Hi, I have a 5 speed 2.8 litre, and I was wondering what RPM I'm supposed to shift at, at 2500-3000 it sounds like it's going to blow up. Thanks KP.

 

My automatic shifts at 5500rpm according to the stock tach, which we all know is going to be slightly off.

 

My 88 Firebird has a 2.8 and a 5-speed. I shift at 5 grand because I want to. If your engine sounds like it's gonna blow up at 3000 rpms then you have "issues" which need to be addressed.

Maybe you should start there. You should be able to bump the rev limiter and not sound like you're gonna blow up.

 

You should be able to floor the accelerator with the car in neutral, and it should just bump the limiter. It gets loud with an aftermarket exhaust, though.

 

comment about the tach being slightly off...its hard to say how far off any one tach may be! Mine will show well past 7k and my datalogger on my laptop is only showing about 6k. Even at idle my tach reads about 300-400 rpms high.

but, in answer to the question, run it up until you feel the power start to drop off. And, if it really sounds bad (not just sounding like a v6), I agree that something's wrong.

 

im quessing hes got piston slap, or a bearing starting to go if he says it sounds liek its about to blow up.

i rev to almost 6,500 with the turbo and it just sounds liek a pack of pissed off chainsaws

 

It's only got 191000km on it, rought 120000 miles. It may just be that my exhaust is louder than I'm used to, or I just notice it more because its my car. Does anyone elses exhaust pop alot when they let off the gas at a high RPM like 4000?

 

only when there is an exhaust leak before the catalytic converter...

which I do have...

 

Yea, me too, right out of the exhaust manifold flange

 

That's why it sound like it's gonna blow up!

 

my car at 3000rpm starts to get loud...I guess if ur used to driving toyota corollas and nissan sentras, you could mistaken the loud engine noises for an engine about to blow, but I can bring my car into the red line and it just gets louder and louder. I like it loud

 

My stock tach is verified to be accurate to within 100 RPM at 6k RPM, datalogging shows it's fine. I shift where I feel power start to drop off, which would be somewhere around 5k, but not any past 6k. Mine pops and snaps like crazy too, snapped header bolts Sounds kinda cool though...

I love Dave's analogy:

 

Depends on if your down shifting to slow down / brake.

push in clutch n just use brakes like an auto and it wont pop.

almost everything with a stick will fart on a downshift to slow down / using the engine to brake.


if your engine is doing any braking it will do that.


besdies what folks think the whole reason there wasn't a 350 stick was they couldn't pass the EPA downshift test for Cal. When ya downshifted to help brake it blew to much. They would of up'ed the WC edition if a 350 stick car passed Cal EPA rules. Never made it far enough in testing for the T5s weakness to show any problems for change with only a 305.

Cal ruines it for lots of us as it has to be 50 state legal or they won't sell it.
Just because of Cal Virago's come with a mild cam. Other 49 state have no problem with the performance cam they wanted to use factory but Cal put the kaibosh on that.

 

are several super bikes with flapper vlaves in the exhaust to stop that n pass EPA test.. and guess where and who sets the standard? Cal

If it ain't 50 state, they don't make or sell it.

 

Hey I have an auto when I put my car into 1st ( low ) and I bring the car to 4 grand and let off the gas my exhaust pops. All that is, is the exhaust rumbling. Ive heard a 4cyl Cobalt do that. So dont worry about that. If anything be happy that you are hearing that. You must not have a stock exhaust to have that. I have headers,high flow cat and a flowmaster 80 series So I really notice it when I do that.

 

I shift around 3,000 if I'm just in traffic, because going higher than that is just a waste, I'm not using the power and not going any faster than I could be if I had just quickly shifted at 2500.

If I want to move quickly though and really pull into some traffic or just wanna have fun, 4500 is usually it for me. I don't like the idea of testing my engine. With 181,000 miles, I'm a 17 year old guy who makes 7 an hour. If my car goes, there's no new one comming.

 

Yea, same here. And from the cost of a new tank to filter fuel line, it would be scary on the prices of replacing the motor..

 

i shift at 6200 and paid for it in the long run just got my motor torn apart all the mains are grooved bad and bronze and all but the # 2 cylender rod bearings were gone and the motor had a very hard 15k on it

 

Hey same here im 17 make 7.50 and hour and dont beat the thing just have fun with it here and there. Except for a few burnouts and a couple of donuts cough cough

 

that sucks, i make 10 an hour and im 16, BUT .. i barely work so money is tight

reeeallly tight lol as im sure u guys know as well i just hope nothing else blows up on my car or ill be riding the bus