Where are optimum shift points for acceleration (EA82 2WD 5-speed)

[Syonyk]

88 DL Wagon, 5 speed, old EA82 engine (175k miles).

 

My other car is a RX-7, so I'm used to shifting at 7000 RPM and hitting highway speeds in 3rd (good to 90mph or so). Needless to say, my Subaru is a bit less powerful and a lot less happy at high RPMs.

 

One thing I tend to do a lot of on the highway is stopping to help people. I travel with a 4 way tire iron, jack, jack stand, full tool kit, extra fluids, etc. I'm pretty much able to help with any common problem.

 

Sadly, accelerating back onto the highway is the most difficult part of this. I generally piss people off because even with a large gap, I'm only able to be at 45-50mph by the time traffic (doing 75-85) catches up. I'm pretty sure that I could improve my acceleration a bit by shifting at the right points... if I knew what they were. No tach, so I'm pretty much doing it by the speedo.

 

First is really short, so I'm usually in 2nd by 10mph, 3rd by 20-25, 4th by 40, and I usually hit 5th around 55-60. Is this shifting too early, too late, right on? This is my first stickshift car with pistons, so I'm not really used to how they should be shifted. Probably won't be my last Subaru though - I've been quite impressed, other than the lack of power.

 

-=Russ=-

[85Sub4WD]

I usually keep the tach between 3 & 4 thousand rpms when accelerating and 2 to 3 when cruising. (Sorry, it's a DL w/o tach) OK, you are a little early with your shifts, probably 15-20mph for 2nd, 35-40mph for 3rd, 45-50mph for 4th and 50-55mph for 5th. Shift into 3rd for cruising at 35mph, 4th for 45 mph, and 5th for 55+mph (cruising at 55 mph is hard on hills b/c you end up downshifting into 4th a lot). A 4WD GL is much more impressive than a 2WD DL, so if you want to be impressed, that is more of the car to get in the future (has more luxuries).

 

BTW your owner's manual has the proper shift points in it, though I think they are a little high (rpm wise)

[ballitch]

i second.....

[MilesFox]

if you really want to get going take the tachometer up to 4500 in first and second, wind up third to about 55, take 4th to 65 and when you hit 65 put her in 5th to cruise.

 

if you ever get the rpms up you will notice the power takeoff at 3500 rpm. lot of times people shift before the motor gets going!

 

keep in mind the subaru motor has a short stroke so all its power is in the upper rpm. dont be afraid to wind her up!

 

if you dont have a tach just stay on it till she quits pulling, hit the next gear. 4th should carry tou to the speed you want, then hit 5th

 

take most of your rpm in 3rd gear when merging on the highway

[subaru_styles]

shift at 7,ooo while doing mad jdm style drifts yo!

[Flowmastered87GL]

I belive the shift points (in MPH) that are listed in the manual are the speed you are generally travelling at with the engine at redline... so if it says 17 in 1st, shift at like 12-15 unless you are confident in your engine. 10 sounds WAY too early though.

[Vegablade]

i make people in my town mad by taking my loyale and shifting into second at red line while going 30mph i dont take it on the highway much so i dont know what second will do but my car just loves the high r's.