Best Shift Points?

[HiWire]

Re - acceleration: For my SC2, I generally shift around 4750 RPM (max torque), sometimes 5500 RPM (max hp for fun)... what does everybody else do? I don't do drag starts - so clutching is smooth. In regular traffic I shift around 2500, 3000+ when I'm in front or if there's nobody around.

S-Series, L-Series, Vues, Ions, Redlines please join in.

[OvenRude]

For racing you should redline it...no question there.

Normal street driving I shift at anywhere between 3-4k.

[HiWire]

I normally keep the revs low to avoid scaring the cars around me and keep the cops from perking up their ears. My Saturn is purring like a kitten until she sees some open road

I haven't shifted at redline because I don't want to hit the limiter... plus my fast-shift timing (long throw) is taking a while to perfect.

Will reving my car at higher RPMs cause problems with my engine? I generally warm it up before going over 3000. Also, I have the oil changed every 5000 km / 3000 miles at the dealership.

[WHITE98SL2]

The S-series motor should be shifted higher than lower, its not a big block v-8. I always shift around 4-4500k rpm. Don't shift under 3k, it might be better for mileage, but not for the motor.

If the motor is cold then shift around 3k until it warms up then get those rpm's up.

[geartooth94]

I wait 'till 1/4 way on the temp gauge to shift at 3,000 then after it fully warms up I'll go to 4,500 max for city driving, and probably up to 5,500 if I want to merge on the highway.

I've redlined about five times in the two years since I've had the car.

[Nuke-Em]

I don't see what the problem with hitting the redline is. For god's sake, the automatic transmission happily hits redline (or damn close to it) when you floor the accelerator. Believe me, if you live where I live, it's best to get all the power you can when merging on the expressway.

I generally shift between 3500-4500 RPM's. Shifting lower than that gets you no where fast and tends to lug the engine.

Matt

[eRic 02sc2]

both my 92 SC and 96 SC2 are upshifted at 6500 rpm. launched at 4000 rpm, shift at 6500 rpm. make the shift quick so you don't hit the 6750 +/- 150 rpm fuel shutoff. my 92 SC would kill the fuel spot on at 6750 rpm, but my 96 SC2 let me 6900 rpm before fuel kill. both let me rev to 4100-4200 while stopped out of gear. for puttering around on the street shift when the shift light comes on. that's what it's for.

[ProDarwin]

Normal driving 3-4k. Driving fast... about 6750.

[HiWire]

I guess I granny drive too much. I'll start shifting 3000-ish for regular driving then. It's definitely true that the engine bogs before 3000, but if I short-shift real quick I don't really feel it in traffic so much (following other cars). My car doesn't have a shift light.

The engine sounds rather loud for my taste above 3000, which is why I assumed I was straining it and disturbing other people. I'm too used to quiet little Japanese style (automatic) 4-cylinders, I guess.

My dad starts to frown when I take turns faster than, say 10 MPH - tire wear. And he doesn't like it when I rev the engine - he says that it shortens the life of the engine So you see where I get my driving habits Fortunately, I don't drive him in my car often.

Interesting... no L-Series, Vues or Ions with crazy shifting tales?

[Vita]

i shift between 2-3 in every day driving and stay with the flow of traffic nicely

when im driving quicker its 4-5, only taken it close to redline a few times, but not harshly

[purepwrSL2]

I shifts ( when economy drivings) at 2,100 as long i dont lug the engine this way ,, anything over 3,000 rpm shifting gears my car will sounds loud and more peppier this ,, depends of my driving style moods

[TheSaturnKid]

1st gear shift at 5800.

The rest: 6750.

[wlhawk]

normal driving -2500-3500 shifts

[dschrader]

around town somewhere in the 2500-3500 RPM range.

More aggressive applications close to redline. Since my engine swap, my shift light only comes on about 200 RPM before the rev limiter, it's like my own "factory-style shift now stupid" light. But never any problems with longevity, motor has nearly 200K on it total and 20K since a mild rebuild before the swap.

[jeep4523]

Street driving....3K max unless highway

Dragracing.....6.5K even, dropps you right off at 4800 RPM in every gear, right on your max torque. Go any further and you're just wasting your time, power drops off quick in the high RPM's.

[HiWire]

So most of us are pretty close in general... nutbars excepted Makes sense since our DOHC engines practically identical.

Are the SOHC's about the same? If I had an SC1, I'd probably make it scream... I'd be the neighborhood nightmare

My car is going to love me after this thread - she's always teasing me to break the speed limit. Wicked temptress! It's all her fault!

[Nuke-Em]

Originally posted by HiWire
My dad starts to frown when I take turns faster than, say 10 MPH - tire wear. And he doesn't like it when I rev the engine - he says that it shortens the life of the engine So you see where I get my driving habits Fortunately, I don't drive him in my car often.

Your dad takes all the fun out of driving.

Matt

[freakerz]

I got an 93 SL1 85hp, always shifting at around 3-3.5k..
Once in a while I hit the 5000RPM for fun on teh HP-side

[Bigbadbert]

Redlining wastes time and power for the most part. I found better ET's by lowering my shift points in the SOHC.

[THX712517]

I shift between 2500 and 3500 RPM normally, but when I'm feeling frisky, 4000. If I'm really going balls to the wall, I'll run it up to just a hair under redline and slam it into the next gear.