When do we all shift in the rev range for the fastest gear change. Say for at the track? Do you wait to hear the beep so that the revs drop down to around where the peak kilowatts are or change earlier to drop down to peak torque(5500)?
I change at the beep but not sure if this is the best point..

 

Right before the beep.

 

 

Why would you change at 7K when the power peaks at 8250?

Me - 1st and 2nd usually just before the limiter (after the beep), all other gears pretty much right on the beep.

Edit: Just noticed the mph - I guess there's no where else to shift to, hey?

 

Always right before the cutout ... there's always less power when you're in the next gear.

 

I hardly ever hear the beep. I usually just listen to the sound of the engine and go on instinct I guess you would say. I drop the clutch like its hot though. Shifting out of 1st and into 2nd, the car always jerks forward and I get a nice full second of tire chirp. Same thing going from 2nd to 3rd, just not as severe. I don't look down at the tach when shifting but I would guess a little after 8K I shift. Anything after that and you're going to start losing power.

 

Anything after that and you're going to start losing power.

You'll loose a lot more power when you shift and end up in the next gear. Each consecutive gear is equivalent of (about) 40% power loss (at the wheels).

You'll have the most power (at the wheels) by holding on to each gear as long as possible. ie. You'll always accelerate quicker in the lower gear.

 

Agree. 9000rpm.

 

enjoy that clutch and tranny while you have it, cause it wont last for long

 

It seems that 9k or at the beep is good(for the track,not daily driving)..

 

I sometimes try and hit the throttle to keep the revs up just before a gear change. This way you dont loose your revs and momentum when going through the gear changes.

skc

 

I do that sometimes too but I wasn't sure if it was a bad habit or not?

 

It isn't a bad habit for downshifts.
Matching engine rpm to the gearbox saves wear on the clutch and improves shift times.

 

I'll have to try that.

 

True. I know it can't be good for my car but I very rarely push my car like that. Until I line up against someone I baby my car. I don't really mean for my shifts to happen the way they do, but I honestly don't think when I shift, thats just how it happens.

Might have something to do with my older cousin who taught me how to drive, who's dad taught him how to drive, who went through a $1600 racing clutch on a cammed C5 Z06 in about a year and a half

 

yeh heel toeing is fun, and so easy in this car!

 

Blipping the throttle on upshifts probably won't have an effexct on gear changes, if you want to do that you may as well keep your foot flat to the floor and short shift it but this is extremely harsh on your driveline.

Heel-toe braking is fun. In the RX8 it makes a bad driver look/sound good

 

I need to practice heel and toe. I usually blip the throttle going into slow turns just to keep the revs up. My lap times improve if I do this however, it would be much better if I could heel and toe.

For instance if I am going into a slow corner with a S bend in 2nd gear I cannot rev too much as I will get wheel spin or traction control intervention. If it a down hill bend then braking is required mid way through the move. This further drops your revs and you struggle to get the power to get onto the straight. I am sure heel and toe will help in this instance.

skc

 

I find the brake and accelerator pedal both far apart width wise and height wise and have found heel toeing to be difficult in the RX8 but maybe that's just me,or my car, or both..

 

You are not alone Matt - I find the same thing. It has taken me awhile to get used to doing it. No problems when fully applying the brakes but still mostly rubbish when trying to heel and toe while modulating the brakes

 

I think it is an easy car to heel toe.
I can even do it in my Blunnies.

 

ive changed my pedals to somo MOMO Grand Prix pedals.

puts the brake and accelerator slightly closer together





if you want something a bit more task specific I'd reccommend something similar to this:

 

I've come to this a bit late.

I shift on the track when I hear the beep......do it on the road sometimes too because it's fun!

Sometimes I'll hold the gear a tad longer after the beep if I'm about to change down for a corner and shifting up isn't worth it for the distance involved.

I've never bothered heel toeing in this car. Frankly, I don't think it's necessary with modern gearboxes but I appreciate some old diggers have a hard time letting go of the habit and enjoy the skill involved. People like to think they're Michael Schumacher, so whatever floats your boat.

<me sits back to wait for the torrent of tut tutting from said old diggers>

 

Consider yourself tut-tutted.

 

Heel toeing is very helpful on the track when you're downshifting while breaking. So you are smooth and don't upset the balance of the car and unload the suspension as you go in to a corner. If you want to be fast in the corners you need to heel/toe and rev match when you downshift.