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Topic: What Gear Do You Drive On Interstate? (Read 1823 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: What Gear Do You Drive On Interstate?

Reply #50 –
No, not so much feet on the floor "wheee" on the downhills for me.

My toad is an MDX. Not only is it limited to 65mph while being towed, I know the tranny is it's only weakness. The transmission fluid turns dark after being towed, darker after being towed too fast. I change the transmission fluid after every long trip, and this car with nearly 200000 miles has no issues.

When traveling in California, the speed limit while towing is 55. I keep the cruise set to 60-62. Very little "wheee" before the MDX limit.

When traveling out of state or out of country, I keep it right at the posted limit. I don't want a visit before the local magistrate.

Better safe than sorry. Plenty of fun awaits me outside the wheee experience.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: What Gear Do You Drive On Interstate?

Reply #51 –
Quote from: Old phart phred –
Don't use the cruise control, and heck I have never even tried it on my coach, because past diesel experience has been that they overreact.

I use the cruise control on our 1995 U320 nearly all of the time unless in congested traffic or climbing and descending steep hills. It works perfectly and makes the driving experience far more pleasant.
David and Carolyn Osborn
1995 U320C SE 40' Build 4726 Feb 1995
FMCA 147762
Motorcade 17186

Re: What Gear Do You Drive On Interstate?

Reply #52 –
Quote from: Tom Lang –
No, not so much feet on the floor "wheee" on the downhills for me.

My toad is an MDX. Not only is it limited to 65mph while being towed, I know the tranny is it's only weakness. The transmission

When traveling out of state or out of country, I keep it right at the posted limit. I don't want a visit before the local magistrate.

Better safe than sorry. Plenty of fun awaits me outside the wheee experience.

The tires on my trailer are approaching their age limit, so I understand.

Once, on a weekend trip to Montreal for food and drink, I left the cruise control on my Caprice Classic Estate Wagon set on 100 KPH while forgetting to tell my passengers that it was kph.  As one of them nervously looked out the window for police helicopters, and the others imagines what an international speeding ticket would entail, 3 or 4 Ford Mustangs with US plates whizzed by us as if we were standing still.  I imagined that as typical Americas they didn't understand that other countries might not use "miles."  At the toll booth the cars were parked, the drivers were in restraints and I paid my toll and motored on.

There are interstates in Vermont, Pennsylvania and Virginia however  . . .
1992 Foretravel Grand Villa
U225 SBID Build No. 4134
1986 Rockwood Driftwood
1968 S.I.A.T.A. Spring
1962 Studebaker Lark
1986 Honda VF700C
1983 Honda VF750C
Charlie, the Dog was broken out of jail 24 Oct 2023
N1RPN
AA1OH (H)e who must be obeyed.

Re: What Gear Do You Drive On Interstate?

Reply #53 –
Paid more attention today in a drive up from San Diego to our San Juan Capistrano home regarding the upshift points.

More throttle extends the upshift rpms in all the gears until the 55mph upshift into 6th.

Unless floored 55 is it.

Driving in traffic with the "mode" on the coach pulls from 55 on up without downshifting.  Mode off will downshift if aggressive enough. 

Having it not upshift until 62 and then downshift then upshift readily would not be my personal choice.

The trans seems to react to the available power going into it.  In other words if the engine is struggling to maintain speed up a grade it will finally downshift even with the mode on.

Fairly gentle grades over 55mph the engine will take full throttle and not downshift as long as it's gaining speed. 

The lower parasitic power losses and the other changes really work well with the 55 into 6th setup. 

"Riding and rejoicing"
Bob
1997 U320 40' Mid entry, build 5132,  wtbi ce27, 4th owner
2007 Solara convertible
2 prodeco tech outlaw ss electric bikes

1095 watts solar
08 Ls 460 and a sc430
2000 Ford F-250 superduty 4x4

Re: What Gear Do You Drive On Interstate?

Reply #54 –
I run 64ish in 6th gear @ 1400ish RPM in most cases.  I can't even get into 6th unless I am above 61mph.  I use cruise control most time, but keep it in economy mode.  Most times it doesn't downshift and I don't believe I am "lugging" the engine.  It will go up a pretty good hill without slowing down enough to downshift.

I've found that running this way offers the best fuel economy.  If I am quick to downshift to 5th or have to run in 5th due to a 55mph speed limit, fuel economy is noticeably worse.

I sometimes wonder how it would do at 70-75mph.

I noticed temps as high as 188 or so without downshifting on the VMspc which is higher than I remember on mostly flat ground but it was 98 outside and the radiator was dirty so I didn't worry much.