Predator

Fellas, I've been wondering if you guys have found a use for 6th gear? When I'm on the highway or Interstate, when I shift into 6th gear at about 70mph, the interior of my car gets very noisy, a rumbling, resonating drone that I always blamed on the Loudmouth exhaust. The noise level changes at different rpms too. It's not as loud at higher rpms, but I have to be cruising at 85 or 90mph to quiet it down. I usually just leave it in 5th gear at legal highway speeds, so I rarely use 6th gear.

What are your thoughts about 6th gear, does it seem pretty useless to you too? Oh yeah, I have 3.42s which I have a hard time understanding why GM would choose those for an M6?????

So what's the deal with 6th gear? I never really understood.

Flaminchiten67

I love 6th gear, use it almost every day. shift into it around 55 and cruise at 60 at about 1400 rpms. I have the dual / dual and it is quite as can be inside with very few rattles.

I think the reasoning behind 3.42's in an M6 is so they get better fuel mileage.

2MuchRiceMakesMeSick

I had a 6 spd before and I cant wait till I get another one. I use it to save on gas. This A4 is killing me

TransAm52804

I'm with the rest of the guys: I love 6th gear! There's nothing better than cruising along at 70-80 m.p.h. at less than 2000 rpm's. Great MPG.

2000WhiteTA

I love 6th gear. I have 4.10 gears and I go into 6th gear at 45 mph. I baby my car I know.

Predator

Aren't you kinda lugging the engine at 1400 rpms?

03silvers

there is nothing wrong with running the engine at 1000 rpms....lugging or not it doesnt hurt the motor. I usually cruise in 6th anywhere above 55mph

Predator

I believe you, it just doesn't FEEL like it's doing the engine any good. What about cruising in 5th at a higher rpm? Which does less harm?

Anyway, I appreciate the replies. After owning my car for almost 5 years I should know this, but 6th gear has never made sense to me.

Why would GM producing a muscle car be so concerned with gas mileage? Maybe sacrifice some mileage to do things right?? I don't know, maybe that's what the aftermarket is for.

Flaminchiten67

When driving my car around town I never go above 2000 rpms, in any gear.

Motor never seems to lug or seems strained. Hit the cruise at 60 and it does all the work for me with no trouble at all.

Flaminchiten67

GM has a serious issue with the gas guzzler tax. When it was implemented they said they would never make a car that pays this tax. 6th gear is a very good way to get around this tax. Also at the time Stangs were only offered with 5 speeds so it made the camaro look more inticing. When I see the "average" camaro / mustang driver they are usually older women. There are tons of Z28's / SS's / WS6's / TA's piloted by women in there 40's who never plan to upgrade. When shopping the salesmen probably said the camaro gets better mileage than the mustang and is faster.

dug

iTrader: (10)

There is a lot of truth to that. Get a loose converter and mileage drops a lot in A4's.

I love 6th gear. I use it as low as 40mph. I dont like to accelerate with it. Once up to speed, its smooth.

As lame as it may sound, the gas mileage is the one of my favorite thing about these cars. Even with the cam my car gets better gas mileage than my ma's Mercury Sable. Around town and highway.

Josh2021

I love 6th gear aswell, nothings better than running 75mph at 1700 RPMs and getting great gas mileage with lots of mods. Hell my Z28 gets better gas mileage than my daily driver.

Predator

Thanks for the insight man, that makes a lot of sense to me. It just seems that certain cars were never meant to have mass appeal, and to emphasize gas mileage, as a major selling point, is misleading as to what the f-body is all about, and it's definitely not about gas mileage, I don't think.

dug, it is amazing that these cars gets the mileage that they do.

I still think a 5 speed transmission would be better.

99FormulaM6

iTrader: (21)

i use 6th occasionally, mostly only on trips though. i have a small amount of drone when i try and accelerate in 6th, and i dont worry too much about gas, so i mainly stop at 5th. even though i dont use it much, i like to have to option.

Ryan02SS

iTrader: (3)

I've gotten as high as 28.9 MPG with my current setup utilizing 6th gear at 75mph on a few trips. Sounds like your LM is really putting out some drone and resonance if that's what your experiencing in 6th gear. 6th is the quietest in my car as the rpms are always the lowest. I love having a 6th gear for cruising and getting kickass MPG.

My LS1 V8 416rwhp 26-28 MPG Highway
My 2.5L I4 Wrangler 70rwhp 15-20 MPG Highway!

dug

iTrader: (10)

Thats why the camaro is my daily driver.

99FormulaM6

iTrader: (21)

thats why the formy is my daily driver too...












oh wait. no its not. its cause the navy sucks and doesnt pay me enough to have two cars

Predator

Ryan, I'm pretty sure the LM is the cause too, but it's gotten worse since I changed cams.

The mileage is totally amazing considering all the horsepower. A wolf in sheep's clothing.

Race Car Driver

GM chose 3.42 for corporate fuel mileage reasons. A 4.11 r/p will give you back your 6th gear, just as mine did.

Predator

I hear ya man. Six months on the USS Yosemite AD-I forgot the number (19 I think), destoyer tender, told me all I needed to know about the Navy. We had Waves on board which was pretty interesting though. But shellback initiation and chipping non-skid totally blew.

Anyway, thanks for keeping the good 'ol USA strong!!