how to powershift?

[third_shift|studios]

Ok kids, ts|s want's to learn how to powershift...i understand it starts with keeping the throttle wide open...so do i shift earlier to prevent hitting the revlimiter?

My power band is pretty much 3000 to 5500 RPMs, so that's where i've been shifting. I hate the feeling though-release gas, depress clutch, car slows, SHIFT, car jolts, i bite tongue....gotta be a smoother way..hoping powershifting is the technique

also, can i use powershifting just normal driving? or will i be wasting a lot of gas?

[Mr. Luos]

Powershifting is basicly just keeping your foot on the gas and making very quick shifts.

I don't powershift.
You don't want to shift earlier...that would kinda defeat the purpose.
Regular driving I wouldn't do it, just when racing.

If you are jolting the car...you need to work on your pedal 'dance' a little. I always depress the clutch a little before letting off the gas pedal, and am pretty much back on it 100% when I release the clutch.

I don't see my revs ever drop lower than where the next gear would make it. Powershifting is putting you at the very peak of the powerband when you shift into the next gear.

[YellowToy]

Forget the gas. U power shift u will brake ur trans. Soon rather and later.

[third_shift|studios]

i have a warranty-kinda hoping to use it too =)

[StuntmanMike]

When I had my M6, a friend showed me how to powershift from 1-2. It was fun, but I didn't do it very often for fear of hurting something.

What he did was put pressure on the stick when he was about ready to shift, but not enough to actually move it. Then, while maintaining the pressure on the stick, start to push in the clutch. Once you pushed it down a bit, the shifter would move back into gear, then quickly let up on the clutch. And this was w/out taking your foot off the gas.

I don't know if this is the actual definition of a powershift, but it was fun, and would leave about 15 feet of rubber.

He could also shift w/out using the clutch at all, but I wasn't confident enough to try it in my car.

[ATCharming]

i didnt read the other posts in this thread, but heres my input

the way i taught my gf to powershift is this:

its half-power shifting and half-non power shifting so u dont break ur trans.
if ur in first gear, at WOT, pull on the shifter. pull as if ur trying to shift to second. when ready to shift, let go of gas so ur trans doesnt break. kick the clutch in. dont just press it in and slowly release it liek normal... kick it fast so that while ur pulling the shifter, it will immediately go to 2nd if u know what i mean.
if you WANT to break ur trans, hold the gas while doing that.

it wont necessarily make ur ride smoother lol... and u will be wasting gas, but i wouldnt imagine TOO much... i would not drive the car around town powershifting the whole time unless i was just havin fun. if ur drivin it daily, dont powershift every shift lol...

but hey what do i know?

[Hot Rod SS]

I don't do it either. It revs to high if you're WOT going from 1st to 2nd, and like Mr. Luos said, it defeats the purpose if you have to shift early. The T56 is beautiful piece of work, but far from bulletproof. I've gotten quick enough to hit 2nd gear, get a little sideways and leave about a 15 footer when I don't powershift. But remember, the 15 footers maybe fun in 2nd gear, but only when having fun, not when getting down the road or the track is what counts.

[2MuchFun]

get a short shifter........

[third_shift|studios]

so then what's it called when you up-shift w/out the clutch? It's not "rev matching" i know.

[ATCharming]

so then what's it called when you up-shift w/out the clutch? It's not "rev matching" i know.

i dont think u can do that...

[secondgearscratch]

you can shift without the clutch if you time it right when one gear is running out. i wouldnt do it. unnecessary wear on the trans syncros and teeth if you grind it (and you will more than likely).

powershifting in my opinion is equally as pointless if you can sync feet, hand, and brain together and develop the motions quickly. i shift pretty damn fast but ive been driving sticks for years and driving fast for the same length of time. in my opinion, a properly executed shift (clutch release, gas pedal pinned, gas let off and clutch pinned) is just as effective and way safer and easier on the car. its harder than you think to be quick enough not to overrev when power shifting, and nowadays with the short shifters and short clutch pedal and easy engagement, to me there is really no benfit to powershifting.

[camarojunky74]

i dont think u can do that...

if you guys are talking about shifting from like 1-2 or 2-3 or 3-5 etc... you most cetainly can shift without the clutch. just accelerate easy and when you want to shift up as soon as you lift of the gas easily pull the shifter outta gear and slip it right into the next one.

now by no means is this good for your trans , it will put extra weare on your synchros and pretty soon you will have no synchros lol

try it once or twice, kinda like drivin a big rig anybody here done that?

[ATCharming]

u can get shorter cluthes? wow that would be awesome cuz i drive my gf's eclipse and it feels like i bring my knee to my chest and fully extend my leg to use it.... its annoying as hel

[secondgearscratch]

1st to 2nd: 5500 rpms*
2nd through 6th: 6000 rpms*

*stock rev limiter. if you spin your motor higher your shift points will obviously be different (higher).

this is what i do and it works very well. i launch at 1500 and slip the clutch on street tires and 3 grand on the nittos. havent broken yet.

if you race from a roll be in a lower gear so your revs will be high. it seems like most people ive talked to and those ive ran from a roll are in too high of a gear. say im going from a 50 roll, i probably only have 1500-2000 rpms left if im in second gear but thats where the power is. alot of guys dont wanna shift that soon i guess...who knows.

just thought id throw that stuff out there....

[secondgearscratch]

u can get shorter cluthes? wow that would be awesome cuz i drive my gf's eclipse and it feels like i bring my knee to my chest and fully extend my leg to use it.... its annoying as hel

i probably didnt explain that right. the length that the clutch engages is what im referring to. clutch engagement is different between most clutch brands. you want it to grab right off the floor...atleast i do.

[secondgearscratch]

if you guys are talking about shifting from like 1-2 or 2-3 or 3-5 etc... you most cetainly can shift without the clutch. just accelerate easy and when you want to shift up as soon as you lift of the gas easily pull the shifter outta gear and slip it right into the next one.

now by no means is this good for your trans , it will put extra weare on your synchros and pretty soon you will have no synchros lol

try it once or twice, kinda like drivin a big rig anybody here done that?

yep i used to do it all the time with my old 86 toyota pickup but i would never do it with a newer car, especially not my z. way too hard on it as we both said...

and yep to the big rig. jake brakin anyone????

[ATCharming]

i probably didnt explain that right. the length that the clutch engages is what im referring to. clutch engagement is different between most clutch brands. you want it to grab right off the floor...atleast i do.

uhhhh now im confused lol.

[secondgearscratch]

uhhhh now im confused lol.

there is no "shorter" clutch.

what you described driving your gf's car is exactly what you wouldnt want in your f body. you want the clutch to grab right after releasing it so its that much faster to gas it. see what i mean?

if you have to wait until the pedal is half way out you have to feather it until it completely grabs so you wont rock the car violently and thats just wasted time not being able to give er gas....

[camarojunky74]

[Daniel P.]

I can drive a big rig without the clutch, but our only has a 5 spd, wish it had a couple more. after learnin to drive the big truck i drove my z around town one night without the clutch but i was at real low rpms, let off gas and pull out at 2500 then put backinto gear at 2000 with no grinding, but I got worried about wear so I quit.