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Newbie question about shifting and RPM's

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Old 07-20-2007, 02:20 PM
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Newbie question about shifting and RPM's

First off Im new to 6speeds, I can drive them but I've been driving an automatic Land Rover for the last 3 years.
I have and 04 GT manual and I'm just wondering how at how many RPM's do you get up to before you shift into 1st gear and the following gears as well. I've been shifting into 1st at a little over 2 rpms... and every other gear at between 3 & 4 RPM's. Is this too low or high?

Thanks in advance!
Old 07-20-2007, 03:02 PM
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Your manual indicates the recommended speeds to shift at.
1 to 2 - 14mph
2 to 3 - 22mph
3 to 4 - 29mph
4 to 5 - 36mph
5 to 6 - 46mph

Now I truthfully can't tell you what MPH I'm going when I shift, but I usually shift between 4k & 6k RPM (unless I don't want "unwanted" attention with my catback and cat delete, then its between 3k & 4k RPM). But a lot of people will quote here, "A redline a day keeps the carbon away" so I say experiment shifting at different RPMs and choose what you like. Don't be afraid to take that baby up, it'll just hurt your wallet at the gas pumps!
Old 07-20-2007, 03:04 PM
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Thumbs up

well i shift to 2nd gear when i reach 4 and 5 to 3rd 6 to 4th 6 to 5th 6 to 6th thats what i do
Old 07-20-2007, 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by ym3n3
well i shift to 2nd gear when i reach 4 and 5 to 3rd 6 to 4th 6 to 5th 6 to 6th thats what i do
Amazing. That's just like English, only different in that it doesn't make a lick of sense.
Old 07-20-2007, 03:17 PM
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Originally Posted by 8is>enuff
Amazing. That's just like English, only different in that it doesn't make a lick of sense.
maybe it's a code we have to decipher! or maybe it gives you 50 lives...
Old 07-20-2007, 03:17 PM
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Hahahahaha!!!!!!!
Old 07-20-2007, 03:36 PM
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i started out with granny shifts and as I get more accustomed to the manual my shift RPMs have been rising and my milage falling. But it's a lot more fun. I do most shifts around 5k-6k.
Old 07-20-2007, 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by map
i started out with granny shifts
But now you double clutch like you should?
You're lucky that hundred shot of NOS didn't blow the welds on the intake!
Old 07-20-2007, 03:56 PM
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Originally Posted by MazdaManiac
But now you double clutch like you should?
You're lucky that hundred shot of NOS didn't blow the welds on the intake!
I think you have me confused with someone else(?) I don't have NOS
Old 07-20-2007, 04:03 PM
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hrm...
Old 07-20-2007, 04:11 PM
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Originally Posted by map
I think you have me confused with someone else(?) I don't have NOS
Don't get to the movies much, huh?
Old 07-20-2007, 05:04 PM
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i guess not
Old 07-20-2007, 08:12 PM
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Originally Posted by TeeFar
First off Im new to 6speeds, I can drive them but I've been driving an automatic Land Rover for the last 3 years.
I have and 04 GT manual and I'm just wondering how at how many RPM's do you get up to before you shift into 1st gear and the following gears as well. I've been shifting into 1st at a little over 2 rpms... and every other gear at between 3 & 4 RPM's. Is this too low or high?

Thanks in advance!
You're pretty much spot-on with my (and probably most others') normal driving behavior there; I don't think you'll have any problems with getting accustomed to it. Now of course, depending on how hard you want to push dictates how late you want to shift; and the engine won't really punish you for it. Adjust to what you feel is right over time. The next thing you'll want to work on is how to not make your passengers head/body bob back and forth every time you shift; I still have that problem a bit, unfortunately.

Last edited by maskedferret; 07-20-2007 at 08:37 PM.
Old 07-20-2007, 08:19 PM
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map! how can you not remember those lines?! hah. fast and the furious. said by 'DOM' after he first raced 'BRIAN EARL SPILLNER.'
Old 07-20-2007, 08:54 PM
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I shift around 4 or 5k normally.

3k if I am taking it easy.

AT least once a day I take it to redline.

I found that starting to push the clutch before letting off the gas entirely gives me smoother shifts.

A lot of times I can do half a clutch depress and that prevents the flywheel from slowing down and causing a slight slow down of the car between gears.
Old 07-20-2007, 09:07 PM
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Wow, alot of you shift really early. If I'm on open road, I'm usually 5,000 RPM minimum until I get to the posted speed limit.
Old 07-20-2007, 09:11 PM
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depends on how fast you wanna get to your location, or if you're doing a decarbonization drive.

4000rpm and below is 'fuel conservation mode' for me.
Old 07-20-2007, 09:46 PM
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4000 and below is 'carbon deposit mode'.
Old 07-20-2007, 10:10 PM
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Shift high and often. Heck, just because you've got a long cruise into work on the highway doesn't mean you can't back down 10mph, downshift and hit it again just for fun
I shift from 4k-5k when slow but like to run over 6250 just to get into the 3rd runners nice and often. Of coarse, once your up there, you might as well pop the VDI at 7250. But why stop there when you can hear that nice little SHIFT buzzer at 8500?

LOL really, just have fun driving the car. Who cares where you shift as long as the car likes it... and it likes it high.
Old 07-20-2007, 10:23 PM
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Originally Posted by 8is>enuff
Amazing. That's just like English, only different in that it doesn't make a lick of sense.
Read the post he did the other night........I couldn't figure out WTF this person was attempting to say. I'll see if I can find it. It was truly amazing. The ONLY excuse could be if English wasn't his first language.

Here.............I found it!

"its a low pitch sound like inside an airplane i dont think its cuz by the engine even if im just rolling my car the sound comes i felt like its my tires.. but i dunno is it or not err does your 8 quiet when its rolling in nutral or it has a running sound let me try to record this sound and attach it up here... plz check back with me thx"


Last edited by Mazurfer; 07-20-2007 at 10:29 PM.
Old 07-20-2007, 10:26 PM
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Cohdey,
4000rpm and below is 'fuel conservation mode' for me
almost killed my car. I kept her on cruise at 68 trying to chase 22mpg every day last year overreacting to gas prices. It's torture for the Renesis. Don't go to long without a good long rev. My sweet Renesis is back from the brink of carbon death after I came to my senses. After I ran several tankfuls of Techron and let the Zoom Zoom take me my 8 is back at 100%. I've learn my lesson and solemly swear not to shift at 3k with any regularity ever again
Old 07-20-2007, 10:42 PM
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Originally Posted by MazdaManiac
4000 and below is 'carbon deposit mode'.
Let me throw this question out there...
We've learned from many experienced people here that if you "baby" your 8, carbon buildup will occur. Now there are a lot of people who stick to the 3k to 4k RPM range... maybe its the price of gas and they are conserving when they can.
Question I want to throw out is, how long can you "baby" your 8 before the carbon builds up faster then its removed?
Example: If someone babies the engine (3k to 4k RPM range) Monday through Friday and then runs it hard (shifts maybe 7k to 9k RPM) Saturday and Sunday, would the carbon buildup be removed or would a more "aggressive" driving time be necessary? Or would you need to run the Renesis above 4k RPM for many days to make up the couple days it was babied?
Old 07-21-2007, 12:01 AM
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I feel like I tard. I rarely shift under 4K rpms. I'm usually in the 5 to 6k range. I redline at least once a day. I live in so cal though, and speed limits to us are a minimum speed rather than maximum, so....yeah. That would explain it.
Old 07-21-2007, 11:59 AM
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4k to 6k its ok, and once a day redline that baby...
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