This may be a stupid question, but what RPM are the GSR and MR at while cruising at 75-80mph (freeway speeds). Is MIVEC engaged? I'm wondering if there's any benefit to the MR's 6th gear.

I ask because on my RA, to get really good gas mileage I have to stay below 75mph/7500rpm so the MIVEC doesn't engage. It's pretty annoying.


Also, I drove my co-worker's Vishnu chipped IX GSR. When it hit full boost, it felt like the front wheels pulled a little to the right. Why is that, I thought that the AWD and diffs would eliminate all torque steer?

 

On the EVO, the MIVEC stops workin at 6000RPM, If I remember correctly.

But to comment on your question. I used to have a 05 VIII GSR, the 5sp was geared a little longer then the IX GSR 5sp, but the gear were evenly gapped (if you understand that). Now with the IX, the 1-4 gears are short (same as the 6sp 1-4), but 5th is kinda far away. Like Im in 4 and the RPMS are starting to get a little high, but when I shift into 5th, I fall out of the power band (2000-2200).

Also when I went on a trip a couple weeks ago, the RPM were kinda high when doing 80 MPH. The 6sp 5th is a little shorter then the 5sp 5th, which would help keep you in the powerband, and the 6th on the 6sp is longer then the 5th on the 5sp, so RPMs wont be so high when crusing at 80-90 on the freeway.

Next year Im gettin a IX MR, and this is one of the reasons.

 

Thanks for the quick reply.

I understand what you mean by evenly spaced. Ideally (for me), the 6spd would be like the 5spd, except that that 6th is used to drop the RPMs at fwy speeds for better mpg.

What I'm wondering is:

1) What RPM does MIVEC engage on the Evos? Is it 3500rpm like on the RAs?
2) What RPM are the 5spd and the 6spd at at 75-80mph?

 

1) I think it starts at like 2200 but dont quote me on that.

2) I dont know

 

IIRC the 06 6spd and 5spd only have like 200-400rpm difference at 75-80mph....(whatever rpm difference it's not much IIRC)

keep in mind the 6th gear is NOT a cruising gear...it's an extra gear to give you more acceleration up top basically.

i drive my Evo from socal to norcal pretty frequently, and i generally cruise at 85-90mph...the engine IMHO is still pretty quiet even at around 4k rpm..it's the wind noise that gets a bit loud at those speeds (i have a IX GSR btw)

now that the SE MR's are out in black...i'm kinda tempted to swap to the MR just for the 6spd...but then after reading threads about ppls' MR's syncro goin out pretty quickly turn me off again...this guy at the dealership yesterday just traded in his IX MR for a IX gsr..

IMO if mitsu would have Getrag make the 6spd unit too that'd be perfect.

 

Thanks for that great reply.

So, are there any good reasons to get an MR now that the SE is here? Before that, I would've gone for the MR for the aluminum roof, but the SE has that too.

 

It's perfectly normal for a strong AWD car to still have some hints of torque-steer. I get the same in my STi- moreso when I keep the DCCD in "Auto" instead of when it's set in the "Rearward" position.

 

The info I've read about the SE does not indicate that it comes with Bilsteins. That was a big reason why I got the MR too.

 

search around here...i remember somebody posted a thread comparing side by side all the gear ratios for the 5spd and 6spd for the IX....based on that u can calculate the exact rpm difference btwn the 2 trannys at 75-80mph. or i think somebody already posted the exact rpm as well...

FWIW my IX GSR at 70mph is at about 3200rpm...

 

Thanks guys, this helps a lot.

 

Off topic, but I will bet the "pulling to one side" when accellerating is due to either a tire pressure discrepancy on the left vs. right side, or an alignment issue.

EVOlutionary

 

+1

 

I traded in my MR don't get me started on why it was the best decision ever.

 

elaberate...

 

IMO, the EVOs have a very low-geared differential system; my WRX is much taller. As a result, the sixth gear is sorely needed for highway cruising. Fifth on a GSR is substantially shorter and, really, sixth on the MR is none too tall. I think top end is limited to 154 or so as it is...
I get around 24-25 mpg in 6th on the hiway.