1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Driving long distance?

Discussion in 'Honda Acty' started by Lee17, Jan 9, 2018.

  1. Lee17

    Lee17 Member

    Hey everyone,

    I have a 4 speed manual transmission 1990 Honda acty with an E07A engine.

    Once I get to about 50mph (80-85kmph) it sounds like the rpms are very high. I would like to go on some trips with the van but I am worried about driving long distances (a few hours at a time) at what seems like high RPMs.

    Would this be a bad idea to drive at this speed for hours at a time? Is driving at high RPMS hard on the engine, transmission, or both?

    Would some performance mods (new exhaust, cold air intake, suspension) improve this situation? Or should I start looking for a 5speed?

    Thanks,
    Lee
     
  2. shogun

    shogun Active Member

    Longest distance I have driven so far with my Acty with 3-speed auto trans ( 1997 Honda Acty HA3 truck, Frame: V-HA3, Engine E07A, RHD, Japan specification) is 350 km, truck was fully loaded with spare parts for my old BMWs, among others 2 cpl. ZF transmissions, so let's say max. 350 kg load was reached. Used mostly highway here where we have a max. speed of 100 kmh, Mostly was driving at 80-90 kmh at (almost) full throttle, was no problem for the engine, the trip was about 4 hours in total.
    Usually when I drive on the Highway here, comfortable average speed is between 80-90 kmh, and that is no problem at all for the engine.
    High RPM is no problem for the engine, see here the details https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_E07A_engine
    For sure you will not drive 4 hours without a stop, as the seats are not the most comfortable ones
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2018
  3. Lee17

    Lee17 Member

    So as long as I can tolerate the loud rpm noise, I should be okay? Once I get to about 80kmph, it sounds like it wants to shift to a 5th gear with a high and loud rpm noise. But without that 5th gear I guess I have to tolerate the noise which I can live with :). It does start to wobble once I hit 90kmph. The steering wheel wobbles pretty wildly at this speed. Someone recommended having my tires balance.

    I just wanted to be sure that daily long distance traveling with the 4spd at high RPMs wouldn’t do much damage to the engine or tranny.

    Thanks!
     
  4. shogun

    shogun Active Member

    wheel balancing and check the front steering parts, tie rod steering arms ball joints could be too loose, I just change the rubber caps there, as they were broken and the grease ran out of the ball joint heads. Needed that to be done for the Japanese roadworthy check = Shaken.
    Have only a drawing at hand from a 1987 van, but that will give you an idea https://honda.7zap.com/en/acty+van/1987-5-jh/7834-4/1768001-b__3400/
    here from a truck https://partsouq.com/en/catalog/gen...Bw$&vid=119004&cid=184&uid=4599&q=HA3-2330294
    The ball joints you can buy as single units from the online shops.

    5000-6000 RPM is fine for the engine, as long as you can stand the noise. Most comfortable highway speed with my automatic is 80-90 kmh, noise is o.k. and the engrine runs fine, with that speed I can float with the speed of the large trucks which are allowed to run at max. speed of 80 kmh, they will not pass me and I will not pass them.
     
  5. Juicemoves

    Juicemoves New Member

    I have a HA4 5 speed. Drive it 25 mins everyday day wide open at 110km also drove 209 miles at 100-110km. All is well here
     
    SteveBW likes this.
  6. Lee17

    Lee17 Member

    Thanks for the replies everyone.

    My 4spd manual transmission 4th gear starts around 20mph and I have to climb all the way up to 60mph+, in this final gear. Based on everyone’s replies it sounds like it should be okay driving long distances for extended periods of time. I do not have a tachometer to check the RPMs, I just can hear the loudness of the RPMs increase as I increase the speed up to 60mph+. If the noise is the only concern the. I should be okay. I just wanted to make sure this would not put express strain on the engine or transmission since there is not a 5th gear to transition to for these higher speeds.
     
