Paddle Shift Technique Help
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 40,374
Likes: 788
From: Redondo Beach, California
Paddle Shift Technique Help
I'm trying to become adept using the paddle shifter (08 C6). Any tips or recommendations?
Question: Does it help to "bobble" the gas petal when using the paddle shifter? For instance, shifting 2 to 3, will it help to let up on the gas pedal at the same time I shift? Or if I'm going to downshift, should I press the gas petal a little bit to help to engine speed up. I other words, I'm trying to use the gas petal in the same manner that I would if I were shifting a manual transmission. Is there something to be accomplished or should I just forget about working the gas petal and just paddle shift?
With regards to the above question, I'm thinking the engine is taking a little longer to shift up or down than I'd prefer even though I'm using the paddle shifter.
Question: I've never had a car with a relatively powerful engine (LS3)and an automatic. If standing from a stop, if I just floor the gas petal and hold it all the way down for a drag strip pass, how much wear and tear takes place on the shifter bands? Any way of saying how much shifting under power the engine can tolerate. Also, would an occassional reving up the engine with the brake on, and then releasing the brake for a quick takeoff be OK (can't imagine it'd do any good for the engine of course). ...pretty subjective questions, but any questions would be appreciated.
Thanks
..............
Yes, I'm beginning to have auto trans remorse. The auto was to help buy in my wife to buying the car. Also, I did have some knee problems a year ago, so I thought that the auto might be good to have in the future when I become older.
Question: Does it help to "bobble" the gas petal when using the paddle shifter? For instance, shifting 2 to 3, will it help to let up on the gas pedal at the same time I shift? Or if I'm going to downshift, should I press the gas petal a little bit to help to engine speed up. I other words, I'm trying to use the gas petal in the same manner that I would if I were shifting a manual transmission. Is there something to be accomplished or should I just forget about working the gas petal and just paddle shift?
With regards to the above question, I'm thinking the engine is taking a little longer to shift up or down than I'd prefer even though I'm using the paddle shifter.
Question: I've never had a car with a relatively powerful engine (LS3)and an automatic. If standing from a stop, if I just floor the gas petal and hold it all the way down for a drag strip pass, how much wear and tear takes place on the shifter bands? Any way of saying how much shifting under power the engine can tolerate. Also, would an occassional reving up the engine with the brake on, and then releasing the brake for a quick takeoff be OK (can't imagine it'd do any good for the engine of course). ...pretty subjective questions, but any questions would be appreciated.
Thanks
..............
Yes, I'm beginning to have auto trans remorse. The auto was to help buy in my wife to buying the car. Also, I did have some knee problems a year ago, so I thought that the auto might be good to have in the future when I become older.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 4,296
Likes: 156
From: Location: Location: kAnSaS
I'm trying to become adept using the paddle shifter (08 C6). Any tips or recommendations?
Question: Does it help to "bobble" the gas petal when using the paddle shifter? For instance, shifting 2 to 3, will it help to let up on the gas pedal at the same time I shift? Or if I'm going to downshift, should I press the gas petal a little bit to help to engine speed up. I other words, I'm trying to use the gas petal in the same manner that I would if I were shifting a manual transmission. Is there something to be accomplished or should I just forget about working the gas petal and just paddle shift?
With regards to the above question, I'm thinking the engine is taking a little longer to shift up or down than I'd prefer even though I'm using the paddle shifter.
Question: I've never had a car with a relatively powerful engine (LS3)and an automatic. If standing from a stop, if I just floor the gas petal and hold it all the way down for a drag strip pass, how much wear and tear takes place on the shifter bands? Any way of saying how much shifting under power the engine can tolerate. Also, would an occassional reving up the engine with the brake on, and then releasing the brake for a quick takeoff be OK (can't imagine it'd do any good for the engine of course). ...pretty subjective questions, but any questions would be appreciated.
Thanks
..............
Yes, I'm beginning to have auto trans remorse. The auto was to help buy in my wife to buying the car. Also, I did have some knee problems a year ago, so I thought that the auto might be good to have in the future when I become older.
