Optimal Shift Point?
Autocross Junky
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,211
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Rep Power: 381 










It will help, Here are the gear ratios of the
______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
Give me some time to find a good formula for the rest....
______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
Give me some time to find a good formula for the rest....
Why is my vagina bleeding?
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 0
From: Montreal
Rep Power: 305 

Originally Posted by Zzyzx
It will help, Here are the gear ratios of the
______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
Give me some time to find a good formula for the rest....
______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
Give me some time to find a good formula for the rest....
Last edited by nindoo; Jul 12, 2004 at 12:52 PM.
The best way to pick your shift point is multiple runs on a test 'n tune night at the track. Make runs shifting at 6, 6.2, 6.4, 6.6 and 6.8 and see what the trends look like. You should see ETs drop as you approach the optimal shift point then start increasing.
Autocross Junky
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,211
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Rep Power: 381 










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/community/Dr...cing/1121.aspx
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/community/Dr...cing/1121.aspx
Last edited by Zzyzx; Feb 7, 2005 at 01:21 PM.
Originally Posted by HyaBoosta
take the time to floor your car and feel for the power. and listen to the exhaust. after about 6500 it's gonna start to feel the same and alot less pull and shifting becomes harder.i used to run every gear to redline for a long while and now that i tried this method i noticed a difference and I think 6500 is the money shot
and just say
BOOYA
Why is my vagina bleeding?
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 0
From: Montreal
Rep Power: 305 

Originally Posted by Mike4831
In out car our shift point is right at 3250. You shift much higher than that every time. You lose gas miliage and wear out your engine faster.
Even if we service our car and take care of te tranny we will damage the engine by revving high?
It says in your profile you work at Honda. What kind of problems do you see people come in with, with the Civic EX.
the higher you go in rpm in your car the more work it has to do, it wont break it, but it decreases engine life and gas milage. its good to shift low if you dont need to get anywhere, but if you want to race, take it to the max, it shouldnt break it as long as you keep taking care of your car.
Registered!!
iTrader: (1)
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 704
Likes: 0
From: fontana, ca, (909)
Rep Power: 0 
pretty good stuff here. but still not clear whether to shift hi always or to just shift after maw torque. i think ill do that test n tune thing. better to feel what ur car is tellin u other than reading sumthin out of a book... dont u think??
well this is weird. that redline in my b18b is 7000, but i have hondata and can rev to about 9k without the turbo yet. i make the most power at 8 but when i shift at 9 the whole time, i get the best ets when i shift at 9k. an example is when i shift at 7, i end up with a 14.2@99 mph. when i shift at 8, i get a 13.8@101 and finally when i shift at 9, i end up with a 13.6@104 mph. the only think different are my cams, which were originally meant for all motor ls (403s). in the crower website, they say the bottom end can stand 9k with stronger valve springs and retainers. the purpose of those is to avoid valve float at higher than redline rpms.
your never sopose to redline any car. it is ok to occasonally do it. but the civic doesn't shift into second gear like a race car. there is a little lag in the shift. you should shift when your engine peeks the most. 6300. would be ideal for racing. and 4300 when going up a hill.
Why is my vagina bleeding?
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 3,582
Likes: 0
From: Montreal
Rep Power: 305 

