Tonight i met up with Honorius (24 yr old copier tech/sales guy doing training in Irving and new HHR.net guy) at Cool River to compare HHRs and he has a daytona blue 2LT and he wants to paint his whole hhr my Midnight Metallic Blue. in the lights this color is to die for and is just amazing. it has a royal blue and silver in it that give it a daytona blue sheen when the light hits the curves. Pictures do not do this color justice in real life. i guarantee you will turn your head when you see it.

now i took him for a ride in Shaggy, mi lil 2.2 LS and used I gear and showed him what the whole set up will do with the CGS, 924 and anti sway bar and I gear. he wanted to trade his 2.4 for my LS.

Next I let him drive it and really put his foot in it. he loved it. i will let him add his own feelings on what he felt when he gets back to Kansas tomorrow.

he now knows what I gear will do for him in turns and in lower speeds around town. i am telling you that if you dont go out and use I gear you do not know the potential of your car. it shifts differently and keeps the power band in the I am ready to kick jur Arse mode.

go find some curvy roads, do some u tunrs, have some fun and kick some arse and learn the true ability of your HHR. there is more lil hot rod than u think there is in this car

 

YOUR SO RIGHT CJ THE FIRST TIME I USED THE I GEAR I WAS CRUISING ALONG GOING TO WORK AND THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME CAME TO A SUDDEN HALT I PUT THE THROTTLE DOWN TO PASS AND WOW WHAT A RESPONSE. AND THAT WITH JUST THE 924 INSTALLED. CAN'T WAIT FOR THE INTAKE TO ARRIVE TODAY OR TOMORROW. THE HHR GIVES YOU A NEW OUT LOOK ON DRIVING.

 

Thanks for the insight... Now can you tell me what I-gear actually is. The only time I have ever used it was when I was crossing the Grapevine and figured it might keep the tranny from shifting into overdrive. Is that all it is? If so, what does the I stand for?

I've never driven a 2.4 but I have no complaints at all with our little 2.2. It has always given me all the power I need and more.

 

"I" stands for Intermediate gearing.

 

I or Intermediatte gear only shifts thru 1st thry 3rd gear. you will get lower gas mileage because it hardly goes below 2600 rpms and it downshifts alot harder too. it shifts more like a standard when driving in I gear. it keeps you in the power band so you can really pop the throttle and get on it.

you can do the same as far as take off w Drive but it will shift to 4th as soon as it can.

when i was growing up we used 3rd around town which basically did the same thing, stayed in 1-3 gears then put it in O or D for us which put it in overdrive and gave us better mileage.

if you want pep, dont care about the mileage, try I gear around town and see if you like the difference. some people like the lower rpms and sound when it shifts to 4th.

 

Kinda off topic, but not.
When I drag race my cavalier. I found that I'm 1-2 tenths faster when I put it in third, and not forth. I mean my cav has a 4T40E and the HHRs have a 4T45E. To the best of my knowlegde only major differences are valving and torque holding ratings.

 

I love using the I gear for driving in and around Cincinnati and Indianapolis. One of the things I dislike about most 4 bangers is the lack of ooomph. Not a problem with I gear!!!

 

I've started using the I gear some myself believe it or not. I know I'm usually in it for the mileage, but it's so much more fun to drive in I. However, I saw where someone posted that it would raise the speed or RPM governor. Mine still tops out at about 109 or so regardless of it being in D or I. What's up with that?

CBL

 

sat night we went to atlantic city... after one of those 70cent tolls it was in i gear n i never let off on the throttle, i went a bar past 125 (at this point i moved it bacc to D) she got up there real quick.. now dippin in and out of traffic that fast the back didnt feel good at all... i cant wait for the sway bar n the lowerin springs... i must say the roads are amazing compared to new yorks

 

Lefty-where in Queens are you? I am in MIddle Village