Power Shifting !
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Originally Posted by cobraq8
What sort of damaged if any could power shifting inflict on a C6 ?
Set aside some money and get a Jeriko staight cut gear tranny if you wan to do a lot of powershifting.
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 236
Likes: 0
From: Macomb twp Michigan
what type of shifting are you thinking of doing. Im aware of 2 kinds of shifting one is just keeping your foot on the gas and hitting the clutch, or not using the clutch at all. i shift my car, when i race it by keeping my foot on the gas and my car is fine, plus i got warranty 
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,707
Likes: 4
From: Los Angeles
I've been powershifting for 40 years with every manual I ever owned, from the musclecar era with highly modded Roadrunners, Camaros, Corvettes and Challengers all the way through to my C5. Never had a problem. It slams hard but so does dumping the clutch from a standstill. I'm not saying bad things don't happen, just never happened to me. Good luck, have fun, you only live once. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,568
Likes: 0
From: Miami Fl
I bent the shift forks on my 2001 M5 during a private track day at Bakersfeild raceway. Also, you'll hit the rev limiter everytime you shift. I started practicing power shifting with my first 5 ltr LX in 1992. If your heart is set on it, start practicing with part throttle so you can get the coordination for it.
FYI - the M5's tranny would've been over $8K out of my pocket had I not had a great relationship with the dealer.
My experience is that powershifting improves et by around 2/10's.
FYI - the M5's tranny would've been over $8K out of my pocket had I not had a great relationship with the dealer.
My experience is that powershifting improves et by around 2/10's.
Last edited by Pio; Aug 27, 2005 at 12:08 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38,314
Likes: 35
You must be living right. 
I have heard of 3 types of shifting.
Power shifting, as I understand it is putting the gas pedal to the floor, keeping it there, while working the clutch and the shifter.
Speed shifting is just that. Speeded up "normal" shifting. Lifting off the gas, hitting the clutch, shifting and then back to the floor with the gas.
The last type of shifting, without the clutch, I have heard of as well. But I have never met anyone who actually does it.
In any event, if you have never powershifted, its probably not a good idea to try and learn how in a 50k+ sports car.
I have heard too, as the original poster above stated, that for a drag racer, power shifting inproves 1/4 mile times by "at least" 0.2 and I have heard by as much as 0.4 seconds.
Look at some of those 11 second bone stock Z06s and I can almost guarantee that at least some of them are power shifting.
When power shifting is done right. The car sounds like an automatic.
I have heard of 3 types of shifting.
Power shifting, as I understand it is putting the gas pedal to the floor, keeping it there, while working the clutch and the shifter.
Speed shifting is just that. Speeded up "normal" shifting. Lifting off the gas, hitting the clutch, shifting and then back to the floor with the gas.
The last type of shifting, without the clutch, I have heard of as well. But I have never met anyone who actually does it.
In any event, if you have never powershifted, its probably not a good idea to try and learn how in a 50k+ sports car.
I have heard too, as the original poster above stated, that for a drag racer, power shifting inproves 1/4 mile times by "at least" 0.2 and I have heard by as much as 0.4 seconds.
Look at some of those 11 second bone stock Z06s and I can almost guarantee that at least some of them are power shifting.
When power shifting is done right. The car sounds like an automatic.
Last edited by '06 Quicksilver Z06; Aug 27, 2005 at 12:27 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,568
Likes: 0
From: Miami Fl
Originally Posted by EB20003
The last type of shifting, without the clutch, I have heard of as well. But I have never met anyone who actually does it.
.
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Its actually very easy to shift without using the clutch (and not grinding the gears) next time you go for a ride simply keep your hand on the gear ****, theres a point in the rpm range where the shifter will easliy slip out of its gear with just a bit of pressure. At this point, and without increasing the revs, with a bit of pressure it will "click" into the next gear. I have only tried it on upshifts (1 to 2, 2 to 3, etc), never downshifts.I've never done it during a race, only cruising around. It impresses the passanger
While writing about Z06 Car And Driver (or one of those mags) said that John Heirency shifts w/o using the clutch to get those great times Chevy qoutes in their ads. I'm pretty sure they meant powershifts and not clutchless shifts. I doubt the Tremec would even shift that way at full throttle and I sures hell wouldn't try it.
Last edited by Pio; Aug 27, 2005 at 12:18 PM.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38,314
Likes: 35
Originally Posted by Pio
Hi EB20003! Pleased to meet you! Its actually very easy to shift without using the clutch (and not grinding the gears) next time you go for a ride simply keep your hand on the gear ****, theres a point in the rpm range where the shifter will easliy slip out of its gear with just a bit of pressure. At this point, and without increasing the revs, with a bit of pressure it will "click" into the next gear. I have only tried it on upshifts (1 to 2, 2 to 3, etc), never downshifts.
I've never done it during a race, only cruising around. It impresses the passanger
While writing about Z06 Car And Driver (or one of those mags) said that John Heirency shifts w/o using the clutch to get those great times Chevy qoutes in their ads. I'm pretty sure they meant powershifts and not clutchless shifts. I doubt the Tremec would even shift that way.
Its actually very easy to shift without using the clutch (and not grinding the gears) next time you go for a ride simply keep your hand on the gear ****, theres a point in the rpm range where the shifter will easliy slip out of its gear with just a bit of pressure. At this point, and without increasing the revs, with a bit of pressure it will "click" into the next gear. I have only tried it on upshifts (1 to 2, 2 to 3, etc), never downshifts.I've never done it during a race, only cruising around. It impresses the passanger
While writing about Z06 Car And Driver (or one of those mags) said that John Heirency shifts w/o using the clutch to get those great times Chevy qoutes in their ads. I'm pretty sure they meant powershifts and not clutchless shifts. I doubt the Tremec would even shift that way.
After I wrote that, I thought of my younger brother, who has never owned an automatic transmissioned car in over 20 years of driving, who told me this same thing about matching the RPMs and it being possible to shift without the clutch.
Like you, he once told me that he had tried it a handful of times over the years in city driving and on upshifts.
However as a matter of routiene he uses the clutch.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 26,714
Likes: 344
From: Houston, TX
I used to be a powershifting fool (for many, many years). I found out the hard way on the 2001 C5 I had that they don't like it. The synchros were the week link.
I don't know if the C6 is any better, but I only powershift in extreme situations now - very seldom.
I don't know if the C6 is any better, but I only powershift in extreme situations now - very seldom.
