How many rpm's on a mountain climb?

[skyl4rk]

If you are climbing a long grade, what is a good range to keep your motor rpm's at?

This will depend on what type of motor.

I have a Dodge 5.2 Magnum V8 and I think 2500 to 2700 seems about right. I disengage the overdrive and at this rpm I go about 40 mph, maybe a little faster. I don't drive in mountains much so I am not an expert.

 

[ArtW]

Look up the torque / HP #s for your engine, you will see that torque peaks at one given RPM, and HP peaks at a different RPM
The range between those two RPM is where you want to be for climbing, generally speaking, and I like to be higher in the range because the water pump circulates the coolant faster
Of course that's all theoretical on my part, real world observation always trumps theory

 

[skyl4rk]

Max torque is at 3200, max HP is at 4400. That seems fast, even 3200 seems like racing the engine.

 

[dr_nelson]

And always keep an eye on the temperature gauge.
Just saying...

 

[ArtW]

Sounds like the 3.0 in my Ranger, running it at peak torque RPM sounds like it's dying.
If 2700 works, go with it

 

[highdesertranger]

the RPM has to do with the gearing, and the weight of the vehicle. not the horsepower or torque. highdesertranger

 

[ArtW]

The gearing determines the RPM of the engine at a given speed, engines produce max torque at a given RPM and max HP at a given RPM, it's all interconnected
An engine will pull hardest when it's in it's power band, you select the gear to match speed to powerband, taking into account whether you actually NEED all the power the engine can produce

 

[DuneElliot]

I've honestly never looked at the RPMs when climbing mountains. I guess I just listen to my engine and find the sweet spot...of course this is slightly different with a manual tranmission as I have more personal choice where to keep the RPMs and the speed.

 

[Gary68]

if you feel your engine struggling and if you give it gas and dont pick up speed it's time to let of the throttle and gear down
it's just like riding a bike,when it get to hard change gears and give more leverage

peak hp and torque ratings are useless in the real world unless you're driving around at full throttle

 

[ArtW]

That, honestly, is what I do, my van doesn't even have a tach, and I rarely spare the one in my truck a glance

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I've honestly never looked at the RPMs when climbing mountains. I guess I just listen to my engine and find the sweet spot...of course this is slightly different with a manual tranmission as I have more personal choice where to keep the RPMs and the speed.

I  hate that you can no longer get manual transmissions in trucks, I think only some Ram models still offer it, and last I checked that was with diesels only.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I  hate that you can no longer get manual transmissions in trucks, I think only some Ram models still offer it, and last I checked that was with diesels only.

The reality is that almost no one knows how to drive one anymore.

 

[DuneElliot]

I  hate that you can no longer get manual transmissions in trucks, I think only some Ram models still offer it, and last I checked that was with diesels only.

Which is why I'll probably never get rid of mine...I love that thing. I'd rather replace everything on her than buy a new truck...manual tranny and 7.3L diesel engine...what a great combination!

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

The reality is that almost no one knows how to drive one anymore.

I thought about leaving the un-syncro'd tranny in my '51 as a theft deterrent.

 -- Spiff

 

[ArtW]

Not a bad idea, even those who can drive a manual nowadays mostly can't drive an unsychro'd one

 

[mayble]

What are the opinions of the "shiftable automatic" transmissions?  My Grand Caravan has it, tho I've never used it here in flat-land, and the Ford Transits I looked at have it too.

 

[ArtW]

they give you more choice over gearing than a regular automatic, although many of them seem recalcitrant in manual mode, and some early ones were not reliable not reliable
I think the ones in Dodge and Ford products are pretty decent, but I'm not well versed on them, so take my opinion with a bit of salt

 

[skyl4rk]

In a few days I have to cross the mountains from NC to KY. I am wondering if anyone has any advice for how to do long slopes in a way that is best for longevity of the motor and trans.

 

[ArtW]

I've driven a V6 Ranger with 800lbs of motorcycles and 400 lbs of men in it in NC, I used the slow lame and, on steeper grades, turned the overdrive off and just took my time, and watched the temperature gauge

 

[DuneElliot]

Not a bad idea, even those who can drive a manual nowadays mostly can't drive an unsychro'd one

What is a unsynchro'd transmission?