Hello All. I've had my xb for a year now. I still love it! My commute is about 15 miles, all of it in 45 or 50 mph zones. Because of this, I AM getting the posted mileage numbers....around 32 mpg in winter, and 35 in summer. Cause i'm always in fifth gear spinning 2500 rpms. I don't drive very hard, but sometimes I try to crank her up....and there is my question. I've read peak horsepower is at about 4200 rpms. If I dive hard and hold my shifting till i'm at 4,000 plus rpms, it seems to me the car is just screaming, waiting for a shift, AND i don't feel much power gain in the 4,000's. I've read about people not shifting till 5,000 rpms, and a few that claim 6,000.....?? Tell me stories....who well does the box stand up to that kind of driving?? And am I missing something? Would I find a little power surge at those rpms? Guess I'm a little too conservative to find out on my own. Lets hear it...without flaming me too much.

 

peak hp is higher than 4200

when I "race" I shift around 6k.

57k strong. second clutch , intake , header , full exhaust , and many many other performance mods.

 

Scion's specs say max 103 HP is at 6,000 RPM and max 101 ft-lbs torque is at 4200 RPM.

 

there we go

 

Remember its not just about shifting at peak horsepower. You have to concider the RPM range the engine will drop to after the shifter. No sense shifting at peak HP if the engine will be significantly below peak HP after the shift. But then again, in most street driven cars and trucks the relatively flat powerband of the engine helps eliminate this.

 

The box gets NEW LIFE above 4000 RPMs....

My 5 inch tachometer (placed to the left of the Speedo group) has an adjustable red shift light...I set it up to come on to red at 4000 RPM and that lets me know it's time to consider the shift coming up at 6000RPM....done right you stay in the red light "Zone" on the upshifts.

My previous car, 1983 Porsche 911SC, had the tach in the middle of the dash....the most IMPORTANT instrument....same on my Box today.

It's a great shifter driving machine.....find the NEW LIFE above 4000RPMs....that's what Variable Valve Timing Intelligent (VVTi) technology delivers to you...go ahead and use it.

Also...love my Kiowa 20 inch KR211 wheels with General UHP Exclaim 225-30-20 tires (from TIRERACK).

 

I shift at 4k, and its running 4k most of the way to work(40 miles)