318ti high gear

[318econobox]

At 80 mph as you know the ti runs at about 3000 rpm, which is absurd. Is there anything to swap for the tranny or differential to improve this? It's a 5-speed, base model, 1997. Only 73k miles, so it may be worth the effort.

[parolof]

why is it absurd? You could always change the diff but it's not sure that you'd get more mpg just because the revs drop, it's about best efficiency at certain powerbands, the engine would struggle at 80mph and lets say 2000rpm

[318econobox]

it just seems to me that it would benefit from a 6th gear for the longer highway drives