[Fdhwzctl]

going by rpm isnt too bad. the sound kinda translates directly to what the rpm is. i personally think changing gear by speed is a bit wrong though.

anyway it dpepends on how fast you wanna be going. id normally change between 3k and 4k, but if i needed to floor it, then about 5.5k

I always go by engine noise.

last thing you wanna be doing is looking at the dial whilst your shifting up around a roundabout

[Greactbet]

You shouldn't be changing gears by RPM, you should be changing gears from the sound of the engine and the speeds you are traveling, not what some dial is telling you.

going by rpm isnt too bad. the sound kinda translates directly to what the rpm is. i personally think changing gear by speed is a bit wrong though.

anyway it dpepends on how fast you wanna be going. id normally change between 3k and 4k, but if i needed to floor it, then about 5.5k

This is why I love driving my beater, a 1990 Geo Prizm 4dr Sedan 5-Speed Manual. No tach, just my spedo, gas, temp, and a couple dummy lights. I have absolutly no idea what RPM's I shift at, if anything to go by it's speed. But more often than not I just shift from the noise of the engine.

Hell after awhile I can usually know how fast I am going just by what gear I'm in and the noise of the engine

[kennyguitar]

going by rpm isnt too bad. the sound kinda translates directly to what the rpm is. i personally think changing gear by speed is a bit wrong though.

anyway it dpepends on how fast you wanna be going. id normally change between 3k and 4k, but if i needed to floor it, then about 5.5k

Not really, you should always be in as high a gear as possible with the revs down low. However it's not always possible to hear the engine, thus speed is an indicater to what gear you should be in.

Either way, relying on some dial to tell you when to change gear is IMO horrendiously wrong, by doing that you're not in control of the car, it's controling you.

[soipguibbom]

If I'm driving with my parents in the car I'll usually keep the rpms below 2000 unless it's a faster road or I'm accellerating (and then I don't go over 3500rpm usually).

I normally change gear judging by the speed I'm doing and listening to the engine. Something like the following for my parents Citroen C3 1.4 petrol:

1st -

[GrileVege]

i think there is nothing wrong.

[zbckFNlW]

I want to add this! During every day driving you should shift as soon as the engine can handle the load of the next gear. That keeps revs low. Also, there isn't anyting wrong with going 1st to 3rd if the engine can handle the load at low RPM's. I've been in some cars where during every day driving the engine doesn't even balk at doing 1st to 4th at low speeds. Just pulls itself up to speed no problem, this is 5.0L+ v8's though, plenty of torque to go around.

However, when racing the RPM the engine is at is VERY important. This is why we have adjustable shift lights in cars built for racing.

[vforvandetta]

I want to add this! During every day driving you should shift as soon as the engine can handle the load of the next gear. That keeps revs low. Also, there isn't anyting wrong with going 1st to 3rd if the engine can handle the load at low RPM's. I've been in some cars where during every day driving the engine doesn't even balk at doing 1st to 4th at low speeds. Just pulls itself up to speed no problem, this is 5.0L+ v8's though, plenty of torque to go around.

However, when racing the RPM the engine is at is VERY important. This is why we have adjustable shift lights in cars built for racing.

Yeah, you just don't want to "lug the engine" you can usually tell because it sounds rough, and you have pretty low power.

The most efficient fuel use is from shifting as soon as you engine can handle it...really the goal being getting to top gear ASAP.

I always rev it to within 2k of redline every few times out and shift just so I stay within the turbo range.

The funniest is my R1 motorcycle manual recommends some shifting my mph like people have noted. Like being it top gear by the time you are at 60. But who drives like that? Redline is so high you can go 90mph in first! lol

[Rjvpicux]

I want to add this! During every day driving you should shift as soon as the engine can handle the load of the next gear. That keeps revs low. Also, there isn't anyting wrong with going 1st to 3rd if the engine can handle the load at low RPM's. I've been in some cars where during every day driving the engine doesn't even balk at doing 1st to 4th at low speeds. Just pulls itself up to speed no problem, this is 5.0L+ v8's though, plenty of torque to go around.

However, when racing the RPM the engine is at is VERY important. This is why we have adjustable shift lights in cars built for racing.

True.

Though some engines (maybe all but I'm not sure) like to be revved high for a few miles once in a while. It helps clear out any build up from lugging the engine around. I know my engine blows as much weed as an English tourist in Amsterdam if I take it up high for the first time in weeks, then it clears up and runs better. It is a 22 year old engine however.

