What is your shifting preference?

[coleman17]

I don't really pay attention to speed until I get to cruising speed. I usually shift around the 2,800 RPM range. On the highway/interstate, I shift into 5th at my desired speed and cruise if the speed limit is 55 or below. If it is higher I will go to 6th and cruise.

I never accelerate more than 2-3mph in 6th, or 5th for the most part (speed dependent). I will shift to 4th if I have to accelerate. I guess I kind of look at 5th as my overdrive, and 6th as my second overdrive, if that is at all logical.

Around the city, I will rarely go further than 4th. Basically, my goal is to keep the RPM around 2.5k. I have done minimal research on this, and this is my first turbocharged car. I have driven a manual since I started driving in 2008.

Am I shifting in a correct way for a turbocharged car? I never really put much thought into shifting until I got this car. I always just went with what would "feel" right. From what I have read I've seen you shouldn't apply heavy acceleration in high gear. i.e. flooring it 6th while cruising at 55 to get to 70. But rather do as I am, and change to 4th to get to your desired speed. Essentially keeping the boost in the negative while in higher "cruising" gears to keep strain off the engine.

Please correct me if I am not on the right track here.

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[Deleted member]

I usually upshift at 3 to 3.5k during normal driving. There's nothing wrong with the shifting habits you have described. Shifting with a turbocharged engine isn't much different from shifting with a naturally aspirated one. 2k to 2.5k rpm is a perfectly fine cruising rpm. If you are cruising at 50+mph in 5th or 6th and want to accelerate quickly it is better for your transmission and clutch to downshift as opposed to leaving it in gear and flooring it.

 

[BoostedSiCoupe]

on the highway i dont shift into 6th until after ~55 mph, as i believe is the case with most ppl.

for regular city driving i shift around 3k. like you i rarely ever shift out of 4th. i down shift a lot into 2nd and 3rd, especially during more spirited drives.

when im up shifting during fun driving i find that shifting at 6000/6100 rpm keeps me in the sweet spot of the rpm range between shifts. i use the no lift shift feature a lot on my hondata flash.

 

[coleman17]

on the highway i dont shift into 6th until after ~55 mph, as i believe is the case with most ppl.

for regular city driving i shift around 3k. like you i rarely ever shift out of 4th. i down shift a lot into 2nd and 3rd, especially during more spirited drives.

when im up shifting during fun driving i find that shifting at 6000/6100 rpm keeps me in the sweet spot of the rpm range between shifts. i use the no lift shift feature a lot on my hondata flash.

Can't wait to get my Ktuner. I'm pretty sure it has a no lift shift feature. But I'm most excited to get rid of that annoying rev hang. How many miles did you wait to flash it? Also, how concerned are you about the possible warranty void from flashing it?

 

[BoostedSiCoupe]

Can't wait to get my Ktuner. I'm pretty sure it has a no lift shift feature. But I'm most excited to get rid of that annoying rev hang. How many miles did you wait to flash it? Also, how concerned are you about the possible warranty void from flashing it?

I think I was at about 4k miles when I flashed the ecu. Regarding the warranty, I've just come to accept that if I ever need warranty work done there would be a possibility the dealer won't honor it.

I would flash back to stock before taking it to them but theres still no concensus on whether or not the dealer would be able to see that it had been flashed before--so definitly keep that in mind before you flash your ecu.

 

[dmitri]

I never accelerate more than 2-3mph in 6th ...

Acceleration is speed-over-time, not just speed, so it's impossible to tell what exactly you meant to say there. "2-3mph per second"?

Overall you seem to be doing fine, FWIW.
I'd only add that it's not all about just speed -- driving uphill vs downhill is a notable factor in "what's ok for the engine" in terms of choosing your rate of acceleration in a specific gear at a specific speed.

Personally, I almost never look at RPMs anymore -- having driven nothing but stick since the 80s (temporary rentals excluded), you just know when to use what gear from the general feel of current speed, sound of the engine, road incline, etc. I suppose it's like cooking -- first you follow the recipe to the letter (and still mess it up), but once you've made that same dish a hundred times, you don't need a recipe anymore (and generally end up with a better result).

