[JPAT]

Newbie question, I just purchased a 2018, V6 with the manual transmission. it has been 45 years since the last manual. I love it, feel young again. Can someone tell me at what speed is the "sweet spot" to switch gears, if there is such a thing.
Thank you

[jingaling]

Sweet spot for what... Haulin @$$ or just regular cruising? 1st to 2nd 6200-6500 is good. Redlining in 1st doesn't work out very well. For just cruising around I think i take it to about 3k and shift. I don't really pay much attention to it though.. I go more by sound and feeling.

[lt4camaro]

There is no sweet spot, you will develop your own shifting points. Always remember 5th gear is 1 to 1 or 4th gear in almost all 6 speeds and of course all 4 speeds. It will take about 3000 miles to get real comfortable with the V6 6speed manual. First gear is a little short, so other than from a dead stop, be in 2nd gear at very low speeds.

[BahamaTodd]

Pay attention to what your current automatic is doing. You will essentially be doing the same thing based on your acceleration demand.

[Marty McFlew]

Depends on whether you want good gas mileage, just cruising or performance driving. Only you can answer that kwestion.

[JT58]

If you want MPG you need to feel the car out to know when to shift. Keep throttle pressure light and accelerate slowly, shift at 2K RPM. Keep it in 6th as much as possible as long as you do not lug the engine. On the highway drive 65-70, no more than 70, use CC, 6th gear. Everyone will go by you driving like this but you will yield the best MPG. You can get pretty good mileage driving a stick this way.

For "normal" to moderate driving I would shift at 3-4K and for spirited driving let it almost red line before shifting. The V6 is a high revving engine and makes it's power at high RPM's- let the engine breathe and rev to get the most out of it.

Have fun with the car- I had a 2011 SS with manual 6 speed and if I drove it lightly as I described above I got about 18 MPG. Spirited about 12-15. I now have a V6 RS, A8 and get about 25 mixed, driving very light footed. You got a great car, lot of fun, practical with the V6 for a balance of fun and economy from pretty good MPG and it uses regualr gas, not premium.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by BahamaTodd

Pay attention to what your current automatic is doing. You will essentially be doing the same thing based on your acceleration demand.

What has that got to do with anything?

What if his current automatic is a Honda Civic???? He will not be doing anything anywhere close to it with a Camaro V6 6 speed.

[Lukemo]

I usually shift around 4000 rpm in regular driving and 6800 in aggressive driving. I cruise around town in 4th or 5th gear and only ever use 6th on the freeway or when holding a speed over 50 - 60 mph

[dpevans]

I shift between 3500 and 4k but I don't care about fuel milage. If fuel milage is your plan then use the fuel milage monitor on your dash. Don't bog down the motor and stay in the highest gear possible. But be warned, that is not the sweet spot in the power curve of any motor and if you find you need sudden acceleration it will not be there without down shifting.

[Bad Anvil Garage]

Use the force....

[Ryephile]

Originally Posted by JPAT

Newbie question, I just purchased a 2018, V6 with the manual transmission. it has been 45 years since the last manual. I love it, feel young again. Can someone tell me at what speed is the "sweet spot" to switch gears, if there is such a thing.
Thank you

45 years ago, wow, welcome back! Perhaps amusingly, the fundamentals haven't changed since then. Keep the rev's low for hypermiling, medium for typical driving, and rev it out for max acceleration.

Originally Posted by BahamaTodd

Pay attention to what your current automatic is doing. You will essentially be doing the same thing based on your acceleration demand.

Originally Posted by fastball

What has that got to do with anything?

What if his current automatic is a Honda Civic???? He will not be doing anything anywhere close to it with a Camaro V6 6 speed.

Todd's advice is actually really good. Given that modern Civic's and the LGX engine both rev to roughly 7000 RPM, the transmission logic will be fairly similar. Most gasoline engines nowadays have roughly the same RPM span, so regardless of the displacement or cylinder count, the general VE curve and RPM band is applicable to nearly all production cars. Watching the tach and seeing what an auto trans does gives good insight for relevant RPM points for all driving conditions.

[Marty McFlew]

Originally Posted by fastball

What has that got to do with anything?

What if his current automatic is a Honda Civic???? He will not be doing anything anywhere close to it with a Camaro V6 6 speed.

[Marty McFlew]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

45 years ago, wow, welcome back! Perhaps amusingly, the fundamentals haven't changed since then. Keep the rev's low for hypermiling, medium for typical driving, and rev it out for max acceleration.





Todd's advice is actually really good. Given that modern Civic's and the LGX engine both rev to roughly 7000 RPM, the transmission logic will be fairly similar. Most gasoline engines nowadays have roughly the same RPM span, so regardless of the displacement or cylinder count, the general VE curve and RPM band is applicable to nearly all production cars. Watching the tach and seeing what an auto trans does gives good insight for relevant RPM points for all driving conditions.

Means nothing unless both engines have the same HP and Tq. bands at the same RPMs.

[fastball]

Originally Posted by Ryephile

Todd's advice is actually really good. Given that modern Civic's and the LGX engine both rev to roughly 7000 RPM, the transmission logic will be fairly similar. Most gasoline engines nowadays have roughly the same RPM span, so regardless of the displacement or cylinder count, the general VE curve and RPM band is applicable to nearly all production cars. Watching the tach and seeing what an auto trans does gives good insight for relevant RPM points for all driving conditions.