[cadillac04]

I am curoius as to what everyone is shifting to 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th gear.
I am asking both the rpms and top speed before a shift. This is in normal driving, not aggressive.

 

[oceanhut]

If im driving normally, I shift out of first at around 2800 rpms (thats when the skip shift is disabled), then I usually continue to shift between 2,500 and 3,000 rpms throughout the rest of the gears. I couldnt tell you the speeds, but those are the rpms.
Of course, in agressive driving, im shifting about a tick below the beginning of redline.

 

[Cal]

I shift 3,500 if I am driving alone, 2,500 if there's a girl in the car (or old people)

Competitive shift should be around 5,500 from what I know, because beyond that your torque is flat and you're not really putting that last 1,500 or so to use. That is, stock V.

- C.

 

[ttown]

I've always shifted between 2300 - 2500 RPMs. I think I probably pick it up from my parents :canttalk: :banghead: :banghead: . Anyway that is where I find it to be the smoothest transition between gears.

 

[Cal]

Yeah I don't do it to be smooth, 3,500 is so I can hear the growl and feel the torque start to grip.

 

[globed70]

I shift 3,500 if I am driving alone, 2,500 if there's a girl in the car (or old people)

Competitive shift should be around 5,500 from what I know, because beyond that your torque is flat and you're not really putting that last 1,500 or so to use. That is, stock V.

- C.

Cal, actually a very common misconception. Yes, you are not getting any more torque from the engine, but you are putting more torque to the ground via the leverage of the lower gear... power to the ground is torque*gear ratio*axle ratio. So... stay in the lower gear as long as you can; you will be accerlerating faster than moving up a gear, with less power to the ground. Now everyone repeat after me: I will stay in the lower gear as long as I can.

 

[oceanhut]

Now everyone repeat after me: I will stay in the lower gear as long as I can.

haha

 

[CTSV OWNER]

My wife actually gets a big smile when she can hear the intake start to roar. She does not even mind the brief bursts of speed over 100 mph intermittenly.
I would say most shifts occur in the 2,500 rpm range under normal driveing, But I gaurantee every trip I take redline is reached.

 

[GNSCOTT]

Competitive shifting for the V is at 6100 rpms. It start to fall after 6000 rpms. The max HP (400) is at 6000 rpms.

 

[oceanhut]

Competitive shifting for the V is at 6100 rpms. It start to fall after 6000 rpms. The max HP (400) is at 6000 rpms.

What about the max tq?

 

[CVP33]

R&T had torque peaked at 4,800 rpms.

 

[Cal]

http://www.cadillacforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11476

dyno sheets for at stock V. You should be able to see where the HP and torque peak. Not definitive or anything, just the results we got.

 

[GNSCOTT]

You don't shift at max torque, you do not need torque when you are up in the rpms to make HP. What scares me is that dyno run. If you look at the ZO6 with the same motor, it does not start to fall until after 6k rpms. This is telling me that the exhaust system sucks compared to a stock ZO6 and its choking on its own exhaust at 5500 rpms. I will bet a good header back system picks up 25 rwhp with the stock air box.

 

[Cal]

You don't shift at max torque, you do not need torque when you are up in the rpms to make HP. What scares me is that dyno run. If you look at the ZO6 with the same motor, it does not start to fall until after 6k rpms. This is telling me that the exhaust system sucks compared to a stock ZO6 and its choking on its own exhaust at 5500 rpms. I will bet a good header back system picks up 25 rwhp with the stock air box.

That, from the looks of it and from opinions of others, is exactly what I believe Cadillac did with the car. Which is fine, since Corsa is 2-3 weeks away, and after that headers can't be far behind.

 

[GNSCOTT]

That is all it can be. ZO6's don't start to nose dive until 6k rpms and the only difference is the intake and exhaust. Will the next person who is going to dyno their car please remove the hose and bypass the air box/ cleaner completely. I am willing to bet you MAY pick up 5hp if you are lucky which would prove its the exhaust. The Corsa will help, but the headers are the real problem.

Little exhaust lesson. Your exhaust needs to be at its widest the closest to the engine. That is when the exhaust is its hittest and therefore it is expanded to its max. As it goes down the system it cools and contracts therefore your exhaust can be alot smaller at the tailpipes than at the headers and not lose any power. People think it doesn't cool much in such a short time and thats just BS. Those gasses are leaving your engine at times at over 1000 degrees, you would melt the car behind you if it were still that hot. That is why cat back systems will help a little, but not near as much as a header back system.

 

[benjet]

Competitive shifting for the V is at 6100 rpms. It start to fall after 6000 rpms. The max HP (400) is at 6000 rpms.

The following information is for getting the most bang for the buck - not for the daily driver unless you own your own fuel station.

I would have to agree (as well with globed70 above the post which I quoted).

Let HP carry you until you are just after the peak HP, then shift to land in the next higher gear around (or just below) the peak TQ so you use ONLY the optimum powerband (Peak TQ to Peak HP range of RPM's) in that gear. That would get you the most power delivered to the gears (+ rear end, etc.) and therefore to the ground.

-Ben

P.S. If you want to drive like Miss Daisy (and I have done this and gotten 26mpg in my V - consistantly) you shift to the next higher gear at the LOWEST RPM possilbe (and almost never downshift - coast whenever possible)....

 

[BlueMalibu]

Here is a post regarding Shift Points I wrote back in my BMW days:

HP and Torque does start dropping well before redline on stock E46 (non M3) motors. HOWEVER, what makes the car accelerate is Torque measured at the REAR WHEELS - AND - torque, unlike horsepower, is multipled by gearing. So by staying in a lower gear you are multiplying torque more, giving more power to the rear wheels.
Once you shift your ENGINE torque probably does go up BUT you multiply it less because you are in a higher gear, thus your REAR WHEEL torque falls.

As a general rule, for max acceleration you should shift near redline. The exception would be if the gear ratios were very close together or the motors torque curve fell WAY off at high RPM. On my 323i stick I shift from 1-2 and 2-3 at 6500. 3-4 at 6300 and 4-5 at 6200. This is my best guess looking at the gear ratios and torque curves. With a Dyno and the gear ratios we could determine the exact optimal shift points.

TORQUE multiplies with gearing.

Lets say your engine torque is 200 at 4500 RPM.

Now lets say you are in 2nd gear and the ratio for second is 2.0 to 1

And Your rear end gear is 3.00 to 1.

Your rear wheel torque is 200 * 2.0 * 3 = 1200 ft/Lbs.

OK

Now lets say you shift to 3rd gear and 3rd has a ratio of 1.6 to 1.
After you shift your RPMs fall to 3500 and you get MAX torque of 220.
And you are at the MAX torque RPM for your motor.

You rear wheel torque is 220*1.6*3 = 1056 ft/lbs.

SO YOU SEE even though your engine torque is higher at 3500 RPM your rear wheel torque is lower because you are in a higher gear. You need to stay in the lower gear even when engine torque is falling because if you shift the gear ratio multiplier overrides the gain you will receive in engine torque at a lower RPM. Shift at redline. Try it with a stopwatch both ways if you want proof.