GT Shifting

W

woodly1069

New Member

Dec 6, 2007

19

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0

Dec 21, 2007

#1

• Dec 21, 2007

• #1

My new to me 2001 GT is a blast! All I want to do is drive the crazy thing. Anyway, since I purchased the car second hand I didn't get an owners manual. I was wondering where Ford says I should shift gears. Using the tach I seem to be around 2500 RPM in each gear. Is this about right for trying to ride the fence on fuel economy and enough power to keep from lugging the thing?

 

Twista

Active Member

May 7, 2004

510

2

29

@ the z00 in chicago

Dec 21, 2007

#2

• Dec 21, 2007

• #2

Its easy with an nonpi.. i shift when my exhaust only gets louder, but im not gaining much speed lol.. damn non pi's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1


2500-3000 is fine for a shift point.

 

Crzyhrse

Active Member

Dec 23, 2004

0

2

38

Seattle, WA

Dec 21, 2007

#3

• Dec 21, 2007

• #3

1 response in 52 views. Looks like we got alot of 5,000RPM shifters on this site .

 

2000fordstanggt

Member

Sep 6, 2005

404

1

16

Westland, MI

Dec 21, 2007

#4

• Dec 21, 2007

• #4

i shift at around 1900. and like above, when i get my "shift tone."

 

BlackGT4.6

New Member

Jun 15, 2005

103

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0

In.

Dec 21, 2007

#5

• Dec 21, 2007

• #5

Crzyhrse said:

1 response in 52 views. Looks like we got alot of 5,000RPM shifters on this site .

Click to expand...

That's what I am talking about. Is there any other way to shift?

 

Betrayer00GT

Member

Apr 21, 2003

364

0

16

Sacramento, CA

Dec 21, 2007

#6

• Dec 21, 2007

• #6

My manual says to be in 5th by either 40 or 45 MPH, I don't recall which of those two it is. Either is pretty ridiculous, I do remember that. Basically, they want you to go to the next gear at ~1500RPMs, if I remember right. Obviously this is impractical most of the time. I have done it in the past, when you up shift, you end up a bit above idle. It does not bog if you are accelerating like a granny with a back seat full of eggs. That is the best fuel economy, though.

The thing Is, I don't drive like that. I have at one time or another, like when my gas light has been staring me down for the last, well, forever. Other than that, the manual can go to hell on shift points. Closest I do to their recommendations is shifting at the "shift tone" drone of my flows, ~2100RPM.

BTW, I have a T45 in my 2000, so there are some different gear rations involved if your '01 is a TR3650 and not a T45 like mine (some '01s are, some are not - that is the year they made the transition). I think it is only first gear that is different in ratio, though. Maybe not.

 

2

2oo3gt

New Member

Aug 22, 2004

65

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0

Dec 21, 2007

#7

• Dec 21, 2007

• #7

i shift usually at 2100 to 2500 DD.

 

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

Mod Dude

Feb 18, 2001

43,167

17,861

224

Massachusetts

Dec 21, 2007

#8

• Dec 21, 2007

• #8

The manual sucks. It tells you to shift to 3rd gear by 20MPH.

If you want fuel economy, basically shift at 1500RPM.


But for normal Mustang drivers, usually 2000RPM for easy driving and 3000RPM for spirited driving.

If i'm cruising, i try to keep it around 2000-3000 RPM. If i go above 3000 i'll upshift a gear. If i slow and my RPM's drop below 2000, i downshift a gear

 

twogts4us

15 Year Member

Apr 1, 2004

4,188

12

79

Dunedin, FL

Dec 23, 2007

#9

• Dec 23, 2007

• #9

You don't have to worry too much about 'lugging' these V8 motors...they don't make tons of power down low, but they don't mind pulling from low RPMs. If you want fuel economy (and face it, these days we all are getting tired of $3+ a gallon), you should be shifting early.

 

eliteJAE

Member

May 29, 2007

0

1

16

Stanford University

Dec 24, 2007

#10

• Dec 24, 2007

• #10

I used to make it a habit of shifting at relatively low rpms, which felt crappy in a mustang and I thought it would save me gas. Nowadays, I shift at ~2K and I seem to get better mileage this way it probably has alot to do with the fact that Ill stay in one gear at higher rpms, than switching around two gears at low rpms trying to get around traffic.

 

2

2002GreyGT

Member

Jun 10, 2003

481

0

16

Raleigh, NC

Dec 26, 2007

#11

• Dec 26, 2007

• #11

In my 02 GT, I usually shift around 3000, just seems to shift and drive better for me that way, that is unless I am out playing around then its more like 5000-5500.

But with stock gears 2500 should be ok to shift at for normal driving. I personally try not to let the RPM drop under 2K for driving around town.

BTW, being in 5th gear at 45mph is just stupid IMHO.

~K

 

fast97gt

Active Member

Jan 2, 2007

1,082

2

49

north carolina

Dec 26, 2007

#12

• Dec 26, 2007

• #12

4.10s and i go around 2500 cruising, or 4200 to make noise

 

geoffsgt

Member

Aug 7, 2005

176

1

16

Baton Rouge, LA

Dec 27, 2007

#13

• Dec 27, 2007

• #13

The manual says 2nd gear at 12mph, 3rd at 20mph, 4th at 30mph, 5th at 40mph. Its pretty ridiculous, but that's where they recommend for the most efficient driving. And as you add mods that can take away from your bottom end but add to your mid and top end, it'll get ugly - car won't like it at all. You love the car, so drive it at the speeds (/accelerations) you like to feel, and the exhaust notes you like to hear. And if you want to save gas, just step lightly, and what rpm you shift at won't help nearly as much as how far you push the pedal.

 

deftsound

Please ask me how much my supercharger cost

Apr 6, 2004

945

1

39

Texas City TX

Dec 27, 2007

#14

• Dec 27, 2007

• #14

i go by the sound of my exhaust, usually around 2000