RPM shift points, where do you guys shift

[Mafty]

Just curious to see what peopel think is fuel economic/smoothest shift points.

I seem to find shifting 3000 for 1-4 is okay and sometimes a bit lower on 5th. but i dont know if this is a fuel saving method or? what are you guys doing.

[WeatherB]

I've heard that around 3,000 is the best for fuel economy. But I typically shift about 2500 or so.

[Mafty]

I've heard that around 3,000 is the best for fuel economy. But I typically shift about 2500 