i read something in the manual about not downshifting to 1st over 20mph? what is the speed in 1st gear at 9K?

dennis, have you done this? what are the consequences?

james

I don't recall the max speed in 1st, but I certainly have shifted down to 1st in competition. Our club's current regular venue is an old airport, which means that every course involves some sort of down-and-back leg on the narrow runway, with an inherent turnaround at one end. Not a problem in the RX-8 (nor the 10AE for that matter) - simply brake, double-clutch down to 1st, and punch out back up the runway. :)

39mph indicated at 9k in first.
42 mph on the rev limit.:D

20 mph is 2750 rpm in 2nd which is a little low. Anything below about 23 mph and it's faster with the downshift.

Had a pin turn on a course a couple weeks back in Nashville. Goes into first much easier than my Miata.

This is the same transmission that's autoxed successfully on the Lexus IS 300 in DS for years. No reports of 1st gear synchronizer failures over on those boards so I think we're good.

I've done it, just rev match.

We ran mr RX-8 at a very small course in Stockton and left the car in first gear for the best time. The car only bounced off the rev limiter once.

Vince

This brings up an interesting question: whether 'tis better to downshift or stay in second and suffer the slings and arrows of initial low torque.

If you can heel/toe a downshift then you're golden and won't lose any time. If you can't, that's maybe a half second to downshift.

Regardless of the downshift, you have maybe a half second to upshift. So the question is 0.5-1.0sec of no power worth it? According to Andy McKee (whom Ophitoxaemia constantly refers to) the answer in most cases is no. He'd rather stay in 2nd and bog a little bit coming out of a tight turn than play around with shifting. An added complication downshifting to first in a tight turn is when you step on the gas there's a greater tendancy to spin the rear wheels and lose traction.

One major caveat to Andy's suggestion is his exit speed is higher than the average person's, so he doesn't bog down as much coming out of a turn.
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The car pulls good from about 3250 on up which is 23mph in 2nd. Would see no reason to shift above that.

Downshifting doesn't waste any time because it occurs under braking. It's the upshift that kills you. .3 seconds is about as fast as you can upshift unless you speed shift (not recommended). That's alot of time without power which results in a lower speeds carried all the way to the next braking point. This can add up to alot versus the .5 seconds gained by accelerating from 20-40 in first vs. second.

General rule is don't downshift unless the engine is totally bogged out or going into a series of corners that can be negotiated in first gear.

thanks, the manual references some dire warning about downshifting to 1st, perhaps they are concerned about over revving.

it is almost never faster to shift to 1st, although it often feels faster. but if it pulls well from 23mph, then no bother then.

who here is in the SF bay area? i am chairing the event next oct 4th at GGF so i will be there all day. all rx8's welcome!

i think i saw some tape from that stockton event, very small indeed!

james

Originally posted by Ophitoxaemia
who here is in the SF bay area? i am chairing the event next oct 4th at GGF so i will be there all day.
I sent you a PM but you didn't respond. Christine and I have been running a yellow RX8 the last two SFR events.
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