Optimal Shift Points for 98 Civic

Optimal fuel ecomony comes when the engine is operating around the maximum torque point. Look in your owners manual for the spec for your engine. Its probably around 3500 rpm, so changing at about 4000 up to the next gear is ideal. Your gears are spaced about 500 rpm apart. Check it on the tach and see. You should consider around 2200 rpm to be the mimimum rpm under load.

You can also on flat roads use 1st, 2nd (to 4200 rpm or so), and quite comfortably change to 4th to save a bit of gas. The most important saving is to reduce the gas pedal pressure until the car starts to slow. Lastly, on trips, if the limit is 100kmh, slow to 90kmh and keep right. You'll get there just as fast, and use much less gas than those who run at 120.

Stewart DIBBS

For best fuel economy you should shift as quick as you can without bogging the engine. Keep the rpms low and baby the gas pedal.

DaveL