Which gear should I be in?
 

While driving my A around town I many times find myself in the situation where I will lug the engine slightly in 3rd or downshift to second and rev the engine slightly to get back up to speed. Which is more preferable for the 4 banger? I've owned some 4 cylinder Porsches in the past and you always want to keep the revs up with them, but that doesn't seem that the stock A engine should be run like that.

Re: Which gear should I be in?
 

I don't like lugging engines, and drop into a lower gear when it feels like that's happening...

Re: Which gear should I be in?
 

Hey...Do not drive your "A" like you would drive a porsch :eek:.
you should be able to tell what gear to use by the sound of the eng. it all depends if your going up a grade, or down or straight and level, and how fast your going. best advice is in the oper's man..... Ist and 2nd are used to get the car in motion, most driving will be in 3rd gear, again, it all depends on the conditions, you need some one that has an "A" to drive with you for a while.

Re: Which gear should I be in?
 

If you haven't lightened your flywheel, you can lug the engine somewhat. I was told early on that the Model A was designed for work as well as pleasure, and the engineers expected it would be lugged down sometimes. Of course, they probably didn't figure the car (or the babbitt) was going to still be around after 80 years, so there had to be some caveat there. If you've lightened the flywheel avoid lugging. Under flat road conditions I might lug mine in third down to about 18 mph. Somewhat. :rolleyes:

Re: Which gear should I be in?
 

The owners manual cautions against lugging the engine.

Re: Which gear should I be in?
 

Lugging the engine is a death sentence for babbitt.