Who uses 6th gear when driving on surface streets?

[Blastofo]

Well i've had my celica for almost a year now. I've always just figured 6th gear was only for when i'm on the freeway going 70+ mph, but then I just decided to use 6th gear when im driving on the surface streets going 50. Now the revs stay below 3k. It makes sense to keep the rpms as low as possible so I get better gas mileadge and less wear on the engine, right?

Who else puts it in 6th gear when cruising around surface streets?

[PapiChuu]

i do

[jotan82]

all the time

[autxr]

I do. If I'm crusing at 45-50 mph, why not have it in 6th. THe engine isn't lugging, I'm not in a hurry.

[TeeAreDeaGeeTeeEss]

*raises hand*

[baNanA_ryCe]

*looks at celica....shakes head, puts head down, and puts hand over eyes...*
ben has an auto celica gt... :D

[marcus_GTS]

The lowest speed Toyota recommends for 6th gear is 50 mph (80km/h), so I try to avoid putting it in sixth unless I'm going a little quicker than that. In general, I try to keep the revs above 2500

[t2000gts]

the final multiplication numbers for 4th on the auto GTS is identical to 6th on 6-speed, so it's the same rpm-mph wise.

and the car goes into 4th whenever it can. like even at 10-20mph. tranny just chugs along happily.

doesn't pick up for **** though until over 60mph when it's ~3000rpm.

[Drew]

I do it all the time...it saves on gas and wear and tear....sixth gear was made for a reason.

[daSchtick]

I never really use it below 60 MPH. Generally, my engine is always running at least 3000 RPM. I prefer to keep it higher in the power band as opposed to saving a little gas (I already average 28-29; that's fine for me).

[jotan82]

goin 50 with the TRM the exhaust is quiet

[Z24and GT]

I use 6th gear anytime im about 40mph.

[oldster]

Don't even look at the speed, if it's comfortable and not lugging I'm in it. :)

[AkUmA]

i'd like to, but to many people get in front of me and i never get to shift to 6th... but in the interstate i use 6th 80% of the time. sometimes in the early morning i do us 6th, but im really moving at that time *mostly cause ill late for work*...

[Blastofo]

Originally posted by marcus_GTS
The lowest speed Toyota recommends for 6th gear is 50 mph (80km/h), so I try to avoid putting it in sixth unless I'm going a little quicker than that. In general, I try to keep the revs above 2500

So can anything really bad happen, long term, if I drove in 6th gear going 45mph?

[oldster]

The recommended shift point is 50 MPH. If you are able to maintain speed with light throttle applied and are not lugging the motor you will cause no damage. The recommended shift point from 1-2 is 15 mph, does that mean you will hurt the car by driving slower than 15 in second, no.

[QWKsilvr808]

I always try to get to the highest gear that the car can use in the given situation. It saves gas in the long run. As long as it's in a gear where the car doesn't have to stumble to keep moving, it's perfectly fine.

[daSchtick]

Originally posted by Blastofo


So can anything really bad happen, long term, if I drove in 6th gear going 45mph?

Generally no, as long as you keep a mild throttle opening. BUT, say your doing 45 and you drift down to 40 and encounter a slight grade. If you begin to notice that you are pushing down on the accelerator pedal quite a bit to maintain speed, or return to 45-50 MPH, this is called lugging, and it can be harmful.

Imagine riding a bicycle on a flat stretch in a higher gear, but at a low RPM. Now you encounter a hill, and instead of down-shifting, you try to pedal harder just to maintain speed. You must push MUCH harder than you would if you were riding on a flat stretch. In fact, your legs will begin to ache under the stress, and you will get really hot, as you try with all your might to push the pedal down.

Now imagine the pistons instead of your legs. When ignition occurs in a cylinder, and the force to move the piston down is extreme, the energy from the ignition must still be dissipated. Now instead of pushing down on the normally movable piston, it cannot, so the energy now places stress on the piston, rings, cylinder head, valves, and head gasket until the piston is able to move enough to move this stress. This can cause a build-up of heat, and heat accelerates wear. It also can cause damage to any of the parts listed above over time.

So to clarify, a mild throttle opening in these situations is acceptable, but if you need to accelerate, you should down-shift.

[ringthree]

I usually try to get though the gears pretty quick when I'm not pushing it. I sometimes lug the engine a little, I should watch that more.

[Da Kine Guy]

You'll know when you lug, makes a deep rumble, car shakes, and the car won't accelerate hardly at all. I do this in my old Corona to piss off fart-cannon owners sometimes, it makes a really deep rumble and the riceboys think it's my "awesome" engine and exhaust. Funny when I tell 'em it's stock (so gullible those guys). Like schtick said though, you shouldn't do it often really, but it is by no means like a misshift or anything that catastrophic, so don't get freaked if you do happen to lug the engine a bit.

[Blastofo]

Originally posted by Da Kine Guy
You'll know when you lug, makes a deep rumble, car shakes, and the car won't accelerate hardly at all. I do this in my old Corona to piss off fart-cannon owners sometimes, it makes a really deep rumble and the riceboys think it's my "awesome" engine and exhaust.

:chuckles::chuckles::chuckles: that's kinda tight.

good explanation btw on the lugging. i've done it a few times and it sounds nasty, my dad used to do it all the time in his pickup.

on surface streets im usually going 50, sometimes 55 and over 2k so i should be all good.

[00 LSM GTS]

thanks for the explanations on why not to lugg. On few occations i usually floor 6th gear when i'm on the freeway... that's bad right?

[WillyK]

The only time I use 6th gear is on the interstate doing at least 60mph.

[daSchtick]

Originally posted by 00 LSM GTS
thanks for the explanations on why not to lugg. On few occations i usually floor 6th gear when i'm on the freeway... that's bad right?

I wouldn't recommend it.

[spaldam]

If I'm over 45mph on level roads, and not trying to accelerate, 6th gear dose great to help with the gas milage. As soon as I want to accelerate, or see a hill comeing up I'll down shift to 4th.

[cool2miketlu]

I don't even go into my fifth in normal streets...
Thats probably why I only get around 27mpg, and the S-AFC did not help either... hahaha

[mac340]

i will use 6th as long as i am still over 2500rpm and on a flat surface.