6K wide open throttle shift points
6K wide open throttle shift points Setup: 1978 Caprice with stock 2004 Avalanche engine and transmission.
My tuner put my car on a dyno and tuned it for best shift points from a performance level, which is great, however my car shifts at wide open throttle at 6,000 RPM. This is a daily driver and not a racecar and I don’t mind losing some peak performance if it means more longevity. At 6K RPM it feels like the engine is turning too many RPM from what I’m hearing and feeling. I’m going back to the tuner soon anyway, would it be better to have the shift point changed to 5 or 5,500 RPM?
I’d like to hear your opinions.
Thanks,
My tuner put my car on a dyno and tuned it for best shift points from a performance level, which is great, however my car shifts at wide open throttle at 6,000 RPM. This is a daily driver and not a racecar and I don’t mind losing some peak performance if it means more longevity. At 6K RPM it feels like the engine is turning too many RPM from what I’m hearing and feeling. I’m going back to the tuner soon anyway, would it be better to have the shift point changed to 5 or 5,500 RPM?
I’d like to hear your opinions.
Thanks,
TECH Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Central Cal.
Does it shift "right" at lighter throttle? In other words, is the full throttle shift speed the only concern?
The LM7 hits its power peak at around 5500 if not mistaken, so yeah, I would have it lowered by about 500RPM
The LM7 hits its power peak at around 5500 if not mistaken, so yeah, I would have it lowered by about 500RPM
That’s what my 05 truck shifts at stock. I don’t think you need to adjust the WOT shifts. What your tuner most likely did or should have done is extend you light to mid throttle shifts higher. You put your shifts higher to put your next gear at a better hp/tq range. Let it fly if your not getting any knock.
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Joined: Jun 2016
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From: Central Cal.
Good point, Toes! These engines CAN handle 6kRPM (I'm STILL not used to that!), and it's something that's not gonna happen THAT often. As long as the part-throttle upshifts are happening as they should, there should be no problem. Gotta love these LS engines!
I know they can handle it the RPM, but I'm more curious about how much it would effect the lifespan of the engine over a long period of time. In other words, how much undue wear and tear is shifting at 6K RPM creating versus if it was lowered to 5 or 5,500.
My Thunderbird never had a problem shifting at 6000 - 6100 every time I got on it - which is a LOT. I drove that car daily for years and beat it like a red headed rented mule. The only positive thing I ever did to that engine was replace valve springs and change oil.
Cold start take off in the winter - check. Cold start to WOT through second - check. Drop to second on the highway at 70 MPH and pull to red line - check. Throw dead tires on the rear and do burnouts and donuts until you get bored or think Cheech and Chong borrowed the car - check. Raise the limiter and shift point to 6400 to see what happens then hold the throttle until it shifts a few times - - - check. Learn how to tune on the engine - check. Loan the car to a friend who needed a car for a month or so - check.
I've also popped a radiator hose twice, cut a radiator hose, damaged a radiator, lost the cooling fan relay fuse, cooked a cooling fan, broken transmission cooler lines twice, and had the oil pressure sensor come apart spewing oil while on the highway. I would say I've put mine through the paces.
That was 2009 through 2014 or so as a daily and at least every winter since she's still going without issue. The rest of the car is rusting away but the drivetrain is solid.
If you don't drive like I drove that car your car will last a very long time. If you do it will still last longer than most small blocks and make more power the entire time.
With a truck engine and intake (I have a car intake) you aren't making any power past 5600 or so but it won't hurt anything - especially for as rare as most people will be in that neighbourhood.
Cold start take off in the winter - check. Cold start to WOT through second - check. Drop to second on the highway at 70 MPH and pull to red line - check. Throw dead tires on the rear and do burnouts and donuts until you get bored or think Cheech and Chong borrowed the car - check. Raise the limiter and shift point to 6400 to see what happens then hold the throttle until it shifts a few times - - - check. Learn how to tune on the engine - check. Loan the car to a friend who needed a car for a month or so - check.
I've also popped a radiator hose twice, cut a radiator hose, damaged a radiator, lost the cooling fan relay fuse, cooked a cooling fan, broken transmission cooler lines twice, and had the oil pressure sensor come apart spewing oil while on the highway. I would say I've put mine through the paces.
That was 2009 through 2014 or so as a daily and at least every winter since she's still going without issue. The rest of the car is rusting away but the drivetrain is solid.
If you don't drive like I drove that car your car will last a very long time. If you do it will still last longer than most small blocks and make more power the entire time.
With a truck engine and intake (I have a car intake) you aren't making any power past 5600 or so but it won't hurt anything - especially for as rare as most people will be in that neighbourhood.
How is “wide open throttle” defined in the ecu?
The info I found shows peak HP at 5200 rpm and peak torque at 4000. No reason at all to spin it to 6000 - wear,tear, noise - and go slower. I’d set it at 5300-5400 and call it a day.
The info I found shows peak HP at 5200 rpm and peak torque at 4000. No reason at all to spin it to 6000 - wear,tear, noise - and go slower. I’d set it at 5300-5400 and call it a day.
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WAY back in the day took more than a couple of laps in C4 showroom stock SCCA Corvettes. Old LT1. You could rev it to 6000 in the lower gears. All noise, little fury. Peak HP was at something like 4400 rom. Consistently quickest laptimes shifting it at 4500 and let the torque work it’s magic. F = M x A
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the 500rpm is going to make little to no difference in longevity.
Joined: Aug 2007
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From: Where the Navy tells me to go
Setup: 1978 Caprice with stock 2004 Avalanche engine and transmission.
My tuner put my car on a dyno and tuned it for best shift points from a performance level, which is great, however my car shifts at wide open throttle at 6,000 RPM. This is a daily driver and not a racecar and I don’t mind losing some peak performance if it means more longevity. At 6K RPM it feels like the engine is turning too many RPM from what I’m hearing and feeling. I’m going back to the tuner soon anyway, would it be better to have the shift point changed to 5 or 5,500 RPM?
My tuner put my car on a dyno and tuned it for best shift points from a performance level, which is great, however my car shifts at wide open throttle at 6,000 RPM. This is a daily driver and not a racecar and I don’t mind losing some peak performance if it means more longevity. At 6K RPM it feels like the engine is turning too many RPM from what I’m hearing and feeling. I’m going back to the tuner soon anyway, would it be better to have the shift point changed to 5 or 5,500 RPM?
Why? Unless power absolutely drops off a cliff past the peak, there's no advantage to shifting at peak power.
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Joined: Aug 2010
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From: Harford Co. Maryland
Stock motor, no need to go that high IMO.
My old SBC solid roller motor been to 8K looking for power....75-7600 shifts were normal with the big cam.
Now this medium cam LY6 went looking for power 7000+, ended up liking 63-6500 shifts.
NA motor though.
My old SBC solid roller motor been to 8K looking for power....75-7600 shifts were normal with the big cam.
Now this medium cam LY6 went looking for power 7000+, ended up liking 63-6500 shifts.
NA motor though.