I was raised on driving Vanagons, I = have put more miles on these vehicles than any other since I got my learner's permit.  The first car that I ever drove was an 84 GL, so I have = not been horsepower spoiled.  83 hp is enough, if you keep the revs = up.  When I am doing just ordanary driving around the city, or flat highway, I = usually keep it in the 2000 - 4000 range, unless I am in a hurry.  Now when I = drive home for the holidays, and have to pass the campers doing the speed limit or = just below it, I downshift to third, floor it, and I don't shift until the = tach hits the orange zone.  Same thing applies when going over mountain = passes, except here I aslo pass SUVs w/ 2x the power, just to prove a point to = myself, and them if they care.  What was the point of 255 small block hp = and less interior space anyway?  My point is that, the green zone is a = reccomended guideline, but as long as there is a hard load on the engine, don't be = afraid to rev it to 5000 (which is 200 below the orange zone) and keep it there a = few minutes.  This will probably draw some flak, but oh = well.
 
-Aaron Mckay
          &nbs= p;            = ;          mckayaa@oit.edu
   =             &= nbsp;           &n= bsp;     college student in mechanical
          &nbs= p;            = ;          engineering at Oregon Institute of Technology
          = ;            =            '85 vanagon GL
-----Original = Message-----
From: Phillip Bouton <pbouton@NACCHO.ORG>
To: = vanagon@VANAGON.COM <vanagon@VANAGON.COM>
Dat= e: Friday, November 20, 1998 6:54 AM
Subject: Re: simple = engine RPM question--need shifting advice

I also have been perplexed by the = same issue.  The manual says to stay in the green.  On my 87 = Westy that is between 2 and 4k rpm.  Europeans would rather sacrifice an = engine to save gas in the long run because gas is so expensive.  In my = van it seems that in order for the next higher gear to start around 2k, you = definitely need to be shifting around 3500 or higher.  = Otherwise the next higher gear will be between 1.5 and 2k.  However, I can't = say that I do this consistently because it is so hard to let myself rev the = engine that high in the lower gears.  Does anyone have any = reassurances or other comments?

><><><><><><><><= ><><><><><><><><><&= gt;<><><>J
Phillip Bouton     
-----Original Message----- =
From:   Jarod Bishop [mailto:jbishop01@FOXINTERNET.NE= T]
Sent:   = Thursday, November 19, 1998 7:38 PM
To:     vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Subject:        = simple engine RPM question

I recently bought an '87 = Syncro.  Having never owned a VW, I'm not used to
running the engine at a higher RPM rate like people have told me. =

The speed seems to max out at around = 3500 but I give some more gas and get
it = past 4k before shifting, but I've heard you should go atleast 4.5k or =
5k.  I was hoping to get input = on what others typically run their vans at
before shifting up.

Thanks =