RPM's for Subaru Loyale

[vabass]

Recently purchased a 1991 Loyale 5 spd, on-demand 4WD and at 3000 rpm's
(not in 4wd mode) I'm only running about 67 mph, is this normal?
Thanks, Vabass

 

[Rick Courtright]

Recently purchased a 1991 Loyale 5 spd, on-demand 4WD and at 3000 rpm's
(not in 4wd mode) I'm only running about 67 mph, is this normal?

Hi,

Sounds about right depending on your tires...

A spreadsheet I put together some years ago gave me 3050 to 3090 rpms at
65 mph, 3290 to 3328 rpms at 70 mph, based on a couple of tires I've
used (lower number was for 165R-13, higher was for 185/70R-13 of a
different brand.)

HTH,

Rick

 

[vabass]

Rick,
I checked my RPM's again today and your numbers are almost exactly what
I'm experiencing. I stated earlier that I was running about 67 mph at
3k rpms well it was more like 65 mph at around 3050 rpms like you said.
The tires on the vehicle now are 185/70R-13. I'm used to having a
vehicle run below 3k rpm's, will this engine hold up well under those
rpm's.

Thanks,
Gilbert

 

[Rick Courtright]

The tires on the vehicle now are 185/70R-13. I'm used to having a
vehicle run below 3k rpm's, will this engine hold up well under those
rpm's.

Well... mine has 356,000+ miles, if that means anything! These engines
do quite well at that kind of rpm--IIRC, they're rather oversquare (bore
bigger than stroke) which allows them to take higher rpm's just fine. In
fact, you'll hurt one less by running it fast than running it slow and
lugging it. I use 3000 as a downshift point. My upshift point for normal
driving is 4000, freeway merging between 4500 and 5000. I don't take
mine out to redline too often, but when I do, there's usually a goodly
cloud of black crud for a few seconds as it blows the spiders out of the
exhaust, then it settles down and really hums. A lot of the guys here
are more spirited drivers than I am these days, and they see redline
several times a week, with no apparent ill effects.

Good luck with yours!

Rick