Z06 Shift Points
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
WOW! You will find that the C5 LS engine has a VERY wide torque curve. That being said,, there is NO need to reach out into the upper RPM range to shift UNLESS,, you want to wind it out!
I work on a Navy base. The MAX SPEED LIMIT is 25 MPH!
I frequently shift from First, to Third and directly to 6th.
YEP, it will power along with the tach on 750-800 RPM and NOT SKIP A BEAT. It doesn’t even complain.
I will say that after I installed my 240ish/240ish, 610/ 114+4 cam that low RPM cruising (Below700 RPM) is no longer possible without a some bucking!
So,, shifting from gear to gear below 3000 RPM is NOT and issue. You will not have a lot of grunt but it won’t hurt anything. If you want to make a little more noise, HELL,, extend it out to 5K.
It will take a red line shift all day long without issue. My new read line is 6850. I go there a LOT!
You will get use to it very quickly. Hell, it’s almost difficult to stall a LS engine on takeoff.
BC
I work on a Navy base. The MAX SPEED LIMIT is 25 MPH!
I frequently shift from First, to Third and directly to 6th.
YEP, it will power along with the tach on 750-800 RPM and NOT SKIP A BEAT. It doesn’t even complain.
I will say that after I installed my 240ish/240ish, 610/ 114+4 cam that low RPM cruising (Below700 RPM) is no longer possible without a some bucking!
So,, shifting from gear to gear below 3000 RPM is NOT and issue. You will not have a lot of grunt but it won’t hurt anything. If you want to make a little more noise, HELL,, extend it out to 5K.
It will take a red line shift all day long without issue. My new read line is 6850. I go there a LOT!
You will get use to it very quickly. Hell, it’s almost difficult to stall a LS engine on takeoff.
BC
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Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 4,816
Likes: 132
From: Plano TX
You will see a night and day difference between the Z znd the VW at lower rpms.. The Z06 has gobbs of low end grunt.. Smaller engines have to rev higher to get maximum torque and also don't run well at 1000 to 2500 rpm without having to downshift.. You can shift at 2500 rpm and lug around town at 1000 rpms knowing that you will have plenty of power without having to downshift..
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,956
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From: Da U.P.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 4
From: Palo Alto CA
Starting in 2nd is known as a great way to kill a clutch in one of our cars. It is possibly why my car needed a new clutch at 40K miles....the prior owner like to launch in 2nd from time to time.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,956
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From: Da U.P.
Launching or starting? I like staving off the 1st shift from time to time. Almost always skip gears too.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 4
From: Palo Alto CA
Launching in 2nd is supposedly very hard on the clutch. I am no mechanic, but I have heard this several time. And it seem that this is the likely reason I needed a new clutch in mine with only 40K miles. He wasn't a racer, but he did like to launch in 2nd from time to time.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 520
From: Da U.P.
I guess I wasn't that clear. To me, launching is starting from a stop aggressively. When I start in 2nd, I'm not doing so in an aggressive manner. While it will slip more than a start in 1st, it's usually pretty gentle. Were you starting aggressively in 2nd? My car has 99k so there's no telling if it's the original clutch or if it's already been replaced. It's strong enough to lay rubber in the first 3 gears up here at 6200' so I don't feel it's in any immediate need of replacing.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,302
Likes: 4
From: Palo Alto CA
I guess I wasn't that clear. To me, launching is starting from a stop aggressively. When I start in 2nd, I'm not doing so in an aggressive manner. While it will slip more than a start in 1st, it's usually pretty gentle. Were you starting aggressively in 2nd? My car has 99k so there's no telling if it's the original clutch or if it's already been replaced. It's strong enough to lay rubber in the first 3 gears up here at 6200' so I don't feel it's in any immediate need of replacing.
