Casual Driving: What rpm do you shift at? (s4)

**moondev** · 02-28-2011 05:06 PM

Maybe I just suck at driving, but I can never get the transition from 1st to 2nd really smooth. I was originally shifting around 3k but now I take it up to 4k. Other gears are better but not perfect. It may be my fault as this is the first high performance I have owned/driven. I notice that if I do not let off the gas when I shift that it is much smoother, but that is bad to do right? Why? *puts on flame suit*

**Peacob** · 02-28-2011 05:10 PM

an s4 isnt exactly high performance, shifting should be pretty straight-forward...especially if its just casual driving you're talking about

**moondev** · 02-28-2011 05:12 PM

Originally Posted by Peacob

an s4 isnt exactly high performance, shifting should be pretty straight-forward...especially if its just casual driving you're talking about

My previous car was only 160hp, so the 340hp s4 is a supercar to me ha. I can shift fine, just trying to get smoother.

**Patrick Bateman** · 02-28-2011 05:16 PM

between 3-4k in 1st and second. all over the board on the other gears. Do alot of gear skipping/upshifting to save the poor engine from reving more than it already does. Shifting in 1st at 3k seems like ive only went like 30-40 feet which is annoying to shift that early ...

**jpo** · 02-28-2011 05:18 PM

Originally Posted by Peacob

an s4 isnt exactly high performance, shifting should be pretty straight-forward...especially if its just casual driving you're talking about

Says guy with tip A4.

**jpo** · 02-28-2011 05:20 PM

Originally Posted by moondev

Maybe I just suck at driving, but I can never get the transition from 1st to 2nd really smooth. I was originally shifting around 3k but now I take it up to 4k. Other gears are better but not perfect. It may be my fault as this is the first high performance I have owned/driven. I notice that if I do not let off the gas when I shift that it is much smoother, but that is bad to do right? Why? *puts on flame suit*

Meh. I have been driving manual tans cars since I was 10 and this car is a tricky one to get smooth on the 1-2 shift.

**Peacob** · 02-28-2011 05:34 PM

Originally Posted by jpo

Says guy with tip A4.

says the guy who doesnt know a damn thing about me.

OH EM GEE YOU HAVE AN S4 congrats br0!

**John_JRP3** · 02-28-2011 05:37 PM

first is super low.... shift early from first to second. basically take off roll a few feet and shift to second then 4th then 6th. 3rd and 5th are useless most of the time. unless ur racing which is illegal. :)

and honestly ive never had an issue shifting in any gears. this thing has an amazing gearbox IMO

**mbgt72** · 02-28-2011 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by jpo

Says guy with tip A4.

X2, but he does have a chip and s4 mirrors, so I guess that's basically the same.

Due to the aggressive gearing and difference between 1st and 2nd, yea it can be a bit rough. You just learn to manipulate it just right. Sometimes it means just a hair of gas to keep the rpms slightly higher than they'd be if you were completely off the gas. Other times it may be waiting just a fraction of a second longer so that the rpm's go a bit lower. It just depends but you'll learn as you try different things.

Also, sometimes I'll (and others) go from 1st to 3rd and if you get it right it can be pretty smooth but still have plenty of power for cruising around.

(flame suite on Peacob. I'm not arguing that the S4 is extremely high performance, but 1st to 2nd is a common issue and largely due to the gearing and torque of the V8 S4)

**Peacob** · 02-28-2011 05:40 PM

Originally Posted by mbgt72

X2, but he does have a chip and s4 mirrors, so I guess that's basically the same.

.

Wait, so you mean its illegal to own more than one car?

**SeKKeY** · 02-28-2011 05:41 PM

wow this forum is a shitshow

i shift at 6k, no joke

**Peacob** · 02-28-2011 05:42 PM

You guys see one person making a simple comment about your cars and you're ego's go through the roof... You guys act like you own a fucking mclaren f1. Get over yourselves.

**mbgt72** · 02-28-2011 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Peacob

Wait, so you mean its illegal to own more than one car?