 

[ltrinh]

I am a bit conservative for normal commute with general guideine:
Gear 1: 0-10 mph
2: 10-20
3: 20-30
4: 30-40
5: 40-50
6: 50+

And of course shifting gears change a bit for uphill/downhill/spirit driving, etc.

 

[NoKz]

Can't wait to get my Ktuner. I'm pretty sure it has a no lift shift feature. But I'm most excited to get rid of that annoying rev hang. How many miles did you wait to flash it? Also, how concerned are you about the possible warranty void from flashing it?

The rev hang was the thing that secured my KTuner purchase. No lift shifting was a bonus.

 

[coleman17]

Acceleration is speed-over-time, not just speed, so it's impossible to tell what exactly you meant to say there. "2-3mph per second"?

Overall you seem to be doing fine, FWIW.
I'd only add that it's not all about just speed -- driving uphill vs downhill is a notable factor in "what's ok for the engine" in terms of choosing your rate of acceleration in a specific gear at a specific speed.

Personally, I almost never look at RPMs anymore -- having driven nothing but stick since the 80s (temporary rentals excluded), you just know when to use what gear from the general feel of current speed, sound of the engine, road incline, etc. I suppose it's like cooking -- first you follow the recipe to the letter (and still mess it up), but once you've made that same dish a hundred times, you don't need a recipe anymore (and generally end up with a better result).

Yeah, I mean I am getting to where I don't look at RPM's because I can feel it. Just took awhile to get used to the car. Only had it 3 weeks now. To clarify, I should have said accelerating 2-3mph over the course of a 5 seconds or so. Before owning this car I never paid attention to RPM's either, just how it felt. After reading that there are some differences with it being tubocharged and a brand new car with 12 miles on it off the lot, I was paying attention lol

 

[Design]

Being a small displacement motor, I try not to let the RPMs dip below 2.5K. Less long term strain on the rings and rods under moderate acceleration. Outside of boost, there's really no reason to have the needle drop below 1.9K.

 

[r1dered214]

So having asked a similar question about a month ago, because I’ve never owned a little car before either. I got similar responses. Now with about 6 weeks of drive time in it I’ve found I shift between 3-3,500 basically always for normal driving. If I shift early I feel like it falls on its face when I go to pick the throttle up. I probably drive with a little more purpose than the average person so that may play into it. I also have zero issues giving it a little pedal in 5th or 6th gear, but that’s generally at or above 3,000 and doesn’t worry me a bit. Not sure I’d ever try to put the pedal down, but a slow build into boost at 30-40% throttle gives zero bad feelings or sounds.

 

[timeatak]

I drive just about the same as you as far as cruising goes. From what i've read, keeping it about 2,500-2,800 seems to be the sweet spot.

 

[Almostfast]

Being a small displacement motor, I try not to let the RPMs dip below 2.5K. Less long term strain on the rings and rods under moderate acceleration. Outside of boost, there's really no reason to have the needle drop below 1.9K.

FYI the cvt cruises at like 1700 rpm. So Honda must think that's perfectly ok to lug it.

 

[hobby-man]

FYI the cvt cruises at like 1700 rpm. So Honda must think that's perfectly ok to lug it.

I wouldn't even say that's lugging it, as long as you're not mashing the throttle in a high gear. The 1.5 hits peak torque at ~1900 RPM. It's probably only like a 10 ft-lb difference in torque at 1700 RPM. It's a torque happy little beast.

 

[Micah]

Being a small displacement motor, I try not to let the RPMs dip below 2.5K. Less long term strain on the rings and rods under moderate acceleration. Outside of boost, there's really no reason to have the needle drop below 1.9K.

Different opinion here. I usually shift around 2k when driving normally. If I need boost/acceleration I can downshift and the tiny turbo spools right up. Worked on stock tune and with each calibration I have tried.

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