Shift Points?

A

atreidy

Member
Guys:

What are optimum shift points for these three scenarios:

1) normal city driving for the smoothest ride

2) normal city driving for optimal fuel efficiency

3) driving for enjoyment (not drag racing) to feel the car pull.

I realize this will differ from person to person but would love to hear your opinions.

I find that when I shift at 3.5k RPM from 1st to 2nd, I get the smoothest shift. 2nd to 3rd 3k RPM is ok.

One thing I notice is that as an automatic driver for all my driving life (10 yrs) and being a brand new MT driver on my zed, I find that I cannot get off the line quickly at all. Main reason I feel is to get any reasonable torque out of 1st gear, I have to get close to 4k RPM which sounds like I"m pushing the car hard or racing someone (which is awkward).

How can I take off from a red light and not be behind other much slower cars? :)
 
atreidy said:
find that I cannot get off the line quickly at all. Main reason I feel is to get any reasonable torque out of 1st gear, I have to get close to 4k RPM which sounds like I"m pushing the car hard or racing someone (which is awkward).
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I'm in the same boat (although I dunno how different the z4M is). 1st gear sounds very revvy and I tend to change up quite quickly to avoid the noise, although I have bounced off redline when trying to rev it out :evil:
 
If I'm driving sensibly, then I shift around 3k in each gear.
This seems to be quite smooth, but also before the real power kicks in.

For optimal fuel in the city, I'm guessing it'd be the lowest revs you can muster - say 2k?

3 is easy - 6k each and every gear :D


If you're trying to get off the line quicker, I don't know if you are, but try bringing the idle speed up to around 1.5k before launching, then smoothly, but still relatively quickly lift the clutch up, whilst applying throttle (sort of balance the amount you lift of the clutch, with the amount you push the accel.)
As for not making it sound like your pushing the car, try changing at around 3.5k, which should still give you enough beans in second to pull away hard.
However, you realise you're no where near pushing it hard at 4k right? :P

TBH.. I don't tend to watch the revs - I simply try and feel what the car's doing and change according to what it is I'm trying to acheive :)
 
For city driving, you should keep the car at its most efficient all the time as getting used to this will also help you keep it smooth. You should keep the car around its most efficient RPM range (~1900rpm at ~66% throttle). Therefore change up fairly early, at say 2300-2500rpm and make sure you accellerate purposefully.

If im going for a hard-ish drive ill usually shift at around 5k, as the peak torque of the M54 3.0i is just before that, ensuring that upshifts will be in the power band still. The M drivers however will probably go much higher due to the engines revvy nature.

For getting off quickly, my typical Santa Pod (1/4mile) start would be... 3500rpm, clutch down 1st gear. When the lights go immediately plant 50-75% throttle and 50% clutch travel. Hold it 1sec... Then as the revs start to build upward of 3500 and provided you dont have wheelspin, goto 100% throttle and clutch at the same time. Always be careful selecting second gear as this will cause the most stress the gearbox, clutch, propshaft, diff etc...

Hope this helps :thumbsup: :driving:
 
For 'normal' driving i'd go with 2500. But normal to me is 5000 :evil: :driving:
 
Like Lucy, mine just coughs when its time to change up :D

@atreidy - your last comment sounds like you might be slipping the clutch a lot to get over what you think is a ropey takeoff.....if so, have you seen any of the CDV threads?

As for getting in front of other cars I find that carving 'em up with full rudder usually works... :roll:
 
Yeah/ditto lucy and ed;2500 for normal,tho i am the same,usually change at around 5000 (max power on 3.0i also is around 5/5500,aprox,so no nmeed or point revn upto 6k and beyond :D :driving:
 
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