SHIFTING? 3-4k 4-5k 5-6k

[dralph12]

SHIFTING? normal range 3-4k 4-5k 5-6k
This is my first 911 its a 1986 Carrera.
I'm trying to understand what the best shifting range for around town.
I have been driving the car for about eight months and found that shifting above 3.5k seemed to be a smooth range.
Is it Ok to drive the car above 4k for a extended period of time ?
80 mph is 4k in 4 gear! should I run the car there or drop it into 5th to drop the RPM's down to 2.8k?
When I first got the car I would shift around 3.5k and that work fine, but lately I'm feeling more conferable with my shifting and the sound of the engine.
It seems to me the engine is just reaching a nice pocket between 3.5 and 5k so I have been extending the range of my shift out to about 4.5k
is that right?
What is best practice ?

[euro911sc]

Let 'er rip! 911 engines like revs... just don't over rev it

If you are just cruzin' I would not drop it less than 2750-3000 and then down shift if you need to pass. My SC likes to shift in the 5500-6500 range... but it depends on whats happening around you. If you are really on it then more toward the 6500 number. If not, shift slower and go at a lower rpm. That works for me. Your results may vary

Enjoy!

-Michael

[Scott at Pelican Parts]

It's important not to lug it. And the engine will appreciate being driven to within a thousand of redline (or redline, if you are so inclined) at least once per drive after the oil temp comes up a bit.

As a mechanic once told me, "If you want to drive it like it's a Honda, sell the 911 and buy a Honda"

[dralph12]

so your saying there is no reason to shift into 5th gear if I'm not north of 90 mph?
Ok!!
what about 1st?
it seems to flatten out around 5k

YES this is all "once the oil temp is up to normal"

[petrolblue83911]

Some of you guys really regularally shift at 5500-6500?? wow, I must by a wussy! I hardly ever get it up past 5g, to skeered I guess...

[Scott at Pelican Parts]

Originally posted by dralph12
so your saying there is no reason to shift into 5th gear if I'm not north of 90 mph?
Ok!!
what about 1st?
it seems to flatten out around 5k

YES this is all "once the oil temp is up to normal"

I think that most of us use 1st to launch, then pretty quickly shift to 2nd.

In my car (1971 E), the car cruises in 5th at 90mph and 4000 rpm. I will go slower than that in 5th, but after you get to know your car, you sense when it's lugging (or below any meaningful part of the torque curve) and you downshift to 4th.

[barney911rs]

The early 911s had a 7200 red-line. It does not even start to wake up and make power until 3500-4000. Nothing like the sound of a flat 6 at full song. Your motor will be happy if you take the revs up near red-line once in awhile.

As long as the motor is not lugging, you can shift to 5th while cruising. Just make sure you downshift if you start up a hill or need to make that pass.

[dfink]

I generally shift mine around town in the 3000 to 3500 range. What ever works for the power you need at the time. I just don't like to let it go below 2000 then it starts to lug. What ever suits your mood at the time from 2000 to 6500 is all fair game.
Oh since I took off the exhaust I take side roads shift really early and accelerate really slowly. I drove to an event this weekend and noticed several cars passed me then pulled right back in front of me. I don't think they liked the muffler bypass.

[euro911sc]

+1 for what Scott says

After a while you'll know your car. 5th is really a gear I cruise in if I just want to stay at the same speed... unless I'm really bookin' and that does not happen on the street... well not often. I'm in 5th to save gas for the most part. If I need to go anywhere, I'm down to 4th in a heart beat.

1st, only at the stop light. Shifting down to 1st is really hard unless you are moving at a crawl or have practice. You also have to do it very slowly. At least in my rebuilt 915.

*laf* on the DFink muffler!

-m

[PRE-H20]

hummmm here is my .02

i had my 74 911 up to 300K..... i always let it rip up to redline,...... RARELY went to 5th gear on the freeway........ my wrench would say that 5th gear was a gas saver gear..... so i always let it go to 5000 5500 on the freeway in 4th..... course at 5500 im way over the speed limit in 4th and as i mentioned i made it to 300K WITHOUT a rebuild so make your best judgment on whether these engines need to be driven like hondas..... im going on my 15th year with my lil 1974.

do yourself a favor and your car, drive it as it was meant to be driven, you'll both be happy, for a long time.

my mistress and i have been hitting it hard for 15 years now.