Just cracking a joke my man. Basically I just don't like the A4's with S4 mirrors. Just like I don't like M-spec front bumpers or mirrors on non-M3 3 series. I think the mirrors are extremely unique to the S/RS line and should be left there.

On a side note, I was in detroit this weekend, heck of a drive but it was fun.

**moondev** · 02-28-2011 05:49 PM

Thanks for the input. I am going to try the quickshift to 2nd tomorrow, I think that might be the ticket. If not maybe that is an excuse I need to get the jhm short throw :D

Also, does anyone here have a clutch stop on their car? Basically you fabricate a little post that the clutch pedal will hit when it is fully dis-engaged so it dosent go all the way down to the floor.

**Peacob** · 02-28-2011 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by mbgt72

Just cracking a joke my man.

On a side note, I was in detroit this weekend, heck of a drive but it was fun.

You wouldnt have put the flame suit on if you didnt expect to get flamed... I'm an OEM+ guy on a college budget. My dad is an enthusiast to european autos... and the a4 was my first car. If i had the money to go big from the start, i would have... but then again, i probably wouldnt be in college. I work with what i have and i'm happy with it.

**mbgt72** · 02-28-2011 05:53 PM

Moondev I haven't ever heard of one made or anyone on here using one. But I know they're more common in the BMW scene and others. I don't see the real advantage to it, but I know some people like it. I got the rest of the trio to the JHM SS I already had, and all I can say is "WOW!" I had no idea it'd make such a difference, nor what I was missing out on. It literally felt like I went from OEM to JHM SS all over again (and I've had the JHM SS for 3 years now almost). I'd highly recommend doing the full kit if ya can.

Yea speeding up the shift from 1st to 2nd def helps as well.

**B6JoeS4** · 02-28-2011 06:01 PM

I have been driving manual for all of 5 months now and i do not have the 1-2 shift problems that everyone else seems to have. its all about letting the clutch out on time. you have to catch the perfect rev so it doesnt jerk I shift out of first at around 2800rpm. then all gears depend on my mood. some days i go 1-2-3-4-5-6. some days i go 1-2-4-6. sometimes when i want to be an asshole i go 1-6.

Try to get the 1-2 shift with the JHM LWFW. the rpm's drop at terminal velocity it seems. seriously though, it made it easier for me. the rpm's fall at a more linear rate

**jpo** · 02-28-2011 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by Peacob

You guys see one person making a simple comment about your cars and you're ego's go through the roof... You guys act like you own a fucking mclaren f1. Get over yourselves.

Listen, no harm meant. This wasn't about ooo my car is cooler than yours; I know there are lots cooler than mine. A guy I work with is having his 300 SL undergo a ground-up, frame-off restoration and thats just one of his cars so no, my car is not the coolest. It was more about that I daily drive one, and therefore actually experience the phenomenon the OP was describing. As far as it was apparent from your post you were speaking purely hypothetically and not from years of driving an S4 uber smoothly.

**Tyintegra** · 02-28-2011 07:32 PM

If you are simply trying to be smoother while shifting the question shouldn't be "at what RPM do you need to shift into the next gear" the question should be "what makes for a smooth shift" and the answer to that is rev matching. Basically, the transmission is spinning at a certain speed and to have the car shift smoothly you need to have the engine spinning at exactly the same speed as the tranny when they come back together (let the clutch out). So if you red line the car in 1st gear you can have a smooth shift if you have the engine revving at the same speed as the tranny when you drop it into 2nd. Most of the time, the answer is to give the car a little more throttle (to not let the revs drop as far) than you would while you are putting it into the next gear.

If you can master the trick of rev matching you will have a smooth shift every single time, no matter when you shift.

**Peacob** · 02-28-2011 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by jpo

Listen, no harm meant. This wasn't about ooo my car is cooler than yours; I know there are lots cooler than mine. A guy I work with is having his 300 SL undergo a ground-up, frame-off restoration and thats just one of his cars so no, my car is not the coolest. It was more about that I daily drive one, and therefore actually experience the phenomenon the OP was describing. As far as it was apparent from your post you were speaking purely hypothetically and not from years of driving an S4 uber smoothly.

