My second E53! STICK SHIFT

[AV8R4AA]

Adding to the Imola red, black interior 2003 4.6 comes a 2003 MANUAL SHIFT E53. Bought it from a wonderful gentleman here on the website. I have a quick question for the 3 pedal guys. I ask these questions because I have a automatic 525 wagon from the same years
.
The RPM in cruise is MUCH HIGH than my E39 525. The MPG is still very good on my newer X5. I’m asking if the other 3 pedal guys experience the higher RPM.
Thank you

[andrewwynn]

X5 RPM is darn high. The V8 models have a lower ratio rear end to help lower the RPM but with 5 speed it's still pretty high.

I don't think the auto had overdrive just lock so depending the top gear ratio it could be the same as auto.

I seem to recall 2600 RPM at 75 on the speedo 72 actual just as a baseline of m54 e53.

[Factory6speed]

With the manual gearing the m54 lives between 3000 to 5000 RPM. At 80 mph on the highway it's right around 3200-3500 or something which is not far off from my other cars at that speed. Just getting going from stops and everything you really got to wind it out every single time. And do have to downshift to fifth from time to time on the highway. Another 80 horsepower some more low end and a 7500 rev limit would be great.

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

X5 RPM is darn high. The V8 models have a lower ratio rear end to help lower the RPM but with 5 speed it's still pretty high.

I don't think the auto had overdrive just lock so depending the top gear ratio it could be the same as auto.

I seem to recall 2600 RPM at 75 on the speedo 72 actual just as a baseline of m54 e53.

With a final drive ratio of 4.1, my '01 M54 automatic runs about 2525 rpms on the 17 inch tires (29" tall) at 75 mph, in 5th gear. My '04 Chevy 2500HD, also with 4.10 gearing, but with 245/75-16 (30.5" tall) tires, goes 2450 rpms at 75 mph. My wife's '98 GMC, with 28" tall tires and 2.73:1 final drive, is great for cruising on the highway, though, as it lopes along at 1800 rpm. Tire height and gearing makes a lot of difference.

I don't consider those rpm's so high, after years of driving vehicles with 2 or 3 speed transmissions, with no overdrive. But, those vehicles started out with higher final drive gearing (lower numerically), as low as 2.29:1 on one of my cars, so you could achieve very high speeds only if you had the horsepower (my '67 Dodge Monaco 500, with 14" diameter tires, had a modified 383, and the 2.29 gearing, with lotsa horsepower, and I often drove it over 100 mph).

On the other hand, the final drag race configuration, on my '66 Chevelle, had a final drive of 4.88:1, a 2-speed Powerglide race transmission (1:1 ratio at top speeds), and 28" tall MT slicks (which would grow in diameter a bit, at top speed). At 75 mph, the 427/441 c.i. engine would be turning around 4500 rpm, at 80 it would be around 4700 (IIRC), and at 125 mph (at the 1/4-mile finish line), it would be at a screaming 7400 rpms. I doubt that any M54 could survive that.

[Factory6speed]

Just went out to grab something and checked, 80 mph equals appx 3100 RPM. 03 .. yours might be the five speed which could be different. Would be probably totally different actually.
235 65 17 stock tires

This is really the same on my other bimmers, 80 mph is above 3K. Pretty sure my Subaru WRX it was like two and a half.

[andrewwynn]

My '95 Z28 ran about 1300 turns per mile (rpm at 60 mph).

[workingonit]

Originally Posted by andrewwynn

My '95 Z28 ran about 1300 turns per mile (rpm at 60 mph).

Yeah, but didn't they have double-deep overdrive? I had a friend that said the highest overdrive was pretty much useless, at least for acceleration w/o downshifting first.

[Salty B.]

I'm about 3300rpm @ 70mph in 5th which is 1:1 so combined with the 4:10 diffs, yeah, spinny... I get about 26mpg on road trips and rarely exceed 70mph due to revs; much worse in town.

Would the post-LCI 6-speed be an option for a pre-LCI 5-speed swap? I mean if I could find one...

My F30 335i 6-speed runs about 2500rpm @70, though it's far more at home around 95.

[andrewwynn]

Originally Posted by workingonit

Yeah, but didn't they have double-deep overdrive? I had a friend that said the highest overdrive was pretty much useless, at least for acceleration w/o downshifting first.

On the manual 6. On the auto 4 OD is .7 and the car knew to pull out of that with any amount of right foot.

[Factory6speed]

The pre lci flywheel setup is different. The pilot bearing is the crank pre lci, post lci it's pressed into the flywheel. Pre lci is e39 post is more like e46. The input shafts are splined different I think. It's the same engine block and chassis cross member, so I guess it would probably work if you change the whole clutch and flywheel.

26 mpg .., wow. I'm at 19 and thought it was healthy. 80-85 is where it likes to cruise. I don't think I could get close 26 though.