What's the deal with the 5th gear?
10-29-2003, 06:46 PM
#31
Burning Brakes
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Everybody that rides with me in my RX-7 thinks that somebody honked at us with the Rev buzzer goes off. I am still not certain why they think they could here another cars horn with the car topped out in 4th gear.
10-30-2003, 12:04 AM
#33
Three Wheelin'
The 1st gen RX-7 had a warning buzzer? That's news to me.....I guess mine didn't work....I hit 10K rpm on that motor 2-3 times when accelerating hard....but with only really like 3 moving parts in it, it certainly never, ever felt close to revving too much.
10-30-2003, 12:33 AM
#34
Race Car
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alex: the light comes on when you've reached the peak torque under full load, so you know when to shift for best power 
good ol' porsche, thought of everything!
-Michael-
good ol' porsche, thought of everything!
-Michael-
10-30-2003, 01:17 AM
#35
Pro
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I did my first highway run the other day in my car (~200km total) and I think the 5th gear is perfect. Cruising at around 125 or 130km/h or about 3000rpm is fine in my opinion.
Man, you can't really appreciate these cars until you get onto a good stretch of highway. Such a nice smooth feeling about it. I love it.
Man, you can't really appreciate these cars until you get onto a good stretch of highway. Such a nice smooth feeling about it. I love it.
10-30-2003, 06:13 AM
#37
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Also, I have no problem trundling along as low as 1500rpm, with no idling issues, and the car will pull from there no problem. I do use decent fuel though - 98 Shell Optimax. I'm pretty sure you get similar 'performance fuels' in the States.
I would think it would be like this with all 8v NA's , not sure about the more peaky 16v's though.
I would think it would be like this with all 8v NA's , not sure about the more peaky 16v's though.
10-30-2003, 03:50 PM
#39
Three Wheelin'
Does anybody know the gear count on the 88 924S 5th gear? Have a shop who will look for one for me if I can find the count?
1983-1987 944 ROW: 35:29 (0.8286)
1983-1987 944 USA: 37:27 (0.7297)
1987-1988 944S, 924S: 35:29 (0.8286)
1988-1989 944: 35:29 (0.8286)
1989-1991 944S2: 36:28 (0.778)
HTH
10-30-2003, 04:34 PM
#41
From what I remember, the shift light was actually an EPA test thing. Gas mileage was a BIG deal back then. The EPA gas mileage test had specified shift points, but VW successfully lobbied the EPA to shift whenever the upshift light came on - and got better mileage numbers. Several other manufacturers including Porsche jumped on the bandwagon.
Other car makers used different tricks. The test was run with any A/C off, so Cadillac ran a different fuel program (and got fined bigtime when they got caught). The Corvette had a trick manual transmission that forced you from 1st to 4th under certain conditions - conditions which were unlikely to be encountered under any circumstances EXCEPT the EPA testing. It was supposedly good for 2-3 mpg.
BTW the EPA lab is here in Ann Arbor where I live. The first 944s I ever saw were a pair - one white, one red - pulling out of the EPA lab LONG before they were for sale here in the US. I was blown away by how good looking they were, and have loved the shape ever since.
Other car makers used different tricks. The test was run with any A/C off, so Cadillac ran a different fuel program (and got fined bigtime when they got caught). The Corvette had a trick manual transmission that forced you from 1st to 4th under certain conditions - conditions which were unlikely to be encountered under any circumstances EXCEPT the EPA testing. It was supposedly good for 2-3 mpg.
BTW the EPA lab is here in Ann Arbor where I live. The first 944s I ever saw were a pair - one white, one red - pulling out of the EPA lab LONG before they were for sale here in the US. I was blown away by how good looking they were, and have loved the shape ever since.