88targarose Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Pretty much as the topic says. I'm used to other vehicles which have much longer gears and a much lower 5th/freeway gear. 4,000 seems high to be turning for multiple hours on a freeway. Is there a way to change the gearing to bring this down some or is it just fine and I'm a lunatic? BTW: The vehicle is an 1988 RX 3dr liftback, EA82T w/dr 5spd, stock 13" wheel/tire combo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Without doing drastic drive train changes, you could put on some 15in Pugs. This might help a little. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88targarose Posted June 27, 2004 Author Share Posted June 27, 2004 I assumed as much, but I was just making sure that no one out there had performed a radical modification to the DR setup or the final drive ratio. By Pugs you mean 15" Pugeot rims that match the stock wheel bolt pattern? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
archemitis Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 that seems high for a 5 speed. my 4 speed is about 4200 at 80. are the rx trannies different than a manual dr 5speed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex C Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 While I drive an EA81 auto ive put the better part of 100k on my car at around 4500 rpm. No problems for me. Also those kit builders that use ea81's liek to gear it so that the engine is at 5000 rpm for the flight, as that puts it at the top of the power band and you get good fuel usage out of it. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quidam Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Pretty much as the topic says. I'm used to other vehicles which have much longer gears and a much lower 5th/freeway gear. 4,000 seems high to be turning for multiple hours on a freeway. Is there a way to change the gearing to bring this down some or is it just fine and I'm a lunatic? BTW: The vehicle is an 1988 RX 3dr liftback, EA82T w/dr 5spd, stock 13" wheel/tire combo. Hey targarose, I have a '89 GL Sedan, DR 5 speed. I'm not ready to put it back on the road just yet so I can't run out and check it. With the 3.90 gear @ 4500 RPM or so, it runs 105 mph, in fourth. The tach may be off. Do you have it in low range? Under sized tires? Please report what you find out. Q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DerFahrer Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 My XT is about the same, about 4k in 5th at 80. Let's face it, old-gen Subarus are small cars with small engines. To put a really tall gearbox in it would only make it slower and use more gas since the engine would have to work harder. Like Turbone said, you can put bigger wheels on it, but that's about it. No other gearbox that will fit an EA is going to give you drastically longer gearing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theDirtyRue Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 With the 3.90 gear @ 4500 RPM or so, it runs 105 mph, in fourth. 105 in fourth? I don't think thats true for a second. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 First, the rpm/speed you list is about right. +/- a few mph depending on fine tuning. Upgrading to 15" Pugs can boost about 10%. Second - why do you need to go faster than 80? Do the speed limit, live longer, enjoy the countryside. Don't be in such a big hurry. If time is that important, fly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWX Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 First, the rpm/speed you list is about right. +/- a few mph depending on fine tuning. Upgrading to 15" Pugs can boost about 10%. Second - why do you need to go faster than 80? Do the speed limit, live longer, enjoy the countryside. Don't be in such a big hurry. If time is that important, fly. somebody's showing ones age again (j/K) but I don't think 4 grand is that high a crusing speed for the engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted June 27, 2004 Share Posted June 27, 2004 Just back a few months ago I got a whopper. 87mph in a 70mph zone. Cost me $100 in court costs. Northguy, you may want to look at the calender for next month :-p Oh, and sorry for the H/J :-\ 3.90 gears make for a higher rpm, the 3.70 is better for hiway use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratty2Austin Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 you shouldnt need to change the gearing.... subaru motors are designed to run at high rpms for long periods of time... in fact, i have noticed that the ones that are used in that aspect, last longer and run better- so I would just get used to it... (think of it like a sport bike! they run about 8000rpms for a crusing rpm ) cause your motor will run good at that rpm (besides, if you get to a hill, you will need it to be in the powerband anywyas to climb it) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subynut Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 I agree. I get alot better mileage when I'm on the freeway. I think I'm doin about 75ish at 3500: 3.9 axel ratio DR 5sp. Kinda hard since the speedo sticks between 55 and 75. So, 4K at 80 sounds about right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88targarose Posted June 28, 2004 Author Share Posted June 28, 2004 My speedo sticks as well, but I took the average. I understand that the flat-4 motor is designed to handle turning 4,000 just fine, it just seems odd coming from driving vehicles that turn sub-2,800rpms on the freeway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MilesFox Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 on the road trip the second time, the RX averaged a 500 rpm higher difference than trashwagon's part time dual range, but it got better fuel economy in danny's loyale, h connected one of those vacuum gauge "gas saver" and as you increase rmp for the same amount of pedal travel, the needle moves up into the good and excellent. if you notice, say at 50-55 mph in 4th gear, there is less pedal effor than trying to keep the same speed in 5th at a lower rpm 3500-4500 rpm is optimum range for the ea82 motor, right smack in the powerband. whenever i go baja'n in the field, the tach is always about 4500 to 5500 rpm all day, and the motor doenst complain one bit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nug Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 whenever i go baja'n in the field, the tach is always about 4500 to 5500 rpm all day, and the motor doenst complain one bit! I seem to remember it hovering around 7k for quite some time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88targarose Posted June 28, 2004 Author Share Posted June 28, 2004 Isn't the factory redline like 6.5? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All_talk Posted June 28, 2004 Share Posted June 28, 2004 The final drive of the RX FT 5speed D/R and the PT 5speed D/R are very close. Without all the math…. RX F/T 5speed D/R 5th gear ratio = .871 Final drive = 3.7:1 Tire size = 185/70HR13 (23.2” Dia.) 3268rpm @ 70mph 3735rpm @ 80mph 4WD P/T 5speed D/R 5th gear ratio = .780 Final drive = 3.9:1 Tire size = 175/70SR13 (22.6” Dia.) 3167rpm @ 70mph 3620rpm @ 80mph These numbers seem to agree with my ’87 RX Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.