations, lower oil flow etc (associated with low engine speeds and high load) arent your engine's friends. i keep mine in the 2000-3000 range during normal driving but dont let it go below 2500 for more than a few seconds. I also dont have a problem winding it out to 6500 when i feel like it though. like others have said. its not good to put around town at really low rpm.

i hang out alot at my mechanic's shop and the cars i see in worst condition mechanically are the ones driven very slowly at low rpm ALL the time. they are full of sludge, have terrible compression and just run like crap.

my car on the other hand (driven most of its life by a british guy who told me he had no problem topping out the tachometer and keeping his revs high when he felt like it) has 294k km on it and has almost brand new spec compression and pulls hard and smooth, and my oil comes out only slightly brown at the end of every 10,000 kms.

[European Sportwagon]

what do you mean by short shifting?

Thanks for the responses, just what I was looking for.

I mean:

shifting at a "short" RPM such as 2500.

rather than a "long" RPM...say 5000.

[bshinn]

These are relatively small-bore motors, not big diesels, they don't like to be lugged. You don't have to flogg it like a rented mule, but keep the revs up a bit.