I've owned my Red SS/SC for about 3 weeks now. I am trying to get more fimilar with the shift points when RACING, also this is my first stick (cool huh?). I understand most people say its best to shift at 6500-6600RPM as that's when you reach your peak power.

Does anyone have sound advice on shift points? Need to know because I don't want to look stupid racing people and not shifting at the right times. I kinda screwed up but still obviously won against a Mazda Speed Protege but looked stupid in the process because I shifted too soon on 3rd, but at that time I was already 4 cars ahead of him (I love second gear). I could have really smoked him in front of his girlfriend but screwed up.

He was telling me his car could spank me from a dig and a roll, I smoked him both times, better on the dig though.

Advice would be great. Thanks guys.

 

I dont have mine yet so I cant say for sure on the SS but in general a lot fo the time ( not all the time) it can be better to shift before the redline on cars like this becuase they lose their pull after 6000. Just some blind advice though... the best thing to do is go out and try shiftin at alll diff spots see which one throws you hardest into your seat.

 

okay correct me if I’m wrong but........ if your car is only 3 weeks old I doubt its really broken in yet........ so don’t run it to hard.............ALSO, street racing is stupid, i cant see how someone can get a cheap trill from almost killing themselfs and others... if u wanna race, take it to the track, not on public roads, nothing p/o's more than this, also think of it this way, your in a brand new car, thats just came out..... you could loose control (you even said this is your first stick) what would happen then? you and your new car will probably be screwed, i’m not trying to sound like a mom or anything, but bro think before u do these things, think about how you could hit a car with a family in it, and kill em, or yourself, its just not worth it..............

 

What your saying is true (substantial loss of power after 6000 RPM), but it is still making some power. Besides, more importantly is at what RPM the next gear will be in when you shift. Of course, ideally the closer you car to the car's peak power RPM when you shift (5600 for the SS s/c), the better. An example, lets say you are in 1st and shift at 6000 RPM, 2nd would start at lets say 4000 RPM. Now if you are in first and shift at 6500 RPM, 2nd would start at lets say 4500 RPM.

Granted, I have not driven a cobalt SS s/c yet, so specifically I really don't know, but from my experience w/ driving manual stick cars it is pretty universal thing.

 

Depending on the situation I see absolutely no problem with street racing. I mean c'mon nobody is stupid enough to race in the middle of the day or anything like that. If it's late like 11:00PM and nobody is in sight, I don't see a problem. Besides, just back off at no more than 65 MPH, and slow down to 50 and you'll be fine. Just don't go over 65, if you want to race like that, I agree go to the track. I really think it just depends on the situation. As for losing control, I don't think anybody is a bad enough driver to lose control going in a perfectly straight line unless they swerve to miss hitting a rabbit or something. I am A okay with some forms of street racing, most of my friends and I just see who can get to 50 MPH quickest.

 

The engine break in period is 500 miles. I had that in like a 3 days

Also I think there is a bit of difference between street racing and just a friendly little sprint from the stop light.

I have noticed that at about 6600 rpm the rev limiter is kicking in. It's definetly not as bad as some of the rev limiters I have driven with in the past but I would try to shift about 6250-6500. I usaully don't pay to much attention to the tach, just try to get a feeling for the sound and vibration the engine makes at the different RPM levels.

One of the first things any race league does is make you lose the speedo so you don't concentrate on the guage more than your driving. You do get to keep the tach however.

I plan on doing some track days this summer. I have never been, but I hear it's a BALL. I would suggest you start doing that if you wanna race the car. Most of the people I talk to tell you after being at the track racing on the street really loses something.

 

kids around here push past 110mph .............. i know a guy in a srt-4 that spun around and rearended a pole...... my friend died in a racing accident, he was the passinger, the guy hit a pot hole on a slight turn, and fliped the car (neon) his brain stem snaped and his throat was cut and his heart pumped all of his blood out in the car......... they were goin about 75 mph

 

Screw that over 100mph street racing thats just stupid...

as for pulling up to a stop light and messin around you should never really go more than say 70 or so before you run out fo room or it becomes more of a problem than an ego boost

 

my car has 2800 miles on it already. It's not like I race over 100. Most races after my intial break in was not over 80.

That break in period is crap. 500 miles and the rings and seals set. You don't need to drive 10k miles to in order to break a car in. Old wise man's tale.

In any event I will try to gather the best shift points this weekend. I have a few videos of me already giving her hell from a dig. It was fun. I will post one of these days.

 

Not sure what you mean but Zinner told you the period was 500 miles not 10K miles... and it is important to take it easy for the first 500miles or so becuase that is when everything seals in the motor and if you dont your throwing engine life and HP out the window

 

I think he is trying to agree with me
The manual says 500 miles and just tells you to vary the engine speed. Doesn't mention keeping the RPM below a certain point. My car came with 16 miles on it from the factory so I assume someone drove it there as well.

 

Very broken in. 2800 miles

 

The manual also states "no full throttle runs for the first 500 miles.

 

Thats gonna be the hardest 550 Miles ( 50 more for good measure ) of my life