When do you shift?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 16,265
Likes: 7
From: NJ
My salesman was only on the job for a week. I let him know ahead of time that we would need to drive for at leat 10 minutes (to get the oil temp up) before the real part of the test drive would commence. He had a big smile. I bought the car two days later.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 508
Likes: 2
From: California USA
I was told by a PCA instructor that 911's have always had a weak first gear. He recommended shifting earlier, around 3,000 RPM to 2nd and let it rip from there on. True or false, not sure.
Also, many 911's are owned and driven infrequently by non-enthusiasts, typically older professional men who buy automatics and never drive enthusiastically. It sounds oxymoronic to own a 911 and not enjoy the power and handling, but it is factual.
Also, many 911's are owned and driven infrequently by non-enthusiasts, typically older professional men who buy automatics and never drive enthusiastically. It sounds oxymoronic to own a 911 and not enjoy the power and handling, but it is factual.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 9,705
Likes: 1,313
From: Ohio
Not sure how relevant this is, but what are the shift points for a PDK in sport and sport+ mode? You have to figure these are pretty safe if used in a 6-speed.
Rennlist Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,013
Likes: 14
From: Southwick, MA
Funny back in the day when I sold my Air-cooled 911 I warmed it up prior to the customer coming, I started the drive and purposely drove it hard before I let the buyer take over, I wanted him to feel what the car could do and not be worried about babying it. I did not redline it the whole time, but drove it enthusiastically.
On my recent test drive before I bought my car I did not redline it, but I certainly hit 6K a few times.
Odd Seller
Now to answer your original question I actually rarely, if ever, beat on my cars, but on a test drive it should be expected.
On my recent test drive before I bought my car I did not redline it, but I certainly hit 6K a few times.
Odd Seller
Now to answer your original question I actually rarely, if ever, beat on my cars, but on a test drive it should be expected.
Rennlist Member
Joined: May 2016
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From: Silver Spring, MD
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Instructor
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 103
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From: Winston-Salem, NC
My service guy recommended not letting rpms fall too far below 3k at any speed in any gear. And certainly not cruising and maintaining rpms below 3k. So in just normal driving after car is warm I don't shift before 4k rpm.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 84
Likes: 1
From: Africa
. Where the two lines intersect on the graph, that's the sweet spot. Try keeping the car within the range of the two peaks. That is where torque and HP intersect giving you the best overall performance. Shift at a point where the HP curve is at its max, this way when you shift gears and the rpm drops, you will now be accelerating again within the maximum torque range giving you the best acceleration. If you try shifting at redline you will see that in this range, torque and HP are declining, not giving you the performance you think that you should have.
Very informative post!
This does sound correct!
I have a question though, how come when Putting foot flat in a PDK it runs till red line every gear as apposed to what you are suggesting ?
Why does is the gearbox not programmed to change at the points where the car would give maximum acceleration ?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 860
Likes: 89
From: RI
It's about the area under the curves. So, although the point of intersection is optimum, the goal is to stay in the rev range that optimizes area under the curve.
As far as first gear being weak. This sounds like hog wash. That said the first to second shift is the most challenging and demanding on the clutch and transmission synchronizers because it has the greatest delta in rpm. But that doesn't mean it's weak.
As far as first gear being weak. This sounds like hog wash. That said the first to second shift is the most challenging and demanding on the clutch and transmission synchronizers because it has the greatest delta in rpm. But that doesn't mean it's weak.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 348
Likes: 37
Agree with this. It is not a drag car for sure.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 1,550
Likes: 8
From: Greater Philadelphia Area, USA
The car doesn't come to life in 2nd more than 1st. The engine comes to life when it 'gets on the cam', which is a way of saying that, given the engine specs (oversquare) and the cam profile, the engine is noticiably livelier above 3,000 RPM and particularly above 4,000 RPM... and vario cam makes life down lower more bearable, but this is still a peaky engine.
If you want to feel the max aggressiveness, requiring your fast reflexes, when you're in 1st gear and wooshing past 4500 RPM, that is the fastest pace at which the tack needle will move, and redline is coming NOW... and then 2nd gear is second fastest, thanks to the peaky flat 6 and the wonders of gear reduction.
What you feel or miss in engines like this is the tractor-pull feel of torque, stroker engines, displacement, etc. Your 'feel' is fooling you, because these cars run in the 4's to 60, and there are a lot of cars that feel faster (thanks torque!) off the line, but they ain't.
.
If you want to feel the max aggressiveness, requiring your fast reflexes, when you're in 1st gear and wooshing past 4500 RPM, that is the fastest pace at which the tack needle will move, and redline is coming NOW... and then 2nd gear is second fastest, thanks to the peaky flat 6 and the wonders of gear reduction.
What you feel or miss in engines like this is the tractor-pull feel of torque, stroker engines, displacement, etc. Your 'feel' is fooling you, because these cars run in the 4's to 60, and there are a lot of cars that feel faster (thanks torque!) off the line, but they ain't.
.
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Clifton, NJ