What RPM range do you drive???

[Meat Head]

I thought this might be an interesting topic. When the weather permits, I drive my Boxster to work. This commute consists mostly with 12 miles of a twisty two lane country highway averaging 45-60mph. This puts my car at the 2500 rpm range the majority of the time. When everyday driving, I generally shift at around 3000 rpm. If I'm out having a little fun, I like to shift between 4000-5000 rpm. I rarely rev past 5000.

I'm just curious, what are your driving habits? What rpm range do you normally drive?

[thstone]

Generally 3K-5K around town with a daily surge up to redline - I am addicted to that engine!

[thom4782]

DD, generally 3000 - 3500

[clickman]

I'm fairly conscious of the poor loading of the IMSB at low rpm's, so I tend to try to keep to at least 3k. Up to 6k regularly. Love that sound!!!

[Meat Head]

Originally Posted by clickman

I'm fairly conscious of the poor loading of the IMSB at low rpm's, so I tend to try to keep to at least 3k. Up to 6k regularly. Love that sound!!!

I understand what you are saying but I worry that if you drive in such a high rpm range you may be saving the IMSB but putting stress on other just as critical engine parts. I would love to know the answer to this quandary!

[Rickinduncan]

I'm in the 3000 - 3500 area as well

[KRAM36]

Originally Posted by Meat Head

I understand what you are saying but I worry that if you drive in such a high rpm range you may be saving the IMSB but putting stress on other just as critical engine parts. I would love to know the answer to this quandary!

I'd like to know this too.

[derfo]

I tend to go into high rpm when I can. My trip to my Business is around 10miles on some good Boxster roads, I go up to 7000 often. The car is a 2002 Boxter S with 86,000 miles on the clock , not had the IMS done yet.

[litespeedp]

My shifting habits in my 2000 S with recent improved IMS are just like the first poster,Meat head.

It's interesting to note that the Porsche graph in my owners manual and the sales brochure say that the 2000 S with the 3.2 motor produces 85% of its torque @ 2000 RPM.

That being said,it is such an effortless cruiser that I have to remind myself to keep the revs up!

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by Meat Head

I understand what you are saying but I worry that if you drive in such a high rpm range you may be saving the IMSB but putting stress on other just as critical engine parts. I would love to know the answer to this quandary!

you really aren't stressing the engine unless you are driving the car 10/10's consistently, like on long track stints for instance.
And its not just the IMSB you are hurting by driving below 3K RPM. Actually for 2.5's like yours, D-chunk failures are suspected to be caused by drivers who treat the engines too gingerly or post low mileage. ditto for the 3.4 Carreras. I get the impression generally that if the engine is going to fail, it's NOT because you're driving it in the 3-5K range consistently. More like design flawes that surface with improper attention to cooling --original water pumps in for too long, radiators, bad hoses,etc... and using crap oils for intervals that were too long.

I recall a post by flat six where they indicated that on their test engines they intentionally try to break the engines by subjecting them to all manner of extremes and even then inducing failure is no easy task. Makes me wonder if this included running the engines up and down below the 3K RPM for long periods.

[Kenny Boxster]

I find myself cruising in the 3,000 rpm range with no complaints!

[Flavor 987S]

After fully warmed up, my car see all the gears and all the rev ranges. Been this way for over 55,000 miles and 8 driving seasons now. Rarely take to redline, but with in 500-1,000 RPM of that all-day-long.

Highway cruising......6th gear.....65-70 MPH.

[evan9eleven]

Originally Posted by Meat Head

I understand what you are saying but I worry that if you drive in such a high rpm range you may be saving the IMSB but putting stress on other just as critical engine parts. I would love to know the answer to this quandary!

Me too, but I bought the car to drive it. I'm no expert but I think its fair to say that we all live with the reality that this engine has weaknesses. Drive it as it pleases you.

Per forum advice I try to keep it above 3000 rpm as much as possible. Regular trips to at least 5k are unavoidable as I have a right-foot-left-ear controlled dopamine trigger system in my brain.

[sb01box]

it's my daily drive, 7 miles one way to work.
let the engine idle till the cold start 1000 rpm drops to 700.
1 mile to fwy, below 3K, mostly coasting downhill.
freeway for 5 miles, 3000 or more, keep mostly in 4th (5spd, 2.7)
have hit the rev limiter from time to time. mostly up pass 6000 when getting on the freeway. ( little bit more aware of engine rev but not really.)
once off the freeway, I do somewhat of an active driving.. mostly 3-5K range.
have 135K miles. I do change oil every 5K miles

[stephen wilson]

I drive to work often, highway @75 MPH=3000 RPM. On the back roads it varies from 3-4000 while warming up, to 5 or 6. I take it to 7000 a few times pretty much every drive. I refuse to drive a car based on fear, or trying to forestall engine failure. I bought it for fun, and that's the way I drive it!

BTW, if you never go above 5000, you're missing the best part!

[Johnny Danger]

Never under 8,500 rpm.

[hancock1701]

I was curious about this topic as well. For me, on local streets, I try to keep the RPM between 3k and 4k because of the IMSB. On the freeway, I'm usually in 5th gear cruising at 60-75 mph, which results in 2500 to 3000 RPM. I feel 3000-ish is a good balance between fuel efficiency, torque, etc., but I'm really annoyed by the vibration at 3200 RPM.

[mountainman]

3K and above.

[Perfectlap]

Originally Posted by hancock1701

I feel 3000-ish is a good balance between fuel efficiency, torque, etc.

I used to be very mindful of the fuel economy for a brief period of time where I was having to make 100 mile round trips every few days. I analyzed 3K and above driving and 2500 -3000 RPM driving.
The final analysis was that it saved me little in the bigger picture of engine care/longevity.
Porsches have a near fail safe way of guaranteeing that what you think you're saving here ends up costing you more elsewhere. I concluded its best to save money elsewhere in my finances.

[V-Rod]

Funny, I was just thinking of searching for a thread like this.

I drive most of the time in the 3k to 4k range with stints of 5k-6k when getting on a freeway or passing a few slo-pokes.

I like 3rd gear at 4k when in town or city roads as it is so silky smooth and power is instantly on tap.

I always feel as if the rest of the world is in slow motion when I drive my Boxster.