The Speed at which you downshift from 5th gear

mithun · 23rd April 2006, 05:40

At what speed do you downshift from the fifth gear ?

I know that different cars are having different torques, so the speed at which people downshift will not be similar ?

And do you downshift based on the speedo/tacho or from the engine responsiveness ?

I downshift when the speedo goes below 40 KM/HR.

the real Big B · 23rd April 2006, 08:43

I got a zen and downshift from fifth gear is done once speed drops below 50kmph

DCEite · 23rd April 2006, 08:50

ummm... when i am not in too much hurry... its usually 40kmph.. sometimes even below it!

iamdstig · 23rd April 2006, 11:11

We dont go by speed to downshift from 5th
We need to feel the engine RPM and then downshift
So it depends and differs from cars to cars

TCX · 23rd April 2006, 11:30

Hmmm........I mostly shift by feeling so I wasn't sure and so I just took the car out to check, around 65-70 Km/Hr. Anything below that and my car Jerks.

TC

Kaizer Sozay · 23rd April 2006, 11:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by the real Big B

I got a zen and downshift from fifth gear is done once speed drops below 50kmph

I Too have a zen & downshift a little below 40. No shudder whatsoever at 40, so i continue in 5th gear

sbasak · 23rd April 2006, 12:26

As long as the engine produces enough torque to pull the car at 4th gear, you can downshift.

Just try to see at what speed in 5th gear the car begins to jerk. That is the threshold speed for your car.

More torque the engine produces, less the speed where you can move to 5th gear.

Deeps · 23rd April 2006, 14:53

I never shift up or down based on the speedo...but only looking at the tacho! Usually when there's no hurry I shift up at about 2500rpm and shift down at 1500rpm. But for 5th i shift down at 17-1800 since the torque produced in that gear is pretty low.

Edit: All this on a Clio 1.4 petrol.

Scuderia · 23rd April 2006, 16:41

I guess it depends more on

1. Engine RPM
2. The acceleration you expect to have further ahead. You may need to downshift even at 80, in order to make an overtake; or continue in 5th even at 40, if you intend to maintain the speed, with slight or gradual acceleration.

frankmehta · 23rd April 2006, 18:58

40 kmph......
and i upshift to 5th gear at 50

Dark Knight · 23rd April 2006, 19:36

In my baleno..I can even hold not downshifting even upto 30 km/hr.
This car has truly great torque. No shudders in 5th. even at that speed.

karthik247 · 23rd April 2006, 19:39

You can't just judge and shift gears at a perticular speed. It depends more on the situation, and ur driving style.

Rehaan · 23rd April 2006, 22:53

Am i the only person who downshifts from 5th gear at ~90km/h?

FE? whats that?

cya
R

drifter · 23rd April 2006, 23:08

Hehe im close to you rehaan...70kmph for downshifting from 5th. Still managing 11kmpl in city hehe. Gotta love the crdi

Drifter

karthik247 · 23rd April 2006, 23:29

Rarely use 5th, i upshift at 150kmph from 4th on the highway

And its very rare that i use 5th below 50kmph, until its absolutely necessary and i'm low on fuel n don't have money

23rd April 2006, 05:40	#1
mithun BANNED Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cochin Posts: 2,195 Thanked: 268 Times	The Speed at which you downshift from 5th gear At what speed do you downshift from the fifth gear ? I know that different cars are having different torques, so the speed at which people downshift will not be similar ? And do you downshift based on the speedo/tacho or from the engine responsiveness ? I downshift when the speedo goes below 40 KM/HR.
	() Thanks

23rd April 2006, 08:43	#2
the real Big B Newbie Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: New Delhi Posts: 18 Thanked: 0 Times	I got a zen and downshift from fifth gear is done once speed drops below 50kmph
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23rd April 2006, 08:50	#3
DCEite Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: NCR Posts: 3,591 Thanked: 3,499 Times	ummm... when i am not in too much hurry... its usually 40kmph.. sometimes even below it!
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23rd April 2006, 11:11	#4
iamdstig Newbie Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Bangalore Posts: 12 Thanked: 0 Times	We dont go by speed to downshift from 5th We need to feel the engine RPM and then downshift So it depends and differs from cars to cars
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23rd April 2006, 11:30	#5
TCX BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 30 Thanked: 0 Times	Hmmm........I mostly shift by feeling so I wasn't sure and so I just took the car out to check, around 65-70 Km/Hr. Anything below that and my car Jerks. TC
	() Thanks

23rd April 2006, 12:26	#7
sbasak BHPian Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: CCU-LTN Posts: 607 Thanked: 16 Times	As long as the engine produces enough torque to pull the car at 4th gear, you can downshift. Just try to see at what speed in 5th gear the car begins to jerk. That is the threshold speed for your car. More torque the engine produces, less the speed where you can move to 5th gear.
	() Thanks

23rd April 2006, 14:53	#8
Deeps Senior - BHPian Join Date: May 2004 Location: Delhi/Noida Posts: 1,119 Thanked: 170 Times	I never shift up or down based on the speedo...but only looking at the tacho! Usually when there's no hurry I shift up at about 2500rpm and shift down at 1500rpm. But for 5th i shift down at 17-1800 since the torque produced in that gear is pretty low. Edit: All this on a Clio 1.4 petrol.
	() Thanks

23rd April 2006, 16:41	#9
Scuderia BHPian Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Mumbai Posts: 127 Thanked: 8 Times	I guess it depends more on 1. Engine RPM 2. The acceleration you expect to have further ahead. You may need to downshift even at 80, in order to make an overtake; or continue in 5th even at 40, if you intend to maintain the speed, with slight or gradual acceleration.
	() Thanks

23rd April 2006, 18:58	#10
frankmehta Senior - BHPian Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 4,029 Thanked: 3,668 Times View My Garage	40 kmph...... and i upshift to 5th gear at 50
	() Thanks

23rd April 2006, 19:36	#11
Dark Knight BHPian Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 53 Thanked: 0 Times	In my baleno..I can even hold not downshifting even upto 30 km/hr. This car has truly great torque. No shudders in 5th. even at that speed.
	() Thanks

23rd April 2006, 19:39	#12
karthik247 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: BLR, HYD Posts: 2,710 Thanked: 30 Times	You can't just judge and shift gears at a perticular speed. It depends more on the situation, and ur driving style.
	() Thanks

23rd April 2006, 22:53	#13
Rehaan Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 24,198 Thanked: 36,140 Times	Am i the only person who downshifts from 5th gear at ~90km/h? FE? whats that? cya R
	(1) Thanks

23rd April 2006, 23:08	#14
drifter Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 1,488 Thanked: 75 Times View My Garage	Hehe im close to you rehaan...70kmph for downshifting from 5th. Still managing 11kmpl in city hehe. Gotta love the crdi Drifter Last edited by drifter : 23rd April 2006 at 23:09.
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23rd April 2006, 23:29	#15
karthik247 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: BLR, HYD Posts: 2,710 Thanked: 30 Times	Rarely use 5th, i upshift at 150kmph from 4th on the highway And its very rare that i use 5th below 50kmph, until its absolutely necessary and i'm low on fuel n don't have money
	() Thanks