Question for road course guys

[jlwdvm]

What RPM range did you set your shift light for when tracking your car?

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[tdzee]

I usually set it 300-500 RPM below limiter, so I still have a few more revs if needed at the end of a straight. Depends on individual track and how well gearing matches up to track.

 

[Sprintamx]

I set mine at 7500 rpm--personal choice.

The power peaks by then and starts to drop off. I'm not racing the car so there's no reason to wring its neck. Also, I'm a big fan of leaving a nice safety margin at the top. Again, personal choice.

Now that we're deep into the first full year of the car on track in owners' hands, we'll starting getting a bit more real-world information on durability and longevity. If this motor turns out to be perfectly happy running all day at 8K rpm, that's a big win.

 

[Bossing]

I always short-shift.... usually below 8K even though I set my shift lights max'd at 7900rpm. The car is powerful enough and puts power down well that you don't even have to push it to 8250rpm IMO. After all, track days (hpde's) are for fun and excitement in a controlled setting.... not a competitive race.

 

[Hack]

I shift by ear. The Voodoo has a broad power band and there's no real reason to try to pin-point a shift RPM like you would during a drag race.

I think I hit the limiter once by accident. But I would rather do that then spend my track day looking at a limiter instead of looking out over the track at the cars, next turn, corner people... there is a lot to be aware of and I go for fewer distractions.

 

[Jb350]

Under 8k, usually 7500-7700 once you get used to shifting at a certain rpm, you can do it by feel/ear.

 

[nastang87xx]

I'm set at 7500 I believe. You want. You want shift lights to be progressive. You don't want it screaming in your face where it's putting you into panic mode. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast...in every aspect of racing, psychological and physical.

 

[jlwdvm]

Let's say you want to shift by 7900....when does your first progressive light come on?

 

[ohtobbad]

I set mine at 7800 but most shifts are done before the first bar ever lights up.
Much depends on the track, you are trying to optimize power.
Like others I do this for fun and not going to win anything.

 

[Trackaholic]

I have mine set at 7900. I will typically shift as soon as the bars touch and flash. I try not to watch them coming together.

Of course I will adjust shift points as required based on the track as well.

-T

 

[Bossing]

Let's say you want to shift by 7900....when does your first progressive light come on?

Much much earlier... so by 7900 (if that's where you set it at), your sequential HUD lights will be pretty much all lit up & flashing.

Exactly as ^Trackaholic also described above.

 

[xray16]

I set mine at 7500 as well. With the last M3 I had I rarely hit the limiter. Try to shift at a point when you get back on the power you are in the meat of torque curve. With M3 if you shifted at limit you came out as the curve dropping off. Not as much of an issue with this car. As others have said, have to make yourself wait to shift! I often end up shifting around 5500-6000 in town, hell, if you redline in 2nd gear you better have a Valentine One! Awesome car

 

[GT_Dave]

Let's say you want to shift by 7900....when does your first progressive light come on?

That depends on how you have the HUD setup . . . I prefer the mode that the lights come in from both sides then blink when you hit the set point, rather than left to right.
The lights will start to come on 2500 RPM below your set point. If you want them to blink at 7900, then set your target at 7900. they will start to display at 6400 RPM. For autocross, in the low gears the engine winds up so fast, I have mine set for 7500. For the road course I move it up to 8000 RPM, coming on at 5500 - 6000 gives plenty of notice in 3rd and 4th gear.

 

[Zitrosounds]

8200 for reference only as I shift by sound. However, most of my shifts are around 8k. As many have mentioned, for fastest lap times, 8200 and shift just shy of fuel cut off. The power band is insane on the voodoo. Randy (Pobst) is an acquaintance of mine and I asked him a similar question shortly after the publication of their first track session with the R. He told me to rev it out all the way to fuel cut off : )

 

[wildcatgoal]

I set mine at 7500 rpm--personal choice.

The power peaks by then and starts to drop off.

IMHO this is a best practice for "set-able" shift lights - peak of power band. This is what I did in my Subaru such that I knew when another gear would continue, so to speak, the power band vs. it starting to drop off (which I never personally dealt with well... just expect it to pull always and always am surprised at the wrong time without a blinky light telling me it's gonna happen). You'll learn the car and know by the sound of the engine if it's getting to high in RPM but can't always eyeball the thing to know when you're making all the power you're going to make.

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