My dad leased one for two years so i got plenty of time daily driving an s4. your comment on my statement being "purely hypothetical" is just an ignorant assumption on your part.

**jpo** · 02-28-2011 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by Peacob

My dad leased one for two years so i got plenty of time daily driving an s4. your comment on my statement being "purely hypothetical" is just an ignorant assumption on your part.

Sigh

**Merlin00069** · 02-28-2011 07:48 PM

Umm...3k? That when the exhaust starts to get a little louder so i shift before it gets there.

**Peacob** · 02-28-2011 08:08 PM

Originally Posted by jpo

Sigh

:)

**moondev** · 02-28-2011 08:55 PM

Originally Posted by Tyintegra

If you are simply trying to be smoother while shifting the question shouldn't be "at what RPM do you need to shift into the next gear" the question should be "what makes for a smooth shift" and the answer to that is rev matching. Basically, the transmission is spinning at a certain speed and to have the car shift smoothly you need to have the engine spinning at exactly the same speed as the tranny when they come back together (let the clutch out). So if you red line the car in 1st gear you can have a smooth shift if you have the engine revving at the same speed as the tranny when you drop it into 2nd. Most of the time, the answer is to give the car a little more throttle (to not let the revs drop as far) than you would while you are putting it into the next gear.

If you can master the trick of rev matching you will have a smooth shift every single time, no matter when you shift.

I'm guessing this is why when I do not let off the gas I always get smooth shifts. So the question is, do you really need to let off the gas when you shift a manual car? Its obvious that you should, I just don't know why. More clutch wear?

**Tyintegra** · 02-28-2011 09:30 PM

That is a good question. I guess you don't NEED to take your foot off the gas pedal but the risk you will probably have is if you are accelerating really hard and push the clutch pedal in that the engine will rev super high. That might be why people just take there foot off the gas cause it kind of put you back to a neutral starting point for pushing the gas back in.

To get an idea of what I am talking about as far as rev matching next time you are driving try this....Start out in first gear, accelerate to maybe 3 or 4K RPM and then put the clutch in and shift to second, next just let the clutch back out slowly without giving it any gas and notice what the RPMs are at when 2nd gear actually engages (maybe 2K RPM). In this example, if you would have pushed the throttle just enough to get the engine to 2K RPM you would have had a completely smooth shift.

Also, if you are down shifting, say from 3rd to second, and you don't want the car to lurch or anything you would have to get the engine from say 2K RPM (where it was when you were in 3rd) all the way up to 3K or 4K RPM (where you need to be when you are in second) for the car to be smooth.

Just go out and watch what the tachometer does when you shift in to the next gear (up or down) and try to get the needle there on your own. Practice makes perfect.

**Savant05** · 02-28-2011 10:26 PM

10k

**blkonblkS4** · 03-01-2011 08:24 AM

Originally Posted by Peacob

:)

*** gtfo, and no one cares what your dad drives.

**Redline S4** · 03-01-2011 09:00 AM

It just takes some time to get used to it I just put the stage 4 JHM clutch and light weight fly wheel in mine and it took forever to break in but once it did it felt the same as the stock clutch just when you drop the clutch it freaken grips hard. Just keep driving man the s4 is an amazing ride.

**WinterRunner** · 03-01-2011 09:12 AM

Originally Posted by moondev

Thanks for the input. I am going to try the quickshift to 2nd tomorrow, I think that might be the ticket. If not maybe that is an excuse I need to get the jhm short throw :D

Also, does anyone here have a clutch stop on their car? Basically you fabricate a little post that the clutch pedal will hit when it is fully dis-engaged so it dosent go all the way down to the floor.

Grab the Apikol rear diff mount and 034 trans mount. They both make quite the difference in 1-2, and 2-3 shifting. All for less than 500$.

**mbgt72** · 03-01-2011 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by Redline S4

It just takes some time to get used to it I just put the stage 4 JHM clutch and light weight fly wheel in mine and it took forever to break in but once it did it felt the same as the stock clutch just when you drop the clutch it freaken grips hard. Just keep driving man the s4 is an amazing ride.

