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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!bellcore!decvax!genrad!panda!teddy!srk
From: srk@teddy.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: To 5 speed or 4 speed, that is the ?
Message-ID: <2117@teddy.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Feb-86 10:02:32 EST
Article-I.D.: teddy.2117
Posted: Fri Feb 14 10:02:32 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Feb-86 05:48:24 EST
References: <583@philabs.UUCP> <2956@ut-ngp.UUCP>
Reply-To: srk@teddy.UUCP (Stephen R. Klein)
Organization: GenRad, Inc., Concord, Mass.
Lines: 32
Summary: 

In article <2956@ut-ngp.UUCP> mberns@ut-ngp.UUCP (Mark Bernstein) writes:
>...  I'm
>*constantly* shifting around in my 5 spd when in the lower gears - the
>car just runs out of steam, and quickly; to keep the engine rpms in a
>comfortable section of the power curve I've got to downshift - and
>then, earlier than I'd like, I run out of rpms and have to upshift.
>Especially in any kind of curvy, hilly terrain, such as that west of
>Austin.  I guess the "closer" gearing ratios in the 5 speed account
>for this.  My four speed can stay comfortably in a higher gear under a
>wider variety of conditions.   And all this, I have a feeling, is
>*not* a direct function of size and hp of the engine, etc.  The 5 speed is an
>Accord (1.8 liter), while the 4 spd is a Volvo (a 2.1 l, but *much*
>heavier).

All other things being equal, a car with close ratio gearing should require
LESS frequent shifting than one with wider ratios.  This is because you should
have a better chance of finding a gear well suited to the average load.

However, the key word here is "require".  It may be FUN to shift more
frequently with the close ratio gearing since as conditions change you can
find a gear close by that is a good match.  This may be the reason why you
actually shift more frequently with the five speed.  :-)

The other point is that all other things are probably not equal - in that an
engine with a narrow torque curve will require more frequent shifts than one
with a broad curve.  I have heard that the Honda engine is a "high-reving"
engine, and perhaps your instincts are telling you to upshift before you
actually need to, which (in effect) would narrow the torque curve and cause
more frequent shifts.  But I am only guessing here - I'll leave it to the
Honda owners to comment on this.
						-- Stephen Klein
						...!decvax!genrad!panda!srk