Shift Points
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Shift Points
I'm not sure if this is correct section, if not please forgive me. I just got an '02 ex coupe with a 5 speed. i've never driven a manual before, and i'm wondering what the best shift points are, both for power and also for efficiency. I don't know too much about hondas (or manuals) so i'm not sure if it's a good idea or not to run the engine up to around the redline every now and then. I know this is not an F1 car, but the sound of that engine around 5000rpm is so beautiful i've become addicted. On the other hand, i've got my friend telling me i should shift around 2100 rpm or i'll damage the engine. Can anyone help? Thanks.
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not too sure what is the recommended shift points, but when i do my everyday driving, i usually shift around 4200+ rpms.. .. dont really look at the gauge much, i just listen to the sound of my exhaust and the feel.. just my 2cents..
Originally Posted by mikey56
I've got my friend telling me i should shift around 2100 rpm or i'll damage the engine.
WAY too low. You'll be lugging the engine after every shift. I shift around 3k in daily driving, and around 4k on freeway entrances. You never want your tach to drop below 2k.
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Rep Power: 339 in the owners manual, it says to shift at 3000 when you need better accerlation. 2000 if it's very little acceleration. I do shift at 2000 when the road is empty. Some mine find that odd, open road to me isnt always the opportunity to just mash the pedal. Now, dont need to fear if you get it up to 4000 or even red line. Honda's transmissions are alright... so they will hold up. If you want efficiency, shift at like 2500. There isnt such a thing as good acceleration and efficiency, well, that might not exist depending on what kind of acceleration you like.
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Rep Power: 0 Thank you so much guys. I got it used and there was no manual. i was actuall not all that impressed with the car before i got it (only the price impressed) but i'm really starting to like it now, i just wish i had more roads around here to open it up 
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Originally Posted by Bmkarr
Power= exactly 5200rpms
Why is my vagina bleeding?
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Rep Power: 306 He's calculated it
______VP_____HX______LX______EX
1st---3.462---3.461---3.462---3.143
2nd---1.870---1.750---1.870---1.870
3rd---1.241---1.166---1.241---1.241
4th---0.970---0.857---0.970---0.970
5th---0.711---0.710---0.711---0.757
Rev---3.230---3.230---3.230---3.230
Final--4.11----3.84----4.11-----4.11
Because of the Vagueness of the Dyno chart, I had to Guestimate actual FT/LB of torque at RPM, but..... Even so, it appears that on a EX, the optimum shift point for ALL gears is 6500 RPM.
Your best shift point will be the RPM where there is the least change in torque between shifts. SO....
Best shift point for the 1-2 shift is 6500 with a LOSS of 95 Lb/Ft of torque.
Best shift point for the 2-3 shift is 6500 with a LOSS of 38 Lb/Ft of torque.
Best shift point for the 3-4 shift is 6500 with a LOSS of 10 Lb/Ft of torque.
Best shift point for the 4-5 shift is 6500 with a LOSS of 10 Lb/Ft of torque.
If you want to figure it out your self....
http://www.prestage.com/carmath/dynochart.asp
Originally Posted by Zzyzx
______VP_____HX______LX______EX
1st---3.462---3.461---3.462---3.143
2nd---1.870---1.750---1.870---1.870
3rd---1.241---1.166---1.241---1.241
4th---0.970---0.857---0.970---0.970
5th---0.711---0.710---0.711---0.757
Rev---3.230---3.230---3.230---3.230
Final--4.11----3.84----4.11-----4.11
Because of the Vagueness of the Dyno chart, I had to Guestimate actual FT/LB of torque at RPM, but..... Even so, it appears that on a EX, the optimum shift point for ALL gears is 6500 RPM.
Your best shift point will be the RPM where there is the least change in torque between shifts. SO....
Best shift point for the 1-2 shift is 6500 with a LOSS of 95 Lb/Ft of torque.
Best shift point for the 2-3 shift is 6500 with a LOSS of 38 Lb/Ft of torque.
Best shift point for the 3-4 shift is 6500 with a LOSS of 10 Lb/Ft of torque.
Best shift point for the 4-5 shift is 6500 with a LOSS of 10 Lb/Ft of torque.
If you want to figure it out your self....
http://www.prestage.com/carmath/dynochart.asp
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Originally Posted by bgoetz
belive me you will not hurt your car by getting close to redline. I have bounced mine off of the rev limiter several times and it still runs great
With 2 years of autocross, the ammount of time I've spent bouncing off the revlimiter is in the Minutes.
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Originally Posted by Zzyzx
With 2 years of autocross, the ammount of time I've spent bouncing off the revlimiter is in the Minutes.
I remember reading a thread about 2 weeks ago, it was about a person that accidently shifted from 5th to 2nd instead of 4th. They hit limiter (obviously), and b/c of that slight moment boucing off the limiter, there was damage.
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Rep Power: 274 once in a while glance at the guage, i usually shift at 3000 rpm maybe a little more. If some runs up against u shift down 2 gears putting u in torque range then floor.
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Rep Power: 0 You really almost have to play with it, to see exactly where you want to shift. I have found and roughly 1/2 - 3/4 throttle and shifting 1-2, 2-3 @ almost 3600rpm the car my bog for a moment. That is normal according to the honda techs and bulletins. If it does that you have found a point when the vtec(based on oil pressure) is about to kick in. So more or less dont shift at that point wait a few more hundred rpm then shift.
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Originally Posted by CuRiOuSfIsH
This wouldnt be the 1st time I heard you say that haha!
I remember reading a thread about 2 weeks ago, it was about a person that accidently shifted from 5th to 2nd instead of 4th. They hit limiter (obviously), and b/c of that slight moment boucing off the limiter, there was damage.
I remember reading a thread about 2 weeks ago, it was about a person that accidently shifted from 5th to 2nd instead of 4th. They hit limiter (obviously), and b/c of that slight moment boucing off the limiter, there was damage.
around-town driving i try to stay in the 2500-3000 rpm range. If I'm going up a steep hill (I've got a lot in my area), sometimes I feel like I have to hold the rpms til i get to 4000 and shift, or else the engine chokes. I feel like we have **** for torque in our motors sometimes ...
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Rep Power: 0 Yea... I can't believe this topic isn't locked. Shift when you want. The sooner you shift, the more power you lose, however you'll notice a bit more mileage before you have to stop at the pump. If you wait and rev up to 4k-6.5k you'll get better acceleration but a bit more gas will be used. If you want to shift perfectly along with the manual or whatever y'all are trying to do, trade that biotch in on an auto!
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