'95 V6 5 Spd...
Some times I like to drive for fun and some times to get the best MPG possible . My question is what is the best shift RPM for MPG? There is a shift light on my dash that comes on any where from 1400 rpm to 1800 rpm depending on gear. What controls this light? Just set for a RPM or computer looking at some data? This seems low to me but don't really know!

Thanks,
Dan

 

i have almost exact truck but its '96. i never seen any shift light on mine. either its burned out or '96 didnt have one. kind of glad i dont see that light because it would get annoying lol

 

I think its an option. And its just a pre programed rpm based light. Quite honestly, I shift mine at around 2k driving like grandma, and thats about as low as I'd want to shift it. It bogs down otherwise.

 

My truck shift light goes on and off. Like if I am riding through town in 4th gear holding RPMs it will come on, but if I give her some dang ole throttle it goes out. I just want it to be smarter than coming on at a set RPM, but I wish it wasnt there, computers arent very fun on cars. My speed sensor is having issues so it even comes on in 5th gear. The first few times I saw it I yelled at it "You aint got no more gears dummy!" Then it broke down on me

 

A lot of car shift lights will come on if you are holding RPMs, it wants you to shift to get better MPGs.
But if you give it throttle you/it wants to speed up therefor you want a lower gear. It is supposed to be like that
Thats pretty funny about 5th gear though, unfortunate about the breakdown

Ideally you should shift as low as you can without bogging down the truck. Less Rpms = less gas. Skip gears if you want and cruise in 5th going 30 if you don't need to speed up.
My truck isn't standard but in my other cars if I am going a constant speed I will usually shift to 5th regardless

 

my shift light comes on in 5th as well. Really weird.

 

It probably cant tell what gear youre in, it just knows to shift at a given rpm and throttle position.

 

Exactly what I was going to say.

 

Actually it can sorta learn. When I bought my truck, 5th gear was bad so it was never used and the shift light would never come on in 4th. When I replaced the tranny and started using 5th, it would come on in 4th.

 

actually im pretty sure it does know what gear you're in. ive never seen mine come on in 5th. im pretty sure its also not locked to a specific rpm range. if i go for a fast start it waits till a higher rpm to come on. when driving normally it usually comes on @ just over 2k