Lexus Gear Ratio

madmacs · October 8, 2006

I purchased two is200 and now I've an is220d, wonderful of course, but, why the hell the 6 gear is so difficult to put in right, explain: my "old" is200 at 6250 rpm and 220kmh were out of...and the engine still had much power to go...the is220 at 3200rpm is at 225kmh and the engine is totally dead

what do you think about it? the ratio is the same for the is220 and is250? or the 350???

BernardTamHK · October 9, 2006

.... im sure someone will correct me if im wrong...

but a diesel is a 2 stroke, so the power stroke comes every 2 cycles in stead of 4 for a regular gasoline engine. So not so surprising that it tops out at about 1/2 the rpms.

As for your old IS200, did you supercharge or turbo it? cos my IS200 tops out at 220kmh .... no way I can squeeze anything else out of it. How fast were u able to go (top speed) on your old IS?

madmacs · October 9, 2006

the is200 was standard, the "problem" (but not so much) was that the engine had power enough to go at 230, but the 6 gear was too short, now the is220d has a 6 gear tooooo long, and the engine is'nt able to rev up

sorry for my english

Scarlet Pimpernell · October 9, 2006

I can barely get over 65mph on most days in the UK...so much traffic.

Gear ratios will be different between Diesels and petrol cars, no doubt. The sixth is not a performance gear by any stetch of imagination. It's a cruising gear, and by virtue of how diesels run, you don't get much power once you're out of the turbo/toque sweet spot.

I recall driving the IS200 Sport, and sixth felt more like a performance gear. You could go pretty quick in it, and it looked as though it was easier to hit top speed in that gear than in 5th, and the engine loved to rev.

In the Diesel you probably need to use 5th to get to 140mph...at 5000rpm!!

MacRS200 · October 9, 2006

.... im sure someone will correct me if im wrong...
but a diesel is a 2 stroke, so the power stroke comes every 2 cycles in stead of 4 for a regular gasoline engine. So not so surprising that it tops out at about 1/2 the rpms.

Diesels are 4 stroke engines. As for the rev limits it is usual for a 2 stroke to be able to rev higher than a 4 stroke because it has no valves.

Gear ratios will be different between Diesels and petrol cars, no doubt. The sixth is not a performance gear by any stetch of imagination. It's a cruising gear, and by virtue of how diesels run, you don't get much power once you're out of the turbo/toque sweet spot.
I recall driving the IS200 Sport, and sixth felt more like a performance gear. You could go pretty quick in it, and it looked as though it was easier to hit top speed in that gear than in 5th, and the engine loved to rev.

In the Diesel you probably need to use 5th to get to 140mph...at 5000rpm!!

Like Jamboo says the ratios will be significantly different because of the characteristics of the engines, diesels produce more torque low down and don't rev as high.

Apart for anything else 140 mph is a respectable speed for a 2.2 litre oil burner :D

madmacs · October 9, 2006

It's so hard to explain in a different language

The 6 gear can be sporty or economysavvy ok, but if its sporty it has to be long enough te let the engine raise I never had a car that goes "out of rpm" (i hope is the right way to write in english) in the final gear.

The diesel one has the final gear economy, but if you cannot put it under 120kmh (or you spend 10 minutes to raise to 160) is way too long to be useful. If the ratio of the gears is right, the is220d sport version will be just a make up version, 18 tyres, aluminum vs wood and so on... anyone sees a car with the SAME engine, but different gear ratio? come on, it's the third lexus i buy, i'm in love with them, but when they're wrong, they're wrong

illestjt · October 10, 2006

ratio on sport is different.

Matus · October 12, 2006

According to new pricelist from Lexus Slovakia, with the luxury packet (I don't know how you call it in the UK, but there are leather seats, Xenon lights, parking sensors etc) you get also the sport ratio (which was before only with sport packet, or luxury packet with option 18" rims)

I have the "classic" ratio and I find it OK. I drove automatics for last couple of years so it's OK for me to cruise in the city on third and I don't need to battle with the gearstick too often :)

I have to mention though that I don't like the big step between 2nd and 3rd.