Post your shift points

[LincolnW]

Lately I have been paying more attention to my shift points than ever. One thing I have done is set my shift light to 3000rpms, and then just shift when it comes on, that way I don't have to stare at the tach the whole time.

I find if I shift earlier than 3000 I don't have enough acceleration to keep up with traffic some times. It seems that I frustrate other drivers around me if I accelerate any slower than that.

I am going to start recording some data as I try out different shift points via changing when my shift light comes on.

To those of you who don't have tachs. I bought this one for $25 off eBay and it works great. Not too large, not too flashy, and has a built in shift light that is easily adjustable. I would definately recomend getting one. I like to always know what RPM I am at.



P.S. When I autocross I set the shift light to 7300rpms and even then I hit the rev limiter from time to time.

[bowtieguy]

2nd @ 2200
3rd @ 2000
4th @ 2000
5th @ 1800

[Ratman667]

2nd - 3000 i skip 3rd and 4th but i rev to 2500 (roughly 25mph) and shift to 5th.

that is if i am driving to work, or to the store. if i am actually trying to get somewhere:

2nd - 2500
3rd - 2000
4th - 1800
5th - 1500

[dkjones96]

Most of the time:
1 -> 2 @ 2900
2 -> 3 @ 2900
3 -> 4 @ 2200

This is normal city driving with the automatic. Usually, it'll shift immediately before the 3k mark and fall to just above 2k but by the time I hit overdrive I'm pretty much at 45 and need to let off. This was before the mechanics touched my car and fubared my cam timing. Now I have to be hard on it til it goes back in.

When I'm hard on it I'm limited by fuel cut at 6650 so I have it shift about 50 rpm before that mark.

[Ford Man]

I don't have a tach in my '88 Escort 1.9L but I normally shift 1-2 at 10-15 MPH, 2-3 at 20-25 MPH, 3-4 at 30-40 MPH. I guess this to be right around 2000 RPM.

In my '97 Escort wagon 2.0L I usually shift between 1750-2250 RPM. This is according to the scan gauge 2.

[palemelanesian]

1 -> 2: 5 mph = 1150 -> 570 rpm (or sooner. On a downhill, i start in 2nd. 1st kills mpg)
2 -> 3: 10 mph = 1150 -> 770 rpm
3 -> 4: 20 mph = 1530 -> 1150 rpm
4 -> 5: 30 mph = 1725 -> 1380 rpm

If I'm in a hurry, I'll raise 2-3, 3-4, and 4-5 by about 5 mph. Beyond that, and it doesn't really go faster, it just uses more gas.

Basically, as soon as the next gear rpm is enough to generate forward motion, I'm there. Anything higher is wasteful.

[theholycow]

Nice old thread bump.

My pattern is pretty similar to Pale's. My gears have closer ratios. Here's an approximation for level land, using all gears:

1 -> 2: Probably under 5 mph = 1150 -> 750 rpm
2 -> 3: 15 mph = 1300 -> 950 rpm
3 -> 4: 20 mph = 1300 -> 1100 rpm
4 -> 5: 26 mph = 1350 -> 1100 rpm

The last couple days I've been re-experimenting with a skip-shift pattern:
1 -> 2: Probably under 5 mph = 1150 -> 750 rpm
2 -> 4: 20 mph = 2000 -> 1100 rpm
4 -> 5: 30 mph = 1350 -> 1100 rpm

Speeds are increased by ~150 rpm when carrying my wife.

[VetteOwner]

i shift every 10 mph increase in speed if im just slowly accelerating like thru town.

if i need to get a tad faster its every 2k-2.5K

if i really need to get going (ie interstate on ramps) i will floor it till about 3-3.5K usually gets up in the 60-70 mph range so i merge easily.

can be in 5th all the way down to 35 :P will not accelerate but will keep a constant speed without lugging on flat roads.

[GasSavers_Anthony]

Unfortunately I have to drive an automatic now incase my girlfriend she ever has car troubles and needs to drive my car. It's a 92 Saturn SL1, I usually can get it to shift into the next gear around 2000 rpm by feathering the throttle. 40 mph = ~1490 4th gear (top) with the TC locked up (I think).

[theholycow]

Instead of feathering the gas pedal for slow acceleration, have you tried accelerating how you want and then lifting off the pedal to induce a shift, then easing back onto the pedal again?