Favorite crusing RPM and Delrin Bushings etc.

[SUN RA KAT]

I try to cruise around 1250 RPMs to 2250 RPMs. I usually use 1st gear to get up above the posted speed limit without laying rubber, but pretty darn close to laying rubber, then I push in the clutch and shift to 4th or 5th and release the clutch when I slow down to just below the speed limit, and then accellerate back up to 5 MPH over the posted speed limit. (This only works when I am first at the light or by myself.)

I used to post my mileage here, but was chided so bad that I stopped doing it. (15-17 MPG city driving in a Viper.)

Since then, I temporarily tried to get my mileage to go down by actually using 2nd & 3rd gears by only accellerating part of the way to the speed limit in 1st before shifting to 2nd gear, and then 3rd gear, and then 4th gear, etc. I now can be proud that I now get 12-14 MPG in city driving. I've even managed a few 11 MPG tanks - I cruised around 2500-3000 RPM for those tanks.

I decided that I enjoy using 1st gear to 5 MPH above the speed limit and then coasting and then using 4th or 5th gear for city driving.

I'm looking forward to my mileage with the Roe Supercharger using both driving styles.

 

[joe117]

I think that every revolution the engine makes causes some wear. Cruising at 3000 rpm causes more wear than at 1500 rpm, about twice as much per mile.
What are you trying to get out of your Viper? Lot's of trouble free miles and the best gas mileage possible? I don't think you care about either of those things. It sounds like you want to get the pleasure of hot dogging your car around and racing any and all comers. If you get a kick out of that, more power to you. You will be using up your car faster but it will still last a long time.
ps. It must take you lot's longer than it takes me to downshift.

 

[SUN RA KAT]

I can cruise in 6th gear from 55 MPH on up, but the road needs to be fairly level - from 65 MPH on up mild hills don't upset the Viper.

With the Roe Supercharger even mild hills don't upset my Viper at 55 MPH.

This is with the stock 3.07 rear gear.

 

[LETHAL GTS]

I can only speak for myself!
But driving a Viper like my pickup sort of defeats the whole purpose of owning a Viper IMO.
The Viper is and was designed to be race car, correct me if I'm wrong, and I drive mine like a race car.
It likes the rev's, to a limit of coarse.
If you can learn to drive this car like it was intended (hard without getting carried away and causing damage), then it will be a much smoother ride overall.
I'm always accelerating hard and breaking hard.
Now the Gen II is easier to drive at lower RPM's then a GEN 1, especially at low RPM's and especially if you do not have your Plenum's in sync.
But I bought a race car and I'm not spending that kind of dough to rub it with a diaper and then put it back in the garage. I bought it to DRIVE.
Don't get me wrong, I look after that car like it was my fourth child and ya it will wear faster if you drive it harder, but at least I'd be able to say "I wore out my Viper", not "my Viper just faded away".
What ever you do, have FUN DRIVING it.
Each to their own, no flame intended here.

 

[joe117]

SUN RA KAT
I think that 55mph in 6th with a 3.07, supercharger or not, is not good for the engine. I'm not any kind of mechanical engineer so this is all my opinion but here goes. I think you may put quite a load on the engine bearings lugging at low rpm. The oil pressure is lower at low rpm and that might be a problem. There may be more chance for knock too. Just because the engine is big enough to keep the car moving down a flat highway at 55 mph when the engine is turning below idle speed doesn't mean it's a good idea.
Again, I really don't know any of this as scientific fact. It would be nice if some tech guru would tell us the truth.
edit, I think I'll ask this in a new thread.

 

[VIPER1996]

I'm pretty sure my car has the stock gears and when I'm in 6th gear my rpm's are about 1200 at 62mph. Does this sound right?

 

[SUN RA KAT]

6th gear is a whole lot better at 60 MPH and keeps getting much better to the legal speed limit. It probably is just super peachy-keen above the posted interstate speed limit, not that I'd ever do something like that.

I only did the 55 MPH thing in 6th a few times just to see how low could I go. I now only use 6th gear if the speed limit is 60 MPH or above.

 

[Jack B]

With stock gears, the sweet spot seems to be 80 in 5th gear

 

[joe117]

I try to keep mine above 1400 rpm for normal driving. The 3.55 gear in the back will let me use 6th at about 64 mph. That's why I changed the rear end ratio.
I think 3000 is too high for normal, constant speed driving. If you have the stock 3.07 rear, you should still be able to use 5th for normal driving. 6th will require about 80 mph minimum.

 

[LETHAL GTS]

Vinnie,
I'd say you got it.
I like running my cars around 2500 to 3000RPM for cruising.
Keep her in the power band!
It is alot more fun hitting the GO pedal from there.

 

[joe117]

VIPER1994,
I just put 3.55 gears in my 94. I get the same rpm and mph as you mentioned. I think you have 3.55 gears.

 

[GTS Bruce]

Ah the sweet spot.The sweet spot appears to be between 95 and 110 mph in 6th.On the way to VOI I got 25mpg in that speed range. Bruce