[Unakjyfk]

I always go by engine noise Yeah same here, I'm far from a car expert but the car's I have driven (which isn't all that many) normally tell you when they need shifted up or down by the sound of the engine.

[nickayary]

Learn how to Double Clutch or Heel-And-Toe

[Immarsecice]

I would hope he is, they're permanent 4WD, do you mean with the centre diff' locked?

Good idea comparing other, similar, vehicles as it may be a common 'fault' as I would suspect the transmission is a bit more rugged than most passenger vehicles.

As for getting the changes right, it just takes practice to get familiar with the vehicle. I drive a wide variety in my job, light pickups to earth moving equipment to heavy trucks and it'll sometimes take a few changes to get the clutch action right.

correct me if im wrong but dont jeeps have a gear knob to select between 2H 4H and 4LO? everyday driving you should be in 2H which is obviously 2wd.

[Immarsecice]

Learn how to Double Clutch or Heel-And-Toe

why would you need to double clutch? unless your car has no syncros there is no use for it. heel and toe however is very useful i think everyone should learn to do it.

[Leaters]

Yeah same here, I'm far from a car expert but the car's I have driven (which isn't all that many) normally tell you when they need shifted up or down by the sound of the engine.

I'd admit when I was learning to drive a tach meter in my Renault Clio compared to my driving instructor's Ford Ka which didn't have one it helped a little, but I don't tend to look at it now as a full driver as I can pretty much judge when I need to change from the engine noise. Still a little hard to avoid noticing the tachometer on a motorway though due to the constant high revs.

[quottrethew]

I always go by engine noise.

last thing you wanna be doing is looking at the dial whilst your shifting up around a roundabout

I thought I was the only one who did it this way. I learned how to drive a stick without a tach and to go by noise, which I think is easier.

[AmericaAirline 111]

correct me if im wrong but dont jeeps have a gear knob to select between 2H 4H and 4LO? everyday driving you should be in 2H which is obviously 2wd.

Yep iirc:

4WD = Ability to switch between 4- and 2-wheel drive
AWD = No switching

[spklnraz]

correct me if im wrong but dont jeeps have a gear knob to select between 2H 4H and 4LO? everyday driving you should be in 2H which is obviously 2wd....

why would you need to double clutch? unless your car has no syncros there is no use for it. heel and toe however is very useful i think everyone should learn to do it.

correct on both counts, jeeps are not automatically in 4wd... and you do not need to double clutch, only people that double clutch nowadays are truck drivers

in a jeep, you dont even need to heel/toe, the real benefit of heel/toe is seen on a racetrack, i can shift just as smooth without heel/toe, but you can be right on the power coming out of an apex with heel/toe, so it has its place

[plantBanceper]

correct me if im wrong but dont jeeps have a gear knob to select between 2H 4H and 4LO? everyday driving you should be in 2H which is obviously 2wd.

Seems I am, indeed, wrong [shocked] It's been a long time, I was going back to Quadra-trac days - full time 4 wheel drive.

For a 4x4 Jeep, seems to be just the option of Command-Trac or the heavy duty Rock-Trac - both part time 4WD.

http://www-5.jeep.com/vehsuite/VehicleCompare.jsp

[nickayary]

why would you need to double clutch? unless your car has no syncros there is no use for it. heel and toe however is very useful i think everyone should learn to do it.

When changing down gears the car responds better to double clutching, the next level on from double clutching is heel & toe, though they are very similar.

If you can double clutch properly, whether u have synchro or not, your car will thank you, especially when going down thru the gears quickly.

[arcalmanard]

the jeep has a transfer case -- usually un less im offroad im in 2wd

[spklnraz]

When changing down gears the car responds better to double clutching, the next level on from double clutching is heel & toe, though they are very similar.

If you can double clutch properly, whether u have synchro or not, your car will thank you, especially when going down thru the gears quickly.

imo, modern cars will get more abuse on the pressure plate while double clutching then the transmission will if you dont, you can still downshift very smooth without double clutching, the synchros do not see much wear if you are shifting properly, its when you are changing the speeds of different components too drastically and slamming it into gear when it isnt ready that you start wearing **** out

oh, heel/toe isnt really the next level.... you just dont need to bring up the engine half so to speak of the transmission up to speed because your synchros will match it for you, thats why you dont have to have the clutch engaged.

to double clutch properly, the clutch needs to be engaged

my old truck had 235k on original tranny, and my car had 205k on original, no double clutch for me, too much work