Mk7 Zetec S - Rpm Discussion

[Rogue_Shadow]

Hey FOC

Before starting I am NOT MR RS Driver , Despite having a saxo before my MK7 (The UK's icon for Boy racing ) I am simple curious at what RPM people shift up through the gears.

If I wanted to cain my engine, I could easily do so it really wants me to do that too.

However with under 500 miles under the engines belt, Ive been taking it nice and easy ( & will continue to do so)

So I have been changing gear at 25k (25000 rpm) that's pretty much for all gears past 2nd gear.

Obviously for speed I could let the RPM fly up, I haven't but I was curious how everyone else drives when taking it easy.

What do you class as High Revs/rpm?

What RPM does the 1.6 engine really kick in?

Ive never taken it higher than 34000rpm hence why my average MPG (on the trip) is 49.8 :P

Thanks for reading, Hope Im not being a complete TARD

[Strutter]

Well I usally drive for ease and smoothness that is about 2500rpm, tho the Power band is usually 3500 and above....but the petrol would just go bye bye...heard on the news today its go up again incedentally.

[Rogue_Shadow]

Yea ment to be £1.24 per Litre :(

However ... At the start of the year Labour stated that the Price of Petrol MAY go upto £1.50

So eco driving is the way too go.

Lucky the ZS is damn fun even at slow speeds, it handles beautifully!

Tomorrow will be the longest day of your life Strutter

[Strutter]

lol, im hoping for better fuel results as I went for the 1.4 Titanium lol...see me...thought ahead I did :D

Ya know what even funny...I have a dentist appointment on Thursday Mornin, I also predict it will be raining heavily!

1.24?....jesus!....that nearly a 10p raise from at my local Sainsburys here!

[Fi.Es.Ta]

My car now is just clocking on to 30,000klm,i shift at 3,000 rpm, somtimes 4,000 if i want a bit of torque

and if i feel like playing i'll take it to 6,300 rpm or let it hit the limiter in 2nd gear by this stage im doing 100kph

and take it all the way to 5th as quik as i can yes my car gets driven hard but within reason and limits.

As far as im concerned small hatches with good torque are there to be driven hard and no namby pamby sh#t ;)

[KeithC]

Hey FOC

Before starting I am NOT MR RS Driver , Despite having a saxo before my MK7 (The UK's icon for Boy racing ) I am simple curious at what RPM people shift up through the gears.

If I wanted to cain my engine, I could easily do so it really wants me to do that too.

However with under 500 miles under the engines belt, Ive been taking it nice and easy ( & will continue to do so)

So I have been changing gear at 25k (25000 rpm) that's pretty much for all gears past 2nd gear.

Obviously for speed I could let the RPM fly up, I haven't but I was curious how everyone else drives when taking it easy.

What do you class as High Revs/rpm?

What RPM does the 1.6 engine really kick in?

Ive never taken it higher than 34000rpm hence why my average MPG (on the trip) is 49.8 :P

Thanks for reading, Hope Im not being a complete TARD

I think you need to take a zero of your RPM, because F1 cars don't rev that high ;)

To be honest, it doesn't really matter these days as long as you have a few miles under your engine's belt. I presume it has a rev limiter, so you shouldn't be able to do any damage as long as you're not bouncing it off the rev limiter doing 80mph in third, but it's like most things, the more you hammer it, the less durable it will be, the quicker your tyres will wear, the more petrol you use etc. That doesn't mean you can't use full revs, just make sure the engine is warm, ie at least 3 or 4 miles from cold and everything should be hunky dory for a blast here and there.

I usually change up in the 1.4 around 3000 - 3500 rpm, when changing through the gears up to say third, as it makes the drive less jumpy, plus the fact the 1.4 would never be anywhere near fast if I rattled it to 6000rpm, so no point in over stressing anything.

In my M3, again, usually around the same revs unless I'm gunning it, then it's usually around 7500 - 8000rpm, but that's good for over 100mph in third, so you have to be careful and aware of what's around if you don't want to lose your licence.

Just be sensible, that's probably the best advice, but also enjoy the car and it's engine.

[AndrewL]

I think you're a saint for leaving it this long! I did drive fairly gently for the first 1500 miles and let the car warm up for over 5 minutes before I drove it during this period but I'm fairly sure that I redlined my car within 10 miles of pulling out of the forecourt! :D Too much temptation with too few reasons not to!

[coysht]

With the 1.6, around town there is no need to use anything more than 3,000rpm - tbh you can get away with far less and it'll still pull in most gears.

But thats all a little dull.... If you want some fun then you need to keep the revs above 3,500 and shift at anywhere between 5k and the redline, depending on how much of a thrashing you intend on giving the car and more importantly just how quickly you were planning on going.

After a quick run in the sunshine this afternoon I found that on country lanes you only actually need 2nd and 3rd gear, otherwise you'll not only be braking the speed limit, but you're just asking for trouble around the next bend.

A mate of mine has a Caterham 7 which he's running in the Caterham academy this season, which also has the 1.6 Sigma engine* and they get royally thrashed without too much worry, despight it being a road car engine bolted to a load of Sierra bits.

As long as you stay on top of maintainance and oil levels you should be able to give it a good 'run' quite regularly.

(* slightly different tune and obviously totally different running gear and exhaust)

[Rogue_Shadow]

I think you need to take a zero of your RPM, because F1 cars don't rev that high ;)

No mines a super ST Version :P , I thought it looked abit funny while typing it ha ha

I think you're a saint for leaving it this long!

Its extremely hard! I want to take it to 4,000 but it wont to let it run abit first. I'll test my own obedience

With the 1.6, around town there is no need to use anything more than 3,000rpm - tbh you can get away with far less and it'll still pull in most gears.

But thats all a little dull.... If you want some fun then you need to keep the revs above 3,500 and shift at anywhere between 5k and the redline, depending on how much of a thrashing you intend on giving the car and more importantly just how quickly you were planning on going.

As long as you stay on top of maintainance and oil levels you should be able to give it a good 'run' quite regularly.

(* slightly different tune and obviously totally different running gear and exhaust)

I think I fall into the "Dull" category at the moment, It wont be staying there though.

Off to Cardiff this weekend so Wesley will be rested up for the weekend. I'll do a few checks when I get back

& Have a look at how to change over the bulbs when I get some :)