Grinchia

Sorry if this is a dumb question, but Norval and others have brought this up occasionally as a great way to trash a tranny.

What exactly IS power shifting? :confused:

-Roy

45ACP

Leave the throttle wide open, stab the clutch while simultaneously throwing the tranny into the next gear.

Grinchia

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

...I would have never even considered doing something like that. Sounds like a BAD idea. Why would one be tempted to?

-Roy

GrandSportC3

Each power shift gives you about .05 faster ET at the Drag Strip..

There are people that launch at 6000 RPM and power shift every shift...

442olds

actually powershifting is not using the clutch and letting up on the throttle just long enough to unload the tranny so you can jab it in the next gear. If you get it right you can smoothly shift from one gear to the next, miss it and you'll drop gears out the bottom.

Motorcycles and some atv's that still have manual boxes are capable of doing this as well, but are much more suited due to the design of the transmission.

PRNDL

I think you have just confused the issue a bit by describing "clutchless shifting". I have always defined powershifting as using the clutch while keeping accelerator fully depressed. I have never attempted true powershifting. However, I have shifted without using the clutch under very careful, controlled conditions; never tried it during rapid acceleration. MJ

Blue70

I read a book on the how to's of racing, it described power shifting the same way as 442olds did. No clutch, ease off to unload trans with a little pressure on the stick, it will slip ouit of gear, roll back on with pressure on the stick and it will slip into the next gear.
I can get mine to slip out easy enough, but getting it to slip into the next is tough.

Blue70

I think you guys might be thinking of speed shifting

Granny shift -- letting up on the gas for a sec while you shift

Speed shift -- no gas pedal lift at all during shifts

Power Shift -- shifting gears without useing the clutch

Super Stock

Powershifting is putting it on the deck,using the clutch, and rowing through the gears until you cross the stripe. If you try to hang gears clutchless w/o the proper sliders you will have a basket of parts soon. In my SS/DM when I ran a 5 speed , in the water box I kept the motor at about 9000rpm but had to leave it 3rd gear because it wasn't a clutchless. Left the line at 9000 and shifted at approx. 9400-9500(powershifting) and it crossed at 9700-9800. On my old big block vette I shift around 5400 (but not often) Once you start powershifting it's too much fun to stop !!

cicch95

:iagree: If you are going to drag race a car with a stick in it...you BETTER be power shifting or all the people in the stands will be making jokes about how the nose of your car is flopping up and down and how their grandmothers could shift better than you. :D

If you shift fast enough....which is the object of power shifting.....it will NOT do any damage to your tranny. Power shifting is the only way to go in a race situation.

Power shifting is NOT shifting without the clutch as some have said here. Shifting withoug the clutch is clutchless shifting and very hard to do....if even possible at all without the correct tranny set up. Not advisable to try. Unless you need a new tranny!

Go for it and good luck! You will like power shifting a LOT. You have to be an ANIMAL and drive it like you hate it!

-Rick




[Modified by cicch95, 2:49 PM 3/27/2004]

Fastguy

On the last amber, my right foot meets the firewall and doesn't lift until the win light comes on.:). The left one stabs for a split second each time the tach sweeps to redline.

Grinchia

Not a whole lot of agreement going on here...I just did a quick google search and came up with this site:
http://www.fordmuscle.com/archives/2...ft/index.shtml

...sorry, it's about F*** drag racing, but if this guy knows what he's talking about then I guess I have my answer.

-Roy

BKbroiler

That guy knows exactly what he is talking about. Power shifting = gas pedal to the floor while shifting, using the clutch.

GrandSportC3

Good information in that link :cheers: :cheers: :thumbs:

Very accurate!! :yesnod: :yesnod:

For those who are planning to power-shift - I recommend to upgrade your clutch before doing it.. It's very tough on the equipment!

Blue70

I only know to call it what I've read or heard..I who knows?? :rolleyes:


On turbocharged vehicles, keeping you're foot on the gas during the shift ( which must be done quickly) improves you're ET dramatically. It maintains boost pressure in the intake manifold thus giving you more to start with in each higher gear. The difference from "Speed Shifting", what this style of driving has become labeled as, and regular driving can mean as much as half a second and up to 5 MPH in you're trap in mildly turbocharged vehicles.

Above taken form here
http://www.se-r.net/car_info/fwd_launch_tips.html


I guess it's all in who you ask.
I may not know for sure what to call it...but I sure know how to drive it :steering:

Oh ya...That was a good article :)





[Modified by Blue70, 7:41 PM 3/27/2004]

Ganey

Power Shifting is as it sounds Shifting w/ Full Power- Power Shifting.
Some guys lose trans. & engines.

Pedal to the metal until it's over.
Power Shifting works for me.

:cool:

We have covered this before.

isosceles

I've just learned something different from what I've been taught. I was taught that powershifting did not use the clutch while speed shifting did, both at W.O.T.

But here is a link on the NHRA site that shows that the clutch IS used, but only just enough to make the shift.

http://www.nhra.com/50th/top50/R_Sox15.html


[Modified by isosceles, 4:29 PM 3/28/2004]

Super Stock

Exactly ! Adjust just enough air gap in the clutch to keep the pedal movement to a minimal. A lot of it depends on your foot to hand cordination .Also you can adjust some of your reaction time on the tree with air gap. Some even run an adjustable stop under the pedal .Speed shifting is lifting on the gas each time you shift (although quickly) but each time the engine has to recover as opposed to keeping it on the deck. Missing a gear while power shifting can bend and break stuff .

turtlevette

its becoming pretty clear......NOBODY here knows what the hell power shifting is. We gonna take a vote?

lostpatrolman

Hmm... take a vote? I dont see how voting would work. If your wrong, your wrong. If 99% of people agree on something that is wrong, it is still wrong.