I was cruising to Vallejo.Ca on the freeway and never really thought about the rpms on my S2k seemed kinda high to me. I never really took notice cause this car is still new to me. But the rpms at around 80mph were @45-5500rpms and it seemed high at only 80mph. As if the engine was working harder than it should have, and sounded like it was eating up alot gas at the same time. Is this normal or is my car hurting? Please enlight me!


2000: 2000 Berlina Black

Comptech Flywheel recently installed

 

do you have stock gearing?

your RPMs at 80 MPH shouldn't vary as much as 1000 at that speed. but, normal gearing on level ground 80MPH=aprox 4500 RPMs

 

Sounds like the normal rpm range for that speed. Nothing is wrong with your car. I think the gearing is one of the main reasons why we don't get closer to 30mpg on the highway.

Craig

 

Thanks for the reply fellas!

 

Last week I did a 314 mile higway trip in cruise and averaged just over 30 mpg. Including about 30-40 minutes of breaks, my average speed was 62.9 MPH. The on road average was a bit higher than that. The car is an absolutely stock 2001 with just over 28k on the clock..

 

I noticed that they are kinda high too. 80 is right around 4500 on my '00 (45,000 miles). Can you switch out the final drive for a different, more cruising friendly, ratio? I don't really need a sprint gear for 6th. My previous car, an '03 Mazda P5, 80 was at around 3500. I guess comparatively, it is not as high, b/c of the S2000's astronomical redline.

 

I can understand that because you were driving at a slower speed. I usually cruise at around 80mph on highway trips (assuming a 70mph speed limit). In my RSX I average 30mpg easily at that speed, but in the S it would be closer to 25-26mpg or so.

I don't think that would be a wise idea. Your final drive affects all of your gear ratios so by installing a taller FD you would end up slowing things down across the board. Unless you meant swapping out the 6th gear cog in which case that would make sense, but I think it would be quite the project.

Craig

 

you could switch out your 6th gear. that would do what you want.

i have not seen any new 6th gear cogs though.

 

Yeah, I'd like (tho, many/majority don't) to have an overdrive 6th. Even at the track, I don't get into 6th (I'm not that fast yet)...I'd be happy topping out in 5th and having 6th as an overdrive. Like steven975 said tho, no one makes a wider 6th gear set.

 

My Civic is 2700RPM at 70MPH. I'd love to have seen Honda add an electronic overdrive to the S. Knock off about 1000RPM in 5th or 6th with a button push.

Steve