I just got my car back today with a brand spanking new engine. So, when I drove it home, I noticed I was having a hard time getting up to speed when in 4th and 5th gear. 1st was fine, along with 2nd and 3rd. But once I'm in 4th, and I drop my rpms down to 2k, and I get back on the pedal, it takes forever and a day to get up speed. and it's the same for 5th gear. makes me kinda wonder that if I was in 5th, and I dropped it to 4th to pass a car, would I have enough to get by? I'll have to try it out. But none the less. Is this normal for a new engine? Is this because she's not broken in yet?


-Kanaida

 

Uh, did anyone give you instructions for a proper break-in on your new engine?



-Ted

 

Ted,

Yeah, my mechanic did. no hard acceleration. try to keep it under 4k on the tach. gradually apply gas when starting. let it idle for about 5-10 minutes before driving. all this for the first 1500 miles on the car. once I get past that, don't baby her. He says if I'm gonna race her, race her. I also know to change the oil at the 500 mile mark and the 1500 mile mark, and then regularly at 2500-3000 miles. Did I miss anything? I'm sure I know how to break it in. I'm just wondering about why it's taking forever and a day to accelerate when I'm in higher gears...

-Kanaida

 

Have you gone through the proper break-in already?



-Ted

 

2k in 4th? stick it in 2nd, your not driving a v8



and if you haven't finished your break in you shouldn't be trying to accel anyways.

 

yeah, if you're under 2k in 4th you're doing maybe 35, in which case that's a perfect time to drop it in 4th and bring it up to 4500, but then again you shouldn't be doing crazy things like that


hrmm...actually that math is wrong, more like 30 mph or even 25, and second gear is still the gear of choice. the way i see it, if you're doing under 45, second gear all the way

 

i thought the break=in was 500 miles under 4k rpm and 500miles over 4k rpm, thats the break in ive seen, i can cruise around at 20mph in 5th in my car 5.12 gears are sweet lol

 

no. I haven't broken in the engine yet. I have only like 150 miles on it. I'm just saying though. That's why I asked if it was because I hadn't broken in the engine yet. at 2k rpm in 5th gear, i'm going around 40-45. at 2.5K in 5th gear, I'm at 60 mph. at 3K in 5th gear, I'm nearly at 80 mph. I'm not sure about my speeds in 4th gear. But I'm just saying, for instance, if I'm going like, 50 mph at like 2.3K revs, and I get on the pedal, the car does NOT accelerate. and so I'll drop it to 4th, and the revs will go up to around 3 something, and I'll still be flooring it and have slow acceleration. That's the whole thing I'm wondering... should I be dropping it into 3rd? I'm not used to driving my 7 guys... Although I've owned it for over 2 months, I've only been driving it for like, I think today is the 3rd day, that I have driven it. Mine that is. Before my '89, I was driving a '91 Protoge, two '85 Rx-7 GSL-SE's (my father's) and a '90 Honda Accord. When I drove my 7, it was different from anything else that I have ever driven. I love it though. anyways! off track.. Should I be dropping it into 3rd if I want better acceleration or what? Will it get better once it gets broken in?


-Kanaida

 

Don't worry about it until the engine is properly broken in.&nbsp The power will return when the engine breaks in properly.&nbsp right now, you're trying to drive on low compression, so that's why the engine has no power - you really shouldn't be giving it full throttle!





-Ted

 

Which part of "gradually apply gas" and "no hard acceleration" didn't you understand?

Yikes

 

ok, my car is a different year (i think) than yours but it sounds like similar gear ratios...

AFTER YOU GET THROUGH THE BREAK IN PERIOD

this motor makes no power under 2k, under any circumstances

if you have bolt ons like intake, exhaust, you make no power under 3000

never drop into first unless you could get out and run next to your car

drop into second on a roll unless you are doing over 45

drop into 3rd unless you are going faster than 70

drop into 4th unless you're going faster than 105-110

drop into 5th if...umm...if you have a 6 speed...in which case can i have it?

 

btw, yes, i have had to get a new tranny and clutch
and i enjoyed every minute of the old ones

 

Gradually apply gas, and no hard acceleration? Well yeah.... But when I'm in 4th/5th gear, There's no such thing as hard acceleration. There is NO acceleration.. I'm not talking about from a stop. gradually apply gas..... If I'm braking, and then getting back on the gas, gradually doing it slows me down if anything. I'm not exactly slamming the pedal to the floor or anything.


-Kanaida

 

thats weird triangle man, i have intake and exhaust, and the removed 5th and 6th port system, i can accelerate from 1k rpm in 5th gear no problem, takes a while to get up to speed but i can accel from that low.

 

Lugging is'nt good for any engine.