  7. KingArthur

    KingArthur New Member

    For anybody searching this bit of info in the future, last week I completed an Acty roadtrip from Seattle, WA to Columbus, OH in my new (to me) '92 Acty Street. Highway speeds varied from 40mph to 75mph depending on road grade, whether I had a head or tailwind, and whether or not there were cars/trucks in front of me to help break the wind a bit. But it worked! Add ~15%-25% time increase to any Google Maps route calculations (10 hour drive will take more like 12 hours) and go hit the highways! 2500 miles? No sweat. :p
     
    nftyper, shogun and installater like this.
  8. installater

    installater Active Member

    KingArthur, that sounds like a great road trip would you
    share the route you took from Seattle to Columbus
    Regards
    Brian
     
  9. Hap Wilson

    Hap Wilson Member

    I did a road trip from Houston to Northern California and back (4,000 ish miles) and never ran into any major issues just burned out some spark plugs on the way out in San Antonio. Oh and I own a 1992 Honda Acty SDX 5 speed. Trust me when I say it can handle it lol. Also i've idled it all night at rest stops leaving the AC running and barely used any gas. Happy travels bud :)
     
  10. KingArthur

    KingArthur New Member

    Brian,
    The route I took was as follows. Poulsbo, WA ⇒ Seattle via the Bainbridge ferry⇒ up over Snoqualmie pass on I-90 ⇒ continuing on I-90 through Spokane, Missoula, Bozeman, Billings ⇒ Rapid City, SD ⇒ Mount Rushmore ⇒ back to I-90 all the way to Sioux Falls, SD (through a pretty nasty snowstorm that blew many semi trucks off the highway) ⇒ south toward Council Bluffs, IA on I-29 ⇒ east on I-80 then jutting south to Indianapolis ⇒ ending in central OH.

    upload_2020-1-13_14-2-34.png

    It was a really fun drive! 3 nights in hotels in Bozeman, Rapid City, and Council Bluffs. Crappy fuel mileage for the most part due to lots of hill-climbing and high speeds, but oh well.
     
    nftyper and shogun like this.
  11. installater

    installater Active Member

    KingArthur, Thank you

    Regards
    Brian
     
    KingArthur likes this.
  12. StevenSS

    StevenSS New Member

    Epic. I plan on driving mine from Santa Cruz to LA soon. Wish me luck! I don't know if I should take the 101 or 5 all the way down
     
  13. KingArthur

    KingArthur New Member

    Take the 1 and the 101! It's certainly the prettier drive, and it's not like you'll save a ton of time on the 5. Drive the coast and enjoy all the thumbs-ups, smiles, waves, and etc. that you'll get from folks in those beach towns. And heck, with all that's going on in the world right now, people need any opportunity to share a smile from a safe distance.
     
  14. StevenSS

    StevenSS New Member

    True bro. It's hard here in Cali for mini trucks, just to register mine I have to take it down to LA and get the engine modified so it meets Cali stupid emission laws All that for $6.5k :( but the adventure is worth the trip!
     
  15. SvenOfTheWoods

    SvenOfTheWoods New Member

    Just throwing in my experience here.

    I just drove from Vancouver, BC to Kelowna, BC along the Hope-Princeton highway (roughly 450kms) in my 2001 Honda Acty HA7. I was honestly surprised at how well it did! I was able to maintain an average speed of 100km/h very easily and only dropped down to 80km/h on the steepest hills. I drive with a bit of a lead foot at the best of times and I managed to pass a number of cars on the trip.

    The only problem was...me. I'm 6'3" and 210lbs, and my butt was SORE after an hour and a half. I had to stop far more often than I normally would just to stretch, but it certainly makes for good sightseeting!

    I grew up driving a 1984 Mazda B2000, and I'd say my Acty has roughly the same amount of power in a significantly smaller package.

    Oh, and as for mileage...I achieved 7.3L/100km (roughly 32mpg).
     
  16. habanerohippie

    habanerohippie New Member

    Woah, 75mph?! Is this with the ha3 or ha4? I have a 5 spd street g ha4 coming at the beginning of next month.
     
  17. habanerohippie

    habanerohippie New Member

    Was this with the ha3 or ha4? I have a 92 street g coming early next month that I can’t wait to get on the road. What’s realistic in terms of MPG/MPH? I know this isn’t a sports cart lol
     
  18. shogun

    shogun Active Member

    with my HA3 with automatic trans, 2WD, fuel consumption over the past years was in average 15 - 18km/L
     

  19. Im in Colorado and have yet to take mine through and up into the Rockies. How did it do with the extreme grades? what speed did you maintain with 7 + degree grades? Did the engine ever get hot?
     

Share This Page