"keeping the RPMs high" Why? what do you mean?

[ChargerOnDavins]

I see all over this forum to "Keep the RPMs high" on the 3.0.

Why is this? And does that mean that when daily driving the vehicle, don't drive like grandpa? I always get unbelievable miles and mileage out of my cars because I don't accelerate past 2500 RPMS, often around 2000 for each shift.

What is the benefit of keeping the RPMS high and is this what they are referring to?

 

[psykostevo]

ditto, what does this mean? This is the first that I have heard of it.

 

[pillen140]

Keep the engine turning higher rpms because thats where they make the most power.

 

[Big Jim M]

What it means is to keep the timing to the maximum and mixture to the minimum. In order to do this the engine needs to sty above 2,000 rpm. (A few more rpm is better).
So when shifting make sure to rev it high enough so the NEXT GEAR doesn't see LESS than 2,000 rpm.
Your BEST economy will be acheived by doing this. ALSO your best power will be acheived by doing this.
An example of economy would be running up an incline with the skinny pedal floored in 5th gear at 55mph.. BETTER would be shifting to 4th and allowing the skinny pedal to be at 1/4 to 1/2 depression..
Big JIm

 

[ChargerOnDavins]

What it means is to keep the timing to the maximum and mixture to the minimum. In order to do this the engine needs to sty above 2,000 rpm. (A few more rpm is better).
So when shifting make sure to rev it high enough so the NEXT GEAR doesn't see LESS than 2,000 rpm.
Your BEST economy will be acheived by doing this. ALSO your best power will be acheived by doing this.
An example of economy would be running up an incline with the skinny pedal floored in 5th gear at 55mph.. BETTER would be shifting to 4th and allowing the skinny pedal to be at 1/4 to 1/2 depression..
Big JIm

Thank you for the clarification... but this will be hard to do for me. I am so used to "babying" my cars. Is it really that bad if I don't always do this? Isn't it bad on the tranny to shift at higher RPMS?

 

[Big Jim M]

Not really

Thank you for the clarification... but this will be hard to do for me. I am so used to "babying" my cars. Is it really that bad if I don't always do this? Isn't it bad on the tranny to shift at higher RPMS?

What you are thinking of being "babying" is zackly the opposite! Keeping the rpm low is prolly the worst thing you can do to an engine.. one like ours that actually LIKES 3,000!
The LOUD engines that you hear in diesel trains run at just barely above 600 rpm.. That is where they are built to run. That is where they produce their horsepower.
The engines on my aircraft run at 2400 rpm. That is where they are comfortable.
OUR engines have a variable rpm range. OUR engines like 3,000 rpm. Our engines don't really start to shine until 24/2500 rpm are met.
Like you I am not a fan of ultra high rpm. Although some engines are built to run above 9,000 rpm (NASCAR), ours can make 5,000 without failure. I rarely if ever take mine up there.
Since the timing and mixture are changed by the computer according to demand being placed on the vehicle, the best you can do is to accomplish the desired speed with the highest vac possible. Shifting at too low rpm causes the exact opposite of what you are trying to accomplish.

As a side note to those using HIGH rpm, I'd like to add something here that is rarely THOUGHT of.
The pistons in the engine stop all movement and change direction TWICE in each rpm! This means your pistons STOP 10,000 times a minute all the while the engine is running at 5 grand!!!!
Didja ever think of that?
Big JIm

 

[ChargerOnDavins]

What you are thinking of being "babying" is zackly the opposite! Keeping the rpm low is prolly the worst thing you can do to an engine.. one like ours that actually LIKES 3,000!
The LOUD engines that you hear in diesel trains run at just barely above 600 rpm.. That is where they are built to run. That is where they produce their horsepower.
The engines on my aircraft run at 2400 rpm. That is where they are comfortable.
OUR engines have a variable rpm range. OUR engines like 3,000 rpm. Our engines don't really start to shine until 24/2500 rpm are met.
Like you I am not a fan of ultra high rpm. Although some engines are built to run above 9,000 rpm (NASCAR), ours can make 5,000 without failure. I rarely if ever take mine up there.
Since the timing and mixture are changed by the computer according to demand being placed on the vehicle, the best you can do is to accomplish the desired speed with the highest vac possible. Shifting at too low rpm causes the exact opposite of what you are trying to accomplish.

As a side note to those using HIGH rpm, I'd like to add something here that is rarely THOUGHT of.
The pistons in the engine stop all movement and change direction TWICE in each rpm! This means your pistons STOP 10,000 times a minute all the while the engine is running at 5 grand!!!!
Didja ever think of that?
Big JIm

makes sense. My 2003 explorer has the 4.0 and lugs enormous weight behind it (400lbs in audio equipment and probably 300lb wheels) all the time and I baby the heck out of it.

So i guess my next question is; for my 1998 taurus (wife drives) with the 3.0.. same engine, same treatment?

We need 2 more years out of that car and if you step on it, the tranny shifts awful in to second. They want some 800 dollars to service it, some 2000 to replace it with a JUNKYARD tranny. HATE fwd cars. This taurus was my grandmothers. It has 112k

The 4.0 REALLY seems to like being babied. Shifts A1 I get GREAT mileage considering my weight and have 115k. My ranger has 128k

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

The 4.0L makes lots of torque down low

 

[ChargerOnDavins]

Ok thanks, so the 3.0 needs to shift around 2500 RPMS to keep it healthy?

 

[Froggmann]

The 3.0 is happiest in the 3000-4500 range. I usually shift out of 3rd at 3500-4000 when merging into traffic and still average 20+mpg.

 

[ChargerOnDavins]

The 3.0 is happiest in the 3000-4500 range. I usually shift out of 3rd at 3500-4000 when merging into traffic and still average 20+mpg.

anything above 3000 seems like it will prematurely wear stuff.. I am no mechanic but I've kept cars a live a long time by doing the exact opposite.. it's hard for me to accept that this one I need to be harder on. I just don't see that being good for the transmission

 

[Beanmachine7000]

anything above 3000 seems like it will prematurely wear stuff.. I am no mechanic but I've kept cars a live a long time by doing the exact opposite.. it's hard for me to accept that this one I need to be harder on. I just don't see that being good for the transmission

If it would damage something Ford wouldn't allow you to wind the engine up that high... Hence why you can't rev it to 9,000 rpm, yet, other cars can... They're built that way... It's not going to significantly wear anything... Actually, lugging your engine can do more damage than driving at higher RPM...

 

[Froggmann]

Peak torque on the 3.0 is at 3750 rpm.

As stated before, lugging an engine is more damaging than driving an engine where it's most efficient. I couldn't imagine never running this engine over 2500 rpm, that takes slow to a whole new level.

 

[ChargerOnDavins]

Peak torque on the 3.0 is at 3750 rpm.

As stated before, lugging an engine is more damaging than driving an engine where it's most efficient. I couldn't imagine never running this engine over 2500 rpm, that takes slow to a whole new level.

When I do this on my 2003 explorer, with 24" wheels and 350lbs of audio equipment I manage 19-20mpg. I am not in a hurry, my transmissions last forever.

I don't have any need to go any faster. I will try to "beat on" the ranger harder. I was raised being told you only get out of a car what you put in it. I treat them nicely and they're good to me in return.