How long would you say it took you to really get it broken in? I just got mine and did the linkage upgrade and am simply amazed at the difference. That lwfw makes you need to relearn all your downshift blips it revs so fast! I'm definitely a fan of it, but still breaking it it. I'm just doing a TON of shifting to help break it in, nothing hard or fast obviously, but just all the up and down shifting I can without it getting in the way of driving.

**Peacob** · 03-01-2011 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by blkonblkS4

*** gtfo, and no one cares what your dad drives.

So when someone tells you that you've never driven a car you're not allowed to say you have? You're logic astounds me, tard.

**UnstableOS** · 03-01-2011 10:36 AM

First 20 minutes I shift under 3k and keep the car under 3k at all times. Once the car is warmed up I typically shift at about 4k-5k to second and that's already speeding so I ease it into third and cruise. If I'm on an isolated road all shifts are at 5k-6500k and again coming out of third is at around 100mph. It's difficult to drive hard and ever make it past fourth gear because you're doing like 115-125mph..

**drew** · 03-01-2011 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Peacob

So when someone tells you that you've never driven a car you're not allowed to say you have? You're logic astounds me, tard.

Beat it troll. Nobody here cares

**BSixEsFour** · 03-01-2011 10:42 AM

I skip almost too much. 1-3-5-6, 1-2-4-6, When I go to pull of a line sometimes I skip on accident because I do it too much for daily driving. Been practicing rev matching alot

**powderrecon** · 03-01-2011 10:47 AM

For me, 1st gear is just to get the car moving, so I usually shift fairly quickly (low rpm's) and then let 2nd do most of the work, then into 5th.

**feelgood156** · 03-01-2011 10:59 AM

it seems like I'm the only one that goes from 2nd gear half the time.... :-| 1st just seems to end too quickly so I get lazy

Usually shift around 3k. I've never owned a manual but have driven plenty and have tracked one but getting into this car, I thought it was a VERY easy car to drive smoothly. Only thing I'm still trying to master is downshifting, esp from 3rd to 2nd.

**feelgood156** · 03-01-2011 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by Redline S4

It just takes some time to get used to it I just put the stage 4 JHM clutch and light weight fly wheel in mine and it took forever to break in but once it did it felt the same as the stock clutch just when you drop the clutch it freaken grips hard. Just keep driving man the s4 is an amazing ride.

I don't mean to threadjack but what are the initial differences you felt? is the clutch heavier? tell me the basics. Noob here. I'm considering a LW flywheel some time in the future if it seems like a good mod, just don't know much about it.

**Peacob** · 03-01-2011 12:59 PM

Originally Posted by drew

Beat it troll. Nobody here cares

Ok chief.

**sakimano** · 03-01-2011 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by Peacob

says the guy who doesnt know a damn thing about me.

OH EM GEE YOU HAVE AN S4 congrats br0!

I mean come on bud...you brought that one on yourself.

Why would you shit-talk a 340hp/302tq S4 when you drive a tip 1.8? I mean it doubles the power output of your A4...will it be OK to struggle with the torque on the 1-2 shift if it makes triple the power of your A4? It's also incredulously ironic that you drive a TIP, yet are talking shit in a thread about making the 1-2 shift on a MT6 car. Cut losses/move on.

Originally Posted by Peacob

I'm an OEM+ guy on a college budget. If i had the money to go big from the start, i would have... but then again, i probably wouldnt be in college.

Originally Posted by Peacob

So when someone tells you that you've never driven a car you're not allowed to say you have? You're logic astounds me, tard.

lol...that's some irony right there. What college is that again? Ghetto State?

p.s. do you know Vinny.dtw? Sounds like he's posting from your account. He loves to tell S4 owners how slow and un-powerful their cars are.

**GarrettReid** · 03-01-2011 01:55 PM

What did I do in life before I had Audizine to keep me busy and entertained

Thread: Casual Driving: What rpm do you shift at? (s4)

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