[PRE-H20]

i just for my car back with a new engine so we are off to another 300k miles.........

.................................... and i will be shifting as always........!



(these pictures are 3 days old and she is running HARD)

[911pcars]

No need to red-line the engine for mere cruising. It creates unnecessary engine wear and wastes fuel.

As many suggest, don't accelerate while the engine speed is low. Large throttle opening + low engine revs = lugging. Instead, downshift to bring the engine into the torque range of the power curve.

Sherwood

[Mattcamp]

My car likes to cruise at 3k..........not less than 2750.
Shifting at redline is fine, but it's also fast.

[datedd]

I was told by a Porsche mechanic that Porsches "need to be driven" I rarely use 5th unless I am on a long drive that keeps me on the freeway for a while. Otherwise, i am in in 4th.

My experience in my '80 SC is that the power band is in the 4000 to 4500 range. If I am at that speed, I need only tap on it an I am GONE!

[911pcars]

Nothing personal, but one need not always have the engine poised in the power band. That's what multi-speed gearboxes are for. The driver selects the proper gear for the proper situation.

Perhaps the technician meant to suggest not to baby the 911 rather than suggesting to drive aggressively.

Sherwood

[Eagledriver]

Your RPM should be proportional to your throttle opening for normal driving. If you are cruising at a steady speed then anything above 2000 RPM is fine but I would be in the highest gear I can get and stay above 2000. If you are loaded slightly above a steady level cruise then the RPM should be higher, hence the down shift to the appropriate gear. Full throttle acceleration you can use redline and I wouldn't be at full throttle below 3000 RPM to avoid lugging.

Really all this is a matter of feel. Your car should have a CASIS light. This light will tell you when to upshift. While most of use don't shift that early if you look at it you will see what I mean about more throttle requiring more RPM.

-Andy

[S2GART]

The ideal shift point depends on your engine For the SCs the max torque is at 4100 rpm. I don't know about the owner's manuals for other 911s, but for the SCs there is a graph illustrating the power ban. For the SC the "sweet spot" would be be around 4K. Beyond say 4500 rpm, the torque curve drops quick.
The real tough part about shifting at 5k and beyond, is traffic and oh yeah.....speed limits. If I were to take 2nd gear to say 5500, I would be doing about 60 mph or so.
The owner's manual for my SC says to not let the engine drop below 1500 rpm in any gear. That you should shift to maintain a higher RPM.

[Dueller]

IIRC, the owners manual for my 87 Carrera says never ever upshift below 2750 rpm's. Mine really seems to wake up (not flatten) as I pass thru 5K. YMMV.

[hytem]

Originally posted by dfink
I generally shift mine around town in the 3000 to 3500 range. What ever works for the power you need at the time. I just don't like to let it go below 2000 then it starts to lug. What ever suits your mood at the time from 2000 to 6500 is all fair game.

When I got my 82SC, a Porsche mechanic took me for a ride and showed me how to drive it. He said you hit 4000 rpm a few times while the oil is hot, you'll never have any problems. So that's what I do. I shift to 3000 while the oil is warming , and then to 4000 when the oil is around 180F. You don't have to go over speed limits around town shifting in 1st and 2nd at 4000 rpm. Shifting to 3rd at 4000rpm will get you to about 55 mph. I drive it 25 miles minimum, including some highway in 5th to 60- 65 mph, and it gets a good workout without speeding. I always try to keep the rpm at 2000 or above. 4000-4500 rpm is peak torque range for the SC, so it's ideal for max power.

I drive my Jeep about the same, except I always shift to 3000 rpm max, though I'm sure I could go higher.

[masraum]

I shifted my '88 mostly between 4500 and 5500. I would some times shift it between 3500 and 4500. I would often shift it between 5500 and the rev-limiter. I drove from Houston to Pensacola FL running between 4800 and 5200 the whole way. Do a search. There are several threads like this. I don't know how you guys can do it, shifting low and missing all of the fun. A 3.2L engine is most fun ABOVE 4500.