Question: Does it help to "bobble" the gas petal when using the paddle shifter? For instance, shifting 2 to 3, will it help to let up on the gas pedal at the same time I shift? Or if I'm going to downshift, should I press the gas petal a little bit to help to engine speed up. I other words, I'm trying to use the gas petal in the same manner that I would if I were shifting a manual transmission. Is there something to be accomplished or should I just forget about working the gas petal and just paddle shift?
With regards to the above question, I'm thinking the engine is taking a little longer to shift up or down than I'd prefer even though I'm using the paddle shifter.
Question: I've never had a car with a relatively powerful engine (LS3)and an automatic. If standing from a stop, if I just floor the gas petal and hold it all the way down for a drag strip pass, how much wear and tear takes place on the shifter bands? Any way of saying how much shifting under power the engine can tolerate. Also, would an occassional reving up the engine with the brake on, and then releasing the brake for a quick takeoff be OK (can't imagine it'd do any good for the engine of course). ...pretty subjective questions, but any questions would be appreciated.
Thanks
..............
Yes, I'm beginning to have auto trans remorse. The auto was to help buy in my wife to buying the car. Also, I did have some knee problems a year ago, so I thought that the auto might be good to have in the future when I become older.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 31,088
Likes: 23
St. Jude Donor '08 thru '13
I run paddles almost all the time, and I'm the first to admit that it took me some time to become comfortable with them.
Now I'm pretty confident that I can work the paddles as fast as I could row gears.
Under heavy throttle, there's no need to lift the pedal when upshifting. If you're near redline, shift about 700 RPM short of the redline to avoid hitting the rev limiter.
When coming to a turn or slowing down, just downshift as you normally would. If you need to drop two gears, just keep in mind that it will go into each gear as you downshift. If you're in 4th, and want 2nd, allow time for it to hit 3rd in there briefly, although you can click the paddles twice and it'll go to second- you don't have to wait for it to hit 3rd to request the downshift to 2nd.
Most of all, it took me practice, practice, practice. Around town, if I just lift off the gas a little when it's going to shift (after clicking the paddles), I could probably fool most people into thinking it is a manual.
For an all-out run, what I've seen here is people recommending letting the trans shift itself and not using the paddles. YMMV. For the Open Road Racing we do, I really like the paddles because you won't get a downshift when you don't expect it- having the car drop a couple of gears in the middle of a turn can be very unsettling.
As for trans remorse- I was the same way. I couldn't believe I actually bought an auto, and at first I wondered. Now, after a bunch of miles and practice, I'd absolutely buy another paddle shift car. The nut behind the wheel just needed some adjusting and fine tuning.
G/L
Now I'm pretty confident that I can work the paddles as fast as I could row gears.
Under heavy throttle, there's no need to lift the pedal when upshifting. If you're near redline, shift about 700 RPM short of the redline to avoid hitting the rev limiter.
When coming to a turn or slowing down, just downshift as you normally would. If you need to drop two gears, just keep in mind that it will go into each gear as you downshift. If you're in 4th, and want 2nd, allow time for it to hit 3rd in there briefly, although you can click the paddles twice and it'll go to second- you don't have to wait for it to hit 3rd to request the downshift to 2nd.
Most of all, it took me practice, practice, practice. Around town, if I just lift off the gas a little when it's going to shift (after clicking the paddles), I could probably fool most people into thinking it is a manual.
For an all-out run, what I've seen here is people recommending letting the trans shift itself and not using the paddles. YMMV. For the Open Road Racing we do, I really like the paddles because you won't get a downshift when you don't expect it- having the car drop a couple of gears in the middle of a turn can be very unsettling.
As for trans remorse- I was the same way. I couldn't believe I actually bought an auto, and at first I wondered. Now, after a bunch of miles and practice, I'd absolutely buy another paddle shift car. The nut behind the wheel just needed some adjusting and fine tuning.
G/L
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 2,690
Likes: 1
From: Northern Calif
I agree with Scotty on most poionts but the trans shifts way to slow IMHO and my person CPU has to compensate for this. Obviously Scotty does too. There are a few on this board that claim they can tune it to be much better but I am not sure if the trans will live long. IOW what is the trade off? I remeber when my tuner turned of the TM and just doing that made the shifts harsh enough that I wanted it back on. Not sure what the trans tune would leave me with. My 2 cents.
