Do you shift at redline?

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I don't shift at the redline , I let it goover about 1000rmp and then shift.
It will improve your lap time ;)
Edited
 
Yes, Cosmic, we've all discussed this already.

Basically, RPM allowing, you let it go over the redline until you shift. And no, it won't improve your top speed, your top speed is your top speed, and shifting in a certain place won't improve that, or anything else.

Please try and refer to previous posts that may have explained it before you post.
 
Stinky Chicken
Yes, Cosmic, we've all discussed this already.

Basically, RPM allowing, you let it go over the redline until you shift. And no, it won't improve your top speed, your top speed is your top speed, and shifting in a certain place won't improve that, or anything else.

Please try and refer to previous posts that may have explained it before you post.
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I mean , it will improve your lap time a bit ;)
 
Cosmic
I mean , it will improve your lap time a bit ;)
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No it won't. Not really. Because for the extra speed you gain waiting until you're past the redline to shift, that's a few seconds earlier you'll have to brake to compensate for the speed. See?
 
Cosmic
I don't shift at the redline , I let it goover about 1000rmp and then shift.
It will improve your lap time ;)
Edited
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It depends on the car.

Take a stock JGTC Skyline to the 1000m. Shift over the redline on one run and shift under the redline on the other. The one that you shift under the redline will be quicker.
 
Doesn't it depend on the engine or are the redline's @ the optimum point to change for all the cars, therefore going over the redline means your losing power?
 
The redlines are not at the optimum point, espcially on a tuned engine. ANd that kids is why god created shift lights in race cars ;)

The Redline indicates that you are running into the danger zone with the engine, some cars are meant for high revs, others low end torque. The 240SX for example, the KA24 powered one the US got, its pretty much pointless to rev past 6000~6500 RPM, because its geared for low end torque. My MR2, with it 4A-G is meant for high revs, I don't even have power till I get over 4500 RPM pretty much, and keep my power till I pretty much get to the limiter... at 8500 RPM..
 
Azuremen
The redlines are not at the optimum point, espcially on a tuned engine. ANd that kids is why god created shift lights in race cars ;)

The Redline indicates that you are running into the danger zone with the engine, some cars are meant for high revs, others low end torque. The 240SX for example, the KA24 powered one the US got, its pretty much pointless to rev past 6000~6500 RPM, because its geared for low end torque. My MR2, with it 4A-G is meant for high revs, I don't even have power till I get over 4500 RPM pretty much, and keep my power till I pretty much get to the limiter... at 8500 RPM..
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Nicely said. 👍
 
So how do you tell if the car was designed for low end or high end torque? Do you just have to know the car very well?
 
TMM
So how do you tell if the car was designed for low end or high end torque? Do you just have to know the car very well?
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Trust the big boys when we say that you'll know. ;)

Either you'll have a car that has serious acceleration at low revs, or one that has average acceleration at lows revs and really heavy top-end acceleration.

Then there's the 'sweet' cars that just... accelerate.
 
you guys r forgetting that the lower RPMs u change gear, the lower the RPMs will be in the next gear, thus being further away from peak power. If you took the revs past redline, when the next gear is engaged, the RPMs will be closer to peak power.
 
AblativE
you guys r forgetting that the lower RPMs u change gear, the lower the RPMs will be in the next gear, thus being further away from peak power. If you took the revs past redline, when the next gear is engaged, the RPMs will be closer to peak power.
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You're forgetting that high-RPM cars will own your arse if you try and shift in low revs, but low-RPM cars enjoy it when you shift in low revs, because their powerband is suited for low-rev acceleration.
 
AblativE
low RPM cars will have a lower redline so u shift lower anyway....
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Right you are.

You also have to remember that it won't be apparent right off the bat whether some cars have a low or high powerband - you'll find out whent he car accelerates; if it accelerates quickly at first then drops off, it has a low powerband. And if it accelerates averagely at first, then starts getting faster, it's more on the high end.

WTF? Averagly? Is that even a word?
 
AblativE
low RPM cars will have a lower redline so u shift lower anyway....
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Actually, thats not quite true. As I pointed out before, the KA24DE engine (Nissan 240SX) is a truck engine, and is geared for low and mid range torque.

Its torque curve is something like this
.... ___
.../.......\_
../...........\___
./....................\
/......................|

That a very rough diagram.. but whatever works... that over a 7000 RPM range or so.

My car, with a 20 Valve 4A-GE (87 MR2 with a early 90's JDM Corolla engine)
.................__
...........__/.....\__
........./................\
......./...................\
__-/......................|

Thats over 8500 RPM.

As my friend said, who is an EXCELLENT DRIVER (First place in class all season) said "Its pretty much pointless to rev over 6000-6500 RPM."

My car on the other hand, I should take all the way to the limiter if I can.

So while his Limiter is about 1200 below mine, his shift point is over 2000 RPM below mine, and his peak power is at a much lower point... like 4000-4500 RPM I believe... mine.. is well.. way way up there.
 
i found that turbo cars go 500rpm above the redline before hittin the limiter, while n/a cars go 1000rpm over the redline before hitting the limiter, i change about 50 - 100 rpm before the limiter.
 
Small_Fryz
i found that turbo cars go 500rpm above the redline before hittin the limiter, while n/a cars go 1000rpm over the redline before hitting the limiter, i change about 50 - 100 rpm before the limiter.
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I change right on the limiter for most cars.
 
Small_Fryz
i found that turbo cars go 500rpm above the redline before hittin the limiter, while n/a cars go 1000rpm over the redline before hitting the limiter, i change about 50 - 100 rpm before the limiter.
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Is that true for all cars or just a rule of thumb? I think I've noticed some cars with rev limiters at 225 or 775 rpm passed the redline.

bit of info: The Subaru Legacy B4 Blitzen seems to like 500-1000 rpm of short shifting. I haven't done the drag strip testing to find the best point, but it does it both stock and with all the power goodies (-the turbo kits).

I assume getting turbo kits changes the optimum shift points, that's what they say they do, anyway. (says 'moves power higher in the RPM range' or something)
 
I usually shift either just on the redline, a little before (on cars with low-end) and just about on the limiter (cars with massive high-end power)

As many people have said already though it all depends on the car you are using.
 
Like many people have said, it definitely varies from car to car. In all the Lancer Evolutions the torque comes in from 3000rpm so you don't have to rev it past redline before you shift. However in an Escudo with the stage 4 turbo, there is absolutely no power below 6000rpm. I just look at the torque and horsepower figures in the car specs to help me.
 
ANother idicator of where the power band is how fast the tach needle moves. Its clearly visible in the Escudo, where it revs much much slower than it does above 6000 RPM.
 
Hey, if your going to be hunting world record times in any of the GT games you have to shift so that you land back near the maximum tourqe of the engine (look at it in the cars specs), that's how you setup your gears unless there is a very important corner where you need to set up one gear especially for that corner to really punch out of it. But otherwise you want that little red needle to land back on or near the max tourqe of the engine. On some cars with low rpm tourqe it means you need either longer gears or shift before the red line. But that's what you should be aiming for
 
Small Fryz.. you statement about rev limiters is incorrect.

The Vitz 1.5 RS with full mods, including turbo, revs 1000 RPM past redline...
 
just happened to stumble upon this thread and didn't go through the whole thing with a fine toothed comb to see if anybody has made this suggestion before but this is what i do when i need to find the optimal shift point for any car:

i simply take the car to the 400m and test different shift points until i find the one that gets me to the trap fastest.

good luck.
 

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