Shifting a stock 5.0

[dangersqieu]

Stupid question, probably,but I've had a 91 GT for about 2 years. I've been playing around with it a lot, but I can't seem to figure out the best shift point. To me it seems like the powerband is from about 2-4 grand. The engine is bone stock without so much as a Cold Air kit. The only thing I've put on it is mufflers, purely for aesthetic reasons (so poor . . . probably gonna have to wait till I'm out of school to do any work on this car).

Opinions, Anyone? Should I even shift at higher revs in higher gears because I might not need as much torque as horsepower? Edumacate me.

 

[CManT1914]

Around 5200-5300 on a stock 5.0 is about right. Any less and you drop out of your power band, anymore and your power falls flat on it's face.

 

[Mavrick]

I'd try 5000 or so.. no higher than 5400 on a stock motor. From what i've seen, the majority of fairly stock Mustangs stop making power around 5000rpm.

You also want to look at where that puts your RPM's in the next gear... you want it to be around the beginning of your powerband.

 

[5spd GT]

Try shifting around 5300-5400rpm...you want to shift about 300-400rpm above your peak power...

Practice can get you pretty close to perfect so keep practicing

 

[NCStang86]

Any higher than about 5200 is a waste.Try anywhere from 5000-5200

 

[deftsound]

man i hate redlinin my car, makes me feel like a bad owner

 

[5spd GT]

I had my "best luck" shifting at 5400-5500rpm with my previous mods of 373's/bolt-ons/full exhaust...the actual engine was stock...

 

[NKau]

I second the 5,000/5,200 rpm assessments. Since stock tachs are known to be a bit inaccurate, you kind of have to go by feel around the 5,000 rpm mark.

 

[ratrapp]

my car runs its best at 5000-5200.anymore is a waste.

 

[axeman]

try shifting without looking at the tach, go by feel. meanwhile, have a friend look at where you were shifting at. i've run some of my best times at the track without even looking at the tach. just an idea.

 

[5spd GT]

try shifting without looking at the tach, go by feel. meanwhile, have a friend look at where you were shifting at. i've run some of my best times at the track without even looking at the tach. just an idea.

You do have a point...I would suggest that to someone (as yourself) that is familiar with the powerband...

It seems like when I'm trying to anticipate the next shift (watching the rpms climb)...it slows my shift as not to miss it????

 

[Speeds8erM-1]

I dont know on the stock tach but on an Autometer tach with stock cam and intake, 5000-5200 works the best. It's always the people that you see shifting at high RPM's on their stock cars that go slow.

 

[jb89coupe]

There's a lot of factors that will determine your optimal shift points. You just have to spend some time and get a good feel for your car. It'll be a little different in each gear, but you can definately tell when it stops making power. Just experiment. I shift by SOTP and by ear personally, and it usually ends up being in the 5200-5400 range (on stock tach, see sig for combo). You want to hit the next gear where it starts making good power (for me around 3000rpm). But if you're like most of us here you're going to be adding stuff to your car left and right, so it will keep changing.. there's no set number, you just have to know your car.

 

[jerry beach]

I dont know on the stock tach but on an Autometer tach with stock cam and intake, 5000-5200 works the best. It's always the people that you see shifting at high RPM's on their stock cars that go slow.

My car is slow, or I suck at driving one. I went from low 15's to 14.6 one night at the track by changing my shift points from 5000 to 6800 on the stock tach. I have not been able to match that time since that night. The stock tach is by no means accurate. I try to go by seat of the pants and use the tach as a reference point when power dropped off. Last time I went it pulled hard to 7000 in first then hit the rev limiter or something at 5500 in second. It did this 4 times in a row so I dont know what to think. Maybe the stock tach is really inconsistant now.

 

[Darkhorse845]

5200-5300

 

[Gearbanger 101]

Since stock tachs are known to be a bit inaccurate, you kind of have to go by feel around the 5,000 rpm mark.

Best answer yet!

Although I used to usually hold mine to about 5,300rpm...but it used to behave differently on different days, so going by feel was the best method for me

 

[87TTopGT]

My car is slow, or I suck at driving one. I went from low 15's to 14.6 one night at the track by changing my shift points from 5000 to 6800 on the stock tach. I have not been able to match that time since that night. The stock tach is by no means accurate. I try to go by seat of the pants and use the tach as a reference point when power dropped off. Last time I went it pulled hard to 7000 in first then hit the rev limiter or something at 5500 in second. It did this 4 times in a row so I dont know what to think. Maybe the stock tach is really inconsistant now.

Sounds like your stock tach may be fried! Maybe one of the guru's will come in here and correct me, but I am under the impression that a stock 5.0 revved to 7000 RPM would have chunks of metal sticking out of the block at odd angles afterward....

 

[5spd GT]

I dont know on the stock tach but on an Autometer tach with stock cam and intake, 5000-5200 works the best. It's always the people that you see shifting at high RPM's on their stock cars that go slow.

I guess my car is slower than stock since I shift at 6k

 

[PNY PWR]

I shift when it hits the yellow on the stock tach, whatever that is. I think it's around 5k

 

[5.0guy]

I shifted at around 6 or so (on the autometer) but the b-cam allowed the car to make power higher up, so that's the reason for that. it's all dependent on your particular car..every car is different.