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This is probably for the real racers out there. What do you guys recommend I do as far as shifting I want every detail. When to do it and how. What's the best rev to change gear in? Or certain mph? Thanx, I just got back from ARMY training in Ft. Knox KY and Ft. Jackson SC and I bought this car with the extra money and I want to learn the ropes, this is my first car, I think it's pretty good for a starter.
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I'd say do a search with a million exclamations points after it, but I just cant flame an army man! They do so much for our country... instead Ill tell you this.. try the search feature, there were some past posts that are very helpful in this area. There, I said it, helpful and courteaous... perhaps the attitude changed with the new server????
It really just depends on the terrain, for normal driving I shift any where from 3000 to 3900. But sometimes I go higher, just whatever really. If you are talking about shift points for racing I shift just a bit under redline.
maybe im dumb but if im racing i just red line it in every gear, i dont have so much hp that i can spare it by shifting early ja know wat ah mean main?
I'm not sure if you need advice on how to shift when you race or how to shift period. This (http://www1.excite.com/home/info/learn2/tutorials_qa_overview/0,14899,auto_689_1,00.html) is a tutorial for learning how to drive a stick, after you drive a stick for a while you will start 'feeling' when you need to shift. As far as racing, this also helps, when you get to know your car and how it works in all the gears you will know that to pass someone you shift to third, etc. etc.
Hope that helped a bit!
VTEC comes on at 5500RPM's. No need to redline it, like WTFBjtch said, that is a nice way to ruin your engine! Just take it slow and get to know the gears before you start racing. Like i said in my earlier post you will eventualy feel when you need to shift gears for more power. Experience, it's all about experience [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/IMG] If you don't know how to drive a stick well, don't expect to win many races [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/IMG]
I have done a little experimenting with the shifts points out on the road. I normally shift right at redline if I am racing or just hauling some butt. This is a pretty rare occasion so I haven't done it a whole lot. I tried shifting a few hundred rpm before redline and 3 hundred before, and so forth. I always felt like the car was accelerating the fastest when shifting at redline. Any shift before redline seemed like it always left the engine just below the powerband or where the engine really starts to scream. Plus, I have always felt that the engine redlines to soon in second and seems to be pulling strong up to the rev-limiter. However, I did read an article on drag racing somewhere saying that you did want the engine to drop just below the power (or maybe the torque peak or something, I don't know) band on each successive shift.
I guess the real question is whether the time lossed pulling to redline beyond a certain rpm is greater than the time lossed of shifting earlier and wainting for the engine to scream again.
By the way, I am no expert and don't pretend to be. So, if my technical terms are incorrect, please feel free to correct me as I like to learn.
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[hr]Originally posted by: Mbow
I have done a little experimenting with the shifts points out on the road. I normally shift right at redline if I am racing or just hauling some butt. This is a pretty rare occasion so I haven't done it a whole lot. I tried shifting a few hundred rpm before redline and 3 hundred before, and so forth. I always felt like the car was accelerating the fastest when shifting at redline. Any shift before redline seemed like it always left the engine just below the powerband or where the engine really starts to scream. Plus, I have always felt that the engine redlines to soon in second and seems to be pulling strong up to the rev-limiter. However, I did read an article on drag racing somewhere saying that you did want the engine to drop just below the power (or maybe the torque peak or something, I don't know) band on each successive shift.
I guess the real question is whether the time lossed pulling to redline beyond a certain rpm is greater than the time lossed of shifting earlier and wainting for the engine to scream again.
By the way, I am no expert and don't pretend to be. So, if my technical terms are incorrect, please feel free to correct me as I like to learn.[hr]
You're pretty much right on the money. Max torque and HP happen at RPMs slightly less than redline so you do lose by redlining. However, you make up for this by shifting the engine into a higher RPM range in the next gear, thus more T & HP. Generally an engine that dervives its peak HP at very near redline should be shifted at said redline. Don't worry too much about your engine. Redline is not some definate point such that crossing it immediatly causes your engine to explode. Most redlines are set well below what the enigne could theoretically handle, and the ECU will cut you off if you even start to approach the real danger zone.
The thing to work on for race shifting is how fast/smooth the shift takes place. For instance, if I get a very fast 1-2 shift at RL my front tires really break traction and it is sometimes difficult to not go slightly off track with my steering. This is what you should shoot for as it means you are getting a fast shift. A much more important aspect to racing is the launch. This will make or break a run. Once again you have a tradeoff of how much wheelspin/clutch slip to allow. Too much and you sit and burn while your opponent laughs at you. Too little and your engine will bog and cause too slow a start.
As someone said, experience is the key. You have to feel the car and know what to do when. Oh, if you are new to stick, practice alot before you race. The tolerance and lee-way you have while driving normally doesn't apply when you are redlining the car. A mis-shift could easily ruin the engine or cause you to lose control. Keep it on the track
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[hr]Originally posted by: DxMaN
Don't worry too much about your engine. Redline is not some definate point such that crossing it immediatly causes your engine to explode. Most redlines are set well below what the enigne could theoretically handle, and the ECU will cut you off if you even start to approach the real danger zone. [hr]
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Thank you...
When he says "Most redlines are set well below what the engine could theoretically handle," he means that if you're driving an Acura NSX for example... you push the car beyond it's redline (like up to 700 RPMs after the redline point) the engine is okay before you can do serious harm.
For our cars, the ECU will kick in at 7,000RPMs... right before you can do any damage to the engine. I don't understand why some people want to disengage it when it's simply there to prevent your engine from wearing down quicker. Oh well, that's all I gotta say for now... [IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif[/IMG]