Originally Posted by Mike4831
your never sopose to redline any car. it is ok to occasonally do it. but the civic doesn't shift into second gear like a race car. there is a little lag in the shift. you should shift when your engine peeks the most. 6300. would be ideal for racing. and 4300 when going up a hill.
I've accidently three times redlined the car in first gear where the engine cuts off. The needle bounced of the end. Did I severely damage my engine?
Hey dudes and dudettes, this is off topic but do you feel your car preforms differently on different days. What I mean to say it has its good days or bad days. Or am I just going crazy?
Last edited by nindoo; Jul 17, 2004 at 09:37 AM.
My car breaks and explodes for no apparent reason.
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
From: St. Louis, MO.
Rep Power: 0 
I always bring it up to about 6900 rpm just to keep it in VTEC for the next gear. Whenever mine dips below 5 grand it gets tougher to keep it accelerating as fast. Keeping it in VTEC as long as possible is my theory.
bumping up an old thread..
hey... was just reading this and instead of starting a new one. everyone talks about optimum shift points.. especially when going down tracks and stuff and finding ur power curve and all that... but has anyone thought about powershifting (shifting without letting go of the gas)??? our cars...well..mines anyways the rev limiter kicks in at 6800 and everyone says to shift at 6500 which is just right after the HP falls off the curve.. so if i power shifted at 6500 and pressed the clutch... the engine would then rev into 6800 and then when i shift into second the rpmks drop into about 4500 or so which is about right where max torque is... so is it safe to do that or tracks or should i still do regular shifting at 6500
hey... was just reading this and instead of starting a new one. everyone talks about optimum shift points.. especially when going down tracks and stuff and finding ur power curve and all that... but has anyone thought about powershifting (shifting without letting go of the gas)??? our cars...well..mines anyways the rev limiter kicks in at 6800 and everyone says to shift at 6500 which is just right after the HP falls off the curve.. so if i power shifted at 6500 and pressed the clutch... the engine would then rev into 6800 and then when i shift into second the rpmks drop into about 4500 or so which is about right where max torque is... so is it safe to do that or tracks or should i still do regular shifting at 6500
do you have an ex? cause my redline cut is 7000rpm. When I need i Power shift at 6400rpm. and ever since then i have been beating up on SI's. It's always the 1st to 2nd gear shift at 6400 that jumps me ahead and gives me the pull away that i keep till the 1/4. try it out I know it works
i have a dx with a ex head swap.. so i have vtec now... i made a DIY in the FI/Swapped section about it... when i go tracks i usually shift at 6500 and let off the gas and shift into the next... i was running 16.9 before the head swap... next week imma head out to the tracks and with my new head but this time i wanted to try powershifting.. just wondering if that was feasable
Boosting Daily
iTrader: (14)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,084
Likes: 1
From: Goldsboro, NC
Rep Power: 285 


Originally Posted by HyPnot7z3D
I always bring it up to about 6900 rpm just to keep it in VTEC for the next gear. Whenever mine dips below 5 grand it gets tougher to keep it accelerating as fast. Keeping it in VTEC as long as possible is my theory.
I red line that biach.....right at 7 grand.......i have taken on many ex'x and si's in my lx and i have taken them time and time again.....
Think of it this way when you were on you 15 speed bike and you wanted to get the heck out of there..... you go as fast as you can then shift gears.... if you shift to early what happens you wind up standing on the pedals and pulling up on the handlebars and you pumping like heck and not getting there, same principle...... you are going to get the most amount of torque out of your engine if its screeming and you drop that next gear....WAM that push is what gets you there faster...... and you scare the $hit out of that prik in his POS next to you when your spinning your tires into 2nd
Think of it this way when you were on you 15 speed bike and you wanted to get the heck out of there..... you go as fast as you can then shift gears.... if you shift to early what happens you wind up standing on the pedals and pulling up on the handlebars and you pumping like heck and not getting there, same principle...... you are going to get the most amount of torque out of your engine if its screeming and you drop that next gear....WAM that push is what gets you there faster...... and you scare the $hit out of that prik in his POS next to you when your spinning your tires into 2nd
Jspek Inspired
iTrader: (5)
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,265
Likes: 0
From: Killeen, Texas
Rep Power: 0 
^^ sorry but i find going all the way up to 7k and spinning your tires into second to make you slower than say going up to about 65xx-67xx and trying not to spin your tires.
on this note i could have sworn our cars hit vtec anywhere from 2500-3500 depending how hard you accelerate, and if your doing the 1/4 then you'll vtec sooner. regardless when you shift and your at 4500 your basically still in vtec.
Originally Posted by EternalBlue_Vic
Get an Apexi VTEC Controller. I buddy of mine that works at tuner shop says you can change the RPM in which VTEC in triggered. You could then lower it so you could shift right about at optimal power (64-6500RPM) and still be in VTEC for the next gear. So yeah, check it out.
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 26,704
Likes: 0
From: Poco, B.C. Canada
Rep Power: 565 










I'm gonna try this at the track this weekend hopefully. The air is cooling down as well the last week so that should help a tad
Yeah very true. the technical way to do it is get your car dynoed and see where the peak hp and tq are found with the modifications to the car. Or just go trial and error and mark off 2 point on an open road and run from one end to the other and see which point gets you to the fastest mph before the mark(racing other cars and shifting at diff. rpm will never be accurate cause every car you race has diff. hp and you'll never know if it's your shifting or hp diff.)
Originally Posted by aznstylez254
^^ sorry but i find going all the way up to 7k and spinning your tires into second to make you slower than say going up to about 65xx-67xx and trying not to spin your tires.
I shift at 8600 and dont chirp the tires lol typically people who chirp the tires on the 1-2 shift in a car with little hp and tq just have poor coordination.
without seeing a dyno of your car, finding the best shift point is a guess.




