Paddle Shifter Basics

[xris]

Hi everyone,

Proud owner of a ecoboost automatic and I'm looking for paddle shifting 101.

Having never really driven a manual trans car before (I know enough to get me out of a pinch should I ever need it), I'm not really sure on when I should be downshifting.

For example, when I come to a stop, can I just shift straight down to 1st? Are there specific shift points I should be downshifting? I know the trans is rev matching so there's little chance of messing it up, but I'd like to do it properly when I'm in S mode.

Thanks in advance for the help!

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[fionic]

Hi everyone,

Proud owner of a ecoboost automatic and I'm looking for paddle shifting 101.

Having never really driven a manual trans car before (I know enough to get me out of a pinch should I ever need it), I'm not really sure on when I should be downshifting.

For example, when I come to a stop, can I just shift straight down to 1st? Are there specific shift points I should be downshifting? I know the trans is rev matching so there's little chance of messing it up, but I'd like to do it properly when I'm in S mode.

Thanks in advance for the help!

1st gear should only be used when starting off from a stop (in manual), don't downshift to 1st.

You're in an auto, so you don't have to downshift ever if you don't want to...

You downshift when you're not in the power band. He will not let you downshift to damage the engine (in an auto), so don't worry about that.

let's say you're in sixth gear on the highway (~2k rpm) and you want to pass someone... you're not in the power band, so you downshift to 5th or 4th to get closer to (or in) the power band so you can accelerate faster.

 

[foghat]

Even if you are in manual mode (or whatever it is called), it should automatically shift into first when you come to a stop.

 

[Ugly John]

if you have it in sport mode without touching the paddles, it acts almost like a hybrid between a manual and an automatic - it will shift to a higher gear at a higher RPM than when in drive, but when you let off the gas it will stay engaged more so you get some engine braking as well.

Of course, on a hard acceleration it also stays engaged. For instance, I like to get on the gas hard leaving a stop light, but want to level off around the speed limit. I put it in sport, and floor it, but when I let off the gas it stays engaged so my engine revs high and tries to slow me down. So I just bump it back into drive when I'm at speed.

Once you hit the paddles while in sport mode, it will only respond to the paddles - forgetting this and waiting for the transmission to automatically shift for you is a very easy way to find out how the rev limiter works.

However, I think (but haven't tried it yet) if you slow down too much, it will revert back into it's automatic mode.

Usually, if I am playing with the paddles to accelerate, I will just bump it back into drive to get back to fully auto mode.

If in drive, you can down shift using the paddles to accelerate (like to pass someone) and the transmission will take back over very soon when you ease up. It is a better way to pass than waiting for the transmission to figure out that you want to accelerate quickly, then drop down a couple gears. I'll just paddle down to 4th and hit the gas and blamo! I'm moving.

 

[SVTFreak]

For the most part, paddles are a bit gimmicky. Let the computer do the up shifting on acceleration. Gaurantee you'll screw it up and it'll get it right. Use paddles when sport driving curvy road. Other than that, leave it up to the computer

The best use of the paddles is when that pesky Camaro is sneaking up on you, click click click. No need to put it in s. Downshift to good pull gear and stab it when you ready. The computer will take over and up shift at best points.

 

[Husker]

I only drive in the S position. I do all the shifting myself...More fun

 

[xris]

Thanks for all your help everyone!

I really want to take advantage of S mode when possible, bit I was afraid I would screw up the car somehow if I didn't know exactly what I was doing.

Happy to see its not as hard as I thought it would be.

Thanks again!

 

[OppoLock]

Use the paddles to your advantage. I found my test drive of an EB far more enjoyable when I took over. Think about the ideal range where your car makes it power. The EB peaks in the mid of its tach. When I left it to itself in Sport+ (or track?) mode, the ECU was clinging on to gears for dear life, keeping RPMs high and out of the useful midrange.

Just try practicing some full throttle runs with the tach starting low, like around 2k. Take it to the limiter, and feel how the power builds up and peters off as the needle climbs. Then think about where you want it to be when driving enthusiastically.

Cruising is a matter of fuel economy. Keep the revs low without bogging the engine. You don't have to worry about the latter part since the ECU will automatically shift down to prevent that from happening. In fact, the car will prevent you from doing anything damaging, like a money shift or whatnot.

 

[fionic]

I was afraid I would screw up the car somehow if I didn't know exactly what I was doing.

Not a chance with an auto. He won't let you do anything that would severely damage it.

 

[Tcnarber]

Not a chance with an auto. He won't let you do anything that would severely damage it.

I red lined mine, not sure if that was bad, but it did happen.

 

[xris]

I red lined mine, not sure if that was bad, but it did happen.

Living on the edge I see [emoji2]

 

[Tcnarber]

Living on the edge I see [emoji2]

Yeah scared me it Was R E D......BRIGHT RED.

 

[OppoLock]

I red lined mine, not sure if that was bad, but it did happen.

You could probably run it into that cut-off for a long period of time without doing any practical impact. Not that I'd condone it.

 

[xris]

Yeah scared me it Was R E D......BRIGHT RED.

I think that just means you were going really fast

 

[fionic]

I red lined mine, not sure if that was bad, but it did happen.

haha.

I redline all the time. Those are normal operating parmeters as long as you don't hold it there.

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