Ok, finally, I'm past the 1250 mi mark...now I can moooove. So, my question is, how high should/can I go when speeding up before shifting.....and I mean this question in the context of doing it daily without causing long term harm to the engine. Eg, can I shift between 5 -6k rpm constantly without harming anything, or would this cause damage in the long term? I hope this made sense.

 

In my MCS there is a rev limiter that cuts the revs back at about 6300 rpm. But that's on the MCS not the MC. You should be Ok to drive your Mini firmly with regards to the revs most of the time but like any car thrash it constantly and it just won't last, unless of course you upgrade engine parts to racing spec etc. Have fun and give it some gas but also learn to appreciate the Mini for it's low speed qualities, such as appreciating glances and smiles from hot babes (I tell myslef this much to amusement of my wife) and......50 something guys who will constantly tell you they had one way back when.

Nice Mini :smile:

 

I keep in the 3's to low 4's for daily driving (mostly surface streets). Sport driving is usually in the high 4's and 5's. If you drive it in the high 4's and 5's on a daily basis you will definetly notice an increase... IN YOUR FUEL CONSUMPTION! Beware. I think they figured the optimal gas mileage around 2750-3500 rpm, under 75 mph. Just guessing though- I'm sure some one here has exact numbers on that. Have a great time now that your break-in period is over, but keep your MINI's future in mind at all times.

_________________
Silver and Black with a Silver Union Jack- I call her Dr. Emma Peel! GRRR BABY! VERY GRRR!!!

 

For spirited driving, I shift pretty close to red-line in my cars.

Regular driving finds me shifting in the 4-5k range.

Modern engine control systems make it basically impossible to go beyond redline and hurt your engine unless you do a really dumb downshift.

 

Your motor should be fine shifting in the 5K range on a regular basis, although you will burn more gas. One thing to keep in mind, is that when you are shifting that high, the motor is generating a lot more torque than when you shift at lower revs. This means extra care should be taken to shift smoothly and not stress the transmission.

The following link was written by an owner of a BMW 318ti, but applies to all cars with manual transmissions. The whole thing is a good read, but I would particularly recommend scrolling about half way down and reading the section titled: "Shifting up While Accelerating"
http://www.happytogether.com/318ti/notebook/shifting/

The following is from the bottom of this page: http://www.spdusa.com/shifting.htm

Here is "The Technique".

You will feel all this in your backside, not your head.

1) Car pushing you back in your seat, foot to the floor, long pull in second gear, say.

2) Roll out of the gas, feel yourself rise out of the seat ever so lightly as the actual acceleration decreases. This is the "relax the rubber band" trick. Nose of the car drops softly, when everything goes slack:

3) The tension in the driveline is relaxed, now! Off with the gas/in with the clutch! This WAS the hurry part. Now, let the gear lever do its job. Do not just slam it, slide it, because that is what is going on in side the transmission.

4) Now, get the clutch home (foot up) before you stretch the rubber band again. Only on start-up from a stoplight should the clutch be slipped at all. From your description, this may be where you are missing it. So again, the clutch should engage with no slip, then, you can mash the gas, IF attitude of the chassis is ready for full throttle. The difference between your bike experience and a 2800lb 2.5 liter car, is for its size, the bike clutch has a much, much easier job to do.

If you take the correct amount of time, the engine rpm will usually fall just the right amount to have the clutch engage solidly at the new, lower rpm. Shifts from 1-2 are the slowest, as the speed ratio between gears is the greatest. 2-3 is better 3-4, 4-5 are much quicker. You will know it is right by the sound if the motor and the smooth feel in your backside. You should shift smoother than an automatic trans. If you really practice, you should someday have someone comment how smooth your car is after riding with you for a few minutes.

 

You may wish to check out this awesome shift related thread on
The Other Site

 

>>In my MCS there is a rev limiter that cuts the revs back at about 6300 rpm.

That should be 7300rpm when the limiter kicks in

 

I drive relatively regularly to the redline. The consumption will increase, but for the most part, the design limits are not close to being exceeded. Now, will your car last longer if you drive it like the "little old lady" - sure. But what fun would that be

Randy
MINI-Motorsport

 

During much of my daily driving, I do drive like it was during breakin - no flooring and shift before 4500 rpms. But at some point in every trip in my car (and I make 10-15 "trips" a day), I do floor it and rev it close to redline. This usually happens on highways and acceleration lanes.

 

>>I drive relatively regularly to the redline. The consumption will increase, but for the most part, the design limits are not close to being exceeded. Now, will your car last longer if you drive it like the "little old lady" - sure. But what fun would that be
>>
>>Randy
>>MINI-Motorsport

Randy,
Please expand on your statement about the ECU reprograming. What parameters are updated and how does the Mini measure airflow?
Thanks,

 

Bueller??