Owners with 4.4 - when @ 70 MPH what are your RPMs?
 

Hey guys,

Whoever has a 4.4 in their X5 hoping you can help me out.

When you are on highway with level ground and not applying much gas or cruise is on what are your RPMs at?

Right now at 70, RPMs are at like 2600 and it just feels a bit high.

Thanks for any input.

I have a 4.6 and that's about what mine are. Personally I think it's too high.

You might want to qualify your request a bit more, to only include pre-facelift 4.4i cars. The face-lift 4.4i has a 6-speed transmission and will likely be running lower rpm at 70mph.

I had a 2004 with the 4.4 engine and also I have a 2003 4.6 engine.
My 4.6 at a fast clip in West Texas is humming close to 3 grand.
Plenty-O-Power but slurping down the 93 octane fuel

The ZF 5HP24 transmission used in M62-engined E53s has the following forward gear ratios :

1st = 3.571429
2nd = 2.200000
3rd = 1.504673
4th = 1.000000
5th = 0.803738

The 4.4i has a final drive ratio of 3.6364 (40/11) and for the 4.6is it’s 3.9091 (43/11).

Tyre rolling radius for the 4.4i = 365mm (235/65 R17, 255/55 R18, 255/50 R19, etc.)

Tyre rolling radius for the 4.6is = 361mm (275/40 R20 F & 315/35 R20 R)

Hence, in 4th gear the 4.4i is geared at 23.5mph/1000rpm and the 4.6is at 21.6mph/1000rpm

In 5th gear, the gearing is 4.4i = 29.3mph/1000rpm and 4.6is = 26.9mph/1000rpm

Consequently, your 4.4i engine would run at 2977rpm in 4th gear and 2393rpm in 5th at exactly 70mph with the torque converter fully locked (bearing in mind that your speedometer will read fast and tyre rolling radius varies by 6mm from new to worn)

If your engine is running at 2600rpm at an indicated 70mph then your transmission is in 5th gear but it sounds like your torque converter lock-up clutch is slipping

Phil

Thank you Dr. Phil

Thanks so much Phil for the information, very detailed and thorough you explained everything perfectly.

Thanks very much appreciate it.

Erick

Yeah the 4.6is should be at 2500rpms at 70mph. I just did a round trip from Dallas to Little Rock AR at 80-85mph and revs 3000-3100rpm. At 70, 2500rpms