What RPM to Maintain While Driving?
2 Answers
Maintain an RPM of 2500-3000 while driving. Here is some relevant information about RPM: 1. Cold Start: When starting a cold engine, the idle speed should not be below 800r/min or above 1200r/min. If it is, it indicates poor engine performance. 2. While Driving: Try to avoid letting the engine operate below 2000r/min while driving. If the RPM is too low, the engine may feel underpowered. Operating the engine at low RPM with heavy load can cause damage and lead to carbon buildup.
Keeping the engine speed between 2,000-3,000 RPM while driving is ideal, as this range ensures both fuel efficiency and engine protection. When driving an automatic transmission car in the city, I find that gently pressing the accelerator to maintain around 2,500 RPM is most comfortable, with fuel consumption around 8 liters. On the highway at 120 km/h, my car runs most fuel-efficiently at around 2,200 RPM. When climbing hills or overtaking, occasionally revving up to 4,000 RPM is perfectly fine, but avoid keeping the needle in the red zone for extended periods. During cold starts, the RPM may spike to 1,500, but it will drop to 800 RPM once the engine warms up. The key is to avoid letting the RPM frequently drop below 1,000, as this can lead to carbon buildup and engine damage. Developing the habit of monitoring the tachometer is crucial—it’s more effective for protecting your car than just watching the speedometer.
