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Mr. Luddite

On 4/26/2016 4:17 PM, wrote:
On Tue, 26 Apr 2016 15:53:58 -0400, "Mr. Luddite"
wrote:

On 4/26/2016 3:33 PM, wrote:

At 2500 RPM, 1st is 12, 2d is 22, 3d is 31, 4th is 40 and 5th is
faster than I could go from here to publix.
I downshifted to 3 from 5 to make the turn into the Publix lot road
(made the light) and hit 2d while I was in the lot itself.
I do hit these turns pretty hard tho. That Prelude still handles
pretty well, probably better than my 69 Corvette ;-)

Car engines today are designed to rev higher than in the old days and
the torque/horsepower ratings can be deceiving because they are
developed at RPM's that you don't get near in normal driving. It's
interesting to look at their horsepower/torque curves and compare them
to the old big blocks of the 60's. A big old 454, 440 or the famous 426
Hemi developed gobs of torque at 3000 RPM or so. The new
engines can develop decent torque but at much higher RPM.

This V-tech doesn't really step out until you hit 5k RPM and the valve
timing changes. Then it feels like the secondaries opening on an old
Quadrajet. I assume the gas mileage starts dropping pretty fast too.
If you drive it up in that power band it is a pretty peppy little car,
for what it is (2 liter) but I get pretty good mileage if I drive a
tad more conservatively. I really don't drive enough to notice the
difference tho.

When Chrysler introduced the current "Hemi" that they use in their cars
and trucks I was really kinda disappointed. I bought a 2004 Durango
with the Hemi thinking it would have some "ummph" to it. It was ok but
again, it's rated horsepower and torque was developed at some ridiculous
RPM (around 6K, IIRC) that you would never do in normal driving.
Normal acceleration with RPM up to about 3500 didn't feel all that
thrilling. Certainly not the same as tromping on the gas in the '67
GTO I had with a four speed. Threw your head back.