Get the feel of the car. Don’t worry about changing at some specific rpm. For example, I do my shifts at 2250-2500, just because I feel that the engine is stressing beyond that point. Some older car didn’t have a rpm gauge, but people shifted gears by ear.
That’s for everyday use. If you want to squeeze every hp available, just do what Stig’s Japanese Cousin said
That’s quite an answer for the daily use part.. thank you.
Yes. Redline is always the answer. (and Miatas, obviously)
I’m assuming this is for racing.
Generally, redline is the way to go. Typically maximum power is made anywhere between 200rpm and 1000rpm before the redline, but what some people don’t immediately realise is that the power the engine produces may still be very usable between the maximum power point and the redline.
In order to get a proper idea, you’ll need to find graphs of power and torque curves for your engine to see what the power looks like after the peak. Typically redlines are placed at the point after peak power, just before the power starts to drop off drastically, but this may not always be the case. Sometimes peak power will be made at 6500rpm, for instance, but drops by about 20% by the time the engine speed reaches the 7000rpm redline, only to drop off even more at even a couple hundred rpm above it. Other times peak power will be made at say 6000rpm, and the power at the 7500rpm redline will only be about 5% lower than peak, i.e. still a very usable amount.
Again, it all depends on the engine itself. Each is different and has a different shift point depending on power and torque locations within the rpm range, and also the ratios in the transmission - accelerating passed the peak power point and shifting up at the redline may not feel any slower than shifting at the peak power point in first gear, but will be quite noticably slower in fifth gear if the power drops off between the peak point and the redline. Typically, a good, modern and/or well tuned engine will have a relatively flat power curve between peak power and the redline.
But due to more torque multiplication on lower gears, isn’t it best to keep on low gears longer? Maybe shifting at the redline before the drastic power cut?
Comments
Get the feel of the car. Don’t worry about changing at some specific rpm. For example, I do my shifts at 2250-2500, just because I feel that the engine is stressing beyond that point.
Some older car didn’t have a rpm gauge, but people shifted gears by ear.
That’s for everyday use. If you want to squeeze every hp available, just do what Stig’s Japanese Cousin said
That’s quite an answer for the daily use part.. thank you.
Yes. Redline is always the answer. (and Miatas, obviously)
I’m assuming this is for racing.
Generally, redline is the way to go. Typically maximum power is made anywhere between 200rpm and 1000rpm before the redline, but what some people don’t immediately realise is that the power the engine produces may still be very usable between the maximum power point and the redline.
In order to get a proper idea, you’ll need to find graphs of power and torque curves for your engine to see what the power looks like after the peak. Typically redlines are placed at the point after peak power, just before the power starts to drop off drastically, but this may not always be the case. Sometimes peak power will be made at 6500rpm, for instance, but drops by about 20% by the time the engine speed reaches the 7000rpm redline, only to drop off even more at even a couple hundred rpm above it. Other times peak power will be made at say 6000rpm, and the power at the 7500rpm redline will only be about 5% lower than peak, i.e. still a very usable amount.
Again, it all depends on the engine itself. Each is different and has a different shift point depending on power and torque locations within the rpm range, and also the ratios in the transmission - accelerating passed the peak power point and shifting up at the redline may not feel any slower than shifting at the peak power point in first gear, but will be quite noticably slower in fifth gear if the power drops off between the peak point and the redline. Typically, a good, modern and/or well tuned engine will have a relatively flat power curve between peak power and the redline.
But due to more torque multiplication on lower gears, isn’t it best to keep on low gears longer? Maybe shifting at the redline before the drastic power cut?