Mitsubishi Repair: car, best gas mileage, eclipse gt

Question
QUESTION: I have a 2000 eclipse gt 2.4 v6, when is the ideal rpm's to shift gears 1-5, and to maintain rpm's at. Also it seems that if i am driving slightly to moderately up hill in 5th gear at 2500 rpm, the car will hardly accelerate and in fact will lose speed.Is it okay to down shift into 4th in high rpm's or will that damage the car. Also when i shift gears usually 2-3-4 the car jerks forward, is that becasue when i shift into gear i give it gas while letting the clutch go.

ANSWER: Michael,
Not only is it safe to downshift from 5th to 4th, but it's recommended to get the best gas mileage and can be a strain on the engine if you're in too high of a gear.  Jerking forward can be a result of you gassing as you shift.  Also, releasing the clutch abruptly (sometimes called popping the clutch) can make the car jerk forward.  You just need to find that sweet spot when shifting when you release the clutch at the proper rate while giving it enough gas to make a smooth shift.  It's different on every car.
Good luck!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The service engine soon light came on, when i did the code diagnostic test is says misfire in cylinder 2. I am getting a major tune up that incudes; spark plugs, wire set, distributor cap, cylinder rodar, air filter, pcv valve, and fluids.Will this solve the problem and make the car a better drive? also the cars engine really roars around around 2.5 to 30000 rpm, even though the car starts to redline at 6000-8000 rpm, is that normal, or will the tune up help that also? Also the car kills gas even when i shift around 2000 rpm, but when i shift that low the cars accelerator is loose and slow to accelerate. Sorry my questions are so long and probably stupid.

Answer
Michael,
These are good questions, and you're doing the best thing by getting a tune-up.  The items you mentioned should definitely fix your misfire issue, and hopefully your other problems.  If problems persist after the tune-up, have your mechanic give your engine a compression test, check the ignition timing, and set the fuel pressure.
Good luck!