I did a driving experiment today.

"If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent" (essextee)
06/02/2014 at 15:15 • Filed to: fun facts

It turns out that thanks to it's torquey engine and a transmission geared shorter than Vern Troyer, our YJ can easily be driven around without ever cracking 1500 rpm. That's barely more than idle! So, what's your minimum driveable engine speed?

DISCUSSION (27)

ly2v8-Brian > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:17

How fast?

Party-vi > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:18

I used to do this with my Cherokee - pick a gear and ease out the clutch and it would pretty much accelerate itself.

Henry Diesel > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:19

My Fiesta ST has a nice burble between 1000 and 1500rpm...

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > ly2v8-Brian
06/02/2014 at 15:19

In fifth gear it only breaks past 1500 at about 48mph.

ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable) > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:20

High, the SVT Focus doesn't like to do that. It's more like a race-horse and just wants to go fast.

My wife's 08 Astra on the other hand, you can very nearly let out the clutch without any gas and it still works. I despise driving her car because it's so blah.

CAR_IS_MI > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:21

The JK is much the same, I accidentally took a turn in 5th yesterday and only noticed because it sounded too deep...

ly2v8-Brian > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:21

Not bad. My Silverado will be going 70mph and stay under 2 grand. Probably about 1700-1800.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Party-vi
06/02/2014 at 15:22

Pretty much, yeah. Our clutch is shot and the whole length of the pedal travel is usable, it can be used like a torque converter and enables zero-rollback hill starts!

macanamera > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:24

Like 900 rpm lol

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > ly2v8-Brian
06/02/2014 at 15:24

I live on an island where the highest speed limit is 45, so (aside from hillclimbs) there is absolutely no need to rev it!

dogisbadob > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:25

1500 is about right for my car also.

The GM pushrod V8's could probably never need to go over 1000, and very well could just idle and you could scoot along without ever hitting the gas.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > ADabOfOppo; Gone Plaid (Instructables Can Be Confusable)
06/02/2014 at 15:28

First gear on our transmission has an incredibly low ratio, something like 3.4, and the low range box is so low that in 4L you can start it in fifth gear!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > CAR_IS_MI
06/02/2014 at 15:29

Fifth gear is low enough that as long as you don't need to accelerate you can shift into it at only 35mph.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > macanamera
06/02/2014 at 15:31

What are you driving? Sounds like muscle car or a truck.

CAR_IS_MI > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:31

I was going about 20... its also a 6 speed in the newer JKs so I have a little steeper gearing, but it was down about 900 rpm...

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > CAR_IS_MI
06/02/2014 at 15:38

Your ratio for fifth is 1, ours is .79 :)

quarterlifecrisis > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 15:40

Courtesty of skip shift, the car things 800 rpm is a viable speed. So, using that logic...about 800 rpm. It's pretty doggy though. I can drive through town, and get onto the interstate and stay at about the legal speed before I crack 1500.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > quarterlifecrisis
06/02/2014 at 15:42

Skip-shift... Corvette?!?!

macanamera > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 16:00

Kinja'd!!!

roflcopter > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 16:22

In the truck I rarely break 1500rpm even with the automatic while towing up hills. It's kind of a beast.

The rx8 needs to be over 2k to do anything besides bog, I normally cruise between 3-4k.

quarterlifecrisis > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 16:22

Yarp.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > macanamera
06/02/2014 at 20:28

So a truck it is, then.

macanamera > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/02/2014 at 20:46

Negative, sedan.

thebigbossyboss > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/04/2014 at 16:05

What Island is that? (Must learn about all islands...)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > thebigbossyboss
06/04/2014 at 16:24

Martha's Vineyard.

thebigbossyboss > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/04/2014 at 16:48

Cool! Thanks for sharing! I don't know very much about US islands as opposed to Canadian ones. We seem to have a lot more.

Jedidiah > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
06/06/2014 at 21:14

Mine will go up to about 30 mph idling at 800 rpm. Cruising around town it never gets above ~1500