I was going to bring this up in the clutch thread, but thought better of it. I recently had a discussion with a fellow who eats clutches like crazy in his LS1 car.He swears by powershifting, a fact that shies me away from it even more.

Those of you who eat clutches, do you powershift? I personally don't believe in it, just seems too hard on the drivetrain.

 

The soul purpose of power-shifting is to drive the car like it is an automatic.Manuall cars/trucks have more hp-torque to the rear tires than the same car/truck with a auto transmision.So the only way to gaurantee a win is to not waste time granny shifting!Power-shifting is hard on the entire car/truck.Yes it will explode clutches AND the transmision!You have to pay to play hard.The price to pay for the advantage over an auto is broken parts if you bang on it long enuff.

 

"So the only way to gaurantee a win is to not waste time granny shifting!"

You're not guaranteeing anything, except that you're shortening the life of parts and extracting the last little bit of speed out of your ride. Powershifting guarantee a win? LOL

 

So did I miss something? You don't have a question, just answer?People comming in here generally have a problem to solve rather than a bone to pick.

 

looks like a question to me.

and to answer the question, power shifting is hard on both the clutch and the transmission.

 

Save yourself the trouble and save your transmission. Dont powershift. Just quick smooth shifts.

 

Run a McLeod twin , 2 step of the light 5500+ never lift the go pedal till the line in 4th gear.
Still the same clutch too many runs & street miles to count.

Full wieght car also.......

 

I think many people have many different opinions about what power shifting is. Its kind of like how the import guys don't know what double clutching is. I guess that's because they never drove a 1950's Porche before lol...

But seriously now, I myself am not sure what power-shifting means. I only know that the only way to make a stick car survive on the strip is strong parts, a good clutch, and most importantly of all a good driver.

I leave at 6500 rpms on a 4 speed 55 Chevy with M/T ET Streets and never lift my right foot off the floor until after I cross the finish line. The motor will only flash about 300rpm between shifts. I use a sintered iron disk and a centerforce DF pressure plate. This is a very grippy disk that will tolorate some slippage on engagment without destroying the disk while you learn. Tough on the street though.

The most important thing about the clutch is that it must disengage very clean with a good .030 airgap (I assume most of you are using a diaphram plate) between the flywheel and disk or the pressure plate and disk (either way you measure it.) If the clutch does not disengage cleanly, the result will be hard shifting along with trashed synchros and engagement teeth on the gears of the transmission. It's surprising how brave you can be shifting at WOTwhen you KNOW you won't miss because your clutch works right.

I would venture to say that most of the clutch failures your friend experiences are due to slipping the clutch exessively on takeoff most likely from inadequate gearing in a bogging car and impropper driving to compensate for it. Of course there is the possibility he has a very evil 10 second motor and a stock clutch...

 

Hats off to Wrencher!

 

personally i dont powershift, why?? cause i dont have the money to rebuild my T-56 and go through clutches every two years.

ive heard that in order to maximize the effectiveness of a powershift, and the longivity of the drivtrain is
have a clutch that will take the abuse,
have updated hydrolics and good fluid,
have the drill-mod done on ur master,
a short throw shifter
and an experianced driver

 

Yea,exactly what i said!If you have a manual tranny,and you drive it like grandpa in a race,you might as well get an auto because you cant drive a peddal car!

 

I will also add that I also maintain the car meticulously.
The fluids are over changed etc.
If the clutch master reservoir fluid starts to get dark, it is flushed.
It helps out IMO as well.
But I can rebuild stuff that breaks as well.
I did break a spohn torque arm (chrome moly) on a launch.
https://ls1tech.com/forums/drag-racing-tech/402689-broke-spohn-torque-arm-w-e.html
Pay to play I guess lol.

 

I think speed shifting does fairly well. You dont keep the pedal to the floor but you dont let it all the way out either.

 

check list i have all of these, i only powershift when i am at the track my foot never leaves the gas once i launch, yes that is fast shifting but the motor will never hit the rev limiter

 

Thanks for all the responses guys. No bone to pick here, just obtaining some opinions, yes I do have my own opinion, which I think is obvious.

It affirms that 1( I do know what a proper powershift is. 2(TO ME It isnt worth it in a street car. 3( If you ARE going to do it, there is a right way and a wrong way. 4( My buddy is doing it the wrong way.

If I lose by two tenths in a 1/4 mile race because I didnt powershift, and instead 'granny' shifted, I won't lose much sleep over it. So, s10-den, you must own a race car where it is important to always extract every last bit of power at the cost of breaking parts. I suppose you suggest a maximum RPM launch on slicks, even if it is a 10 bolt, what the hell, pay to play and we wanna go fast right?

 

i also only power shifton the strip and don't think it helped my stock clutch at all. one i leave the line my right foot stays to the floor every once and a great while i will miss third because i'm having an off day and im lazy with my clutch foot. but i agree it tears down a stock clucth for shure real fast.

 

Matter of fact,sure do!In this game,if you lose by anything,"you loose"Yea,I have blew up plenty of trannies,so what.You can bet your *** if its on the track,street,where ever the race may be,its all or nothing!As far as lauching on the floor,it depends on where I'm at.If im at the late night street nationals,no.If im at the track,no.Only an idiot would launch it on the floor,LOL...Oh,I got a 10bolt too,holds up perfect(8.5)EDIT::::there is no wrong way or right way to powershift,you either get it,or you dont

 

Glad you're winning em all I prefer to be a bit easier on the car.

 

I power shift all the time, its more fun that way, and t56's are pretty damn strong, mines got 150k miles of abuse and just now is needing a rebuild... Stock clutch too..

Its all about timing, I picked up like 3-4 mph powershifting at the track, honestly

 

Nope,I dont win them all,BUT when I do win,you can bet ya *** I was banging gears the whole trip! .....I understand you dont want to power shift your car,but the point is that powershifting will always out run a granny shift(as long as it is well executed)