Powershifting?
what is it? do i need to do it? and why?
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Its pretty much just for drag racing, you don't need to do it for regular driving (its probably a good idea to refrain from it). Basically you do it to keep the revs from dropping and to change gears as fast as possible. If anyone tells you that you should be double clutching, then you can legally kick them in the balls.
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TRUE powershifting is keeping your foot fully crammed to the floor and not even using the clutch to shift...you just slam the gears. You can, however, "lightly powershift", and let your foot up a little bit on the gas and just tap the clutch. That is what I do and it is very quick. Powershifting will usually wear your gearbox pretty fast, especially if you don't use the clutch.
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POWERSHIFTING IS:
Making upshifts while keeping the ACCELERATOR PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED while QUICKLY USING YOUR CLUTCH for each one of those upshifts.
That is powershifting.
Points To Consider:
1) In powershifting, crossing over the "H pattern" to the next gear is the really tricky maneuver (for a typical 5-speed, that wouuld mean the "2-3 shift).
2) The "1-2" and "3-4" powershift is fairly easy (after just a little bit of practice), but NO ONE should really attempt to make the "2-3" powershift unless you have a short throw shifter. This is a must!
3) Powershifting will typically reduce acceleration times by 1-2 tenths of a second unless you are breaking the tires loose so badly that you are losing time spinning the tires.
4) CONTINUOUSLY powershifting your vehicle will also typically reduce the service life of your transmission's synchros (among other parts).
On my ST, powershifting 1-2 and 3-4 is a breeze, and excessive tire spin is minimal.
But I wouldn't do it unless:
-The roads were clean and dry
-I was in a position where I required that extra 1-2 tenths of a second
Making upshifts while keeping the ACCELERATOR PEDAL FULLY DEPRESSED while QUICKLY USING YOUR CLUTCH for each one of those upshifts.
That is powershifting.
Points To Consider:
1) In powershifting, crossing over the "H pattern" to the next gear is the really tricky maneuver (for a typical 5-speed, that wouuld mean the "2-3 shift).
2) The "1-2" and "3-4" powershift is fairly easy (after just a little bit of practice), but NO ONE should really attempt to make the "2-3" powershift unless you have a short throw shifter. This is a must!
3) Powershifting will typically reduce acceleration times by 1-2 tenths of a second unless you are breaking the tires loose so badly that you are losing time spinning the tires.
4) CONTINUOUSLY powershifting your vehicle will also typically reduce the service life of your transmission's synchros (among other parts).
On my ST, powershifting 1-2 and 3-4 is a breeze, and excessive tire spin is minimal.
But I wouldn't do it unless:
-The roads were clean and dry
-I was in a position where I required that extra 1-2 tenths of a second
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3,380 Posts
no lie, powershifting has dropped my quarter time by almost a full second..you dont know how much it helps at the track...of course thats the only place i do it, cuz everywhere else i dont get enough traction...if your clutch is slipping in anyway DONT do it, cuz your just gonna be wasting your time, fortunately mine doesnt..*knock on wood*..but before with my same mods i was only hittin maybe a 15.9, and now a 15.2 with practice along with powershifting..i have found no side effects at all, it will chirp a bit in third from the syncros but its only the sound, never has posed me any real trouble before...but definitly dont grind it till you find it while doing this or a couple of runs down the track and you will be [
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2,614 Posts
I have heard otherwise. Back in the day with straight cut trannys, no synchros, people powershifted without the clutch. You are right though, using the clutch lightly but keeping your foot fully crammed IS poweshifting...but by getting into the semantics of it, TRUE powershifting is just slamming the gears without the clutch hence the "power" needed to do it by the driver. Some people do it well and are successful. I havn't lol...but I know it works. What we are talking about is more less "speed shifting." You have to be fast to do this without missing gears or smoking your clutch.firemanfrank said:
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"power shifting", "speed shifting", "clutchless shifting" ...kenpokid said:
The terms go on and on! [
] Well, I Googled the phrase "power shifting", and after almost an hour I have found that there is no real consensus (one way or another) as to what the term "power shifting" means.
Oh well!
I think the only way that we'll ever find out the "true" definition of "power shifting" is to ask an automotive historian/journalist. Otherwise, the threads about what this means ...
goes on ... [
] and on ... [
] and on.[
] That having been said, here are some interesting posts from LS1TECH on "power shifting":
And what I think is the best post of them all ...
LOL
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2,614 Posts
alright, agreed[thumb]firemanfrank said:"power shifting", "speed shifting", "clutchless shifting" ...
The terms go on and on! [
Well, I Googled the phrase "power shifting", and after almost an hour I have found that there is no real consensus (one way or another) as to what the term "power shifting" means.
Oh well!
I think the only way that we'll ever find out the "true" definition of "power shifting" is to ask an automotive historian/journalist. Otherwise, the threads about what this means ...
goes on ... [
and on ... [
and on.[
That having been said, here are some interesting posts from LS1TECH on "power shifting":
And what I think is the best post of them all ...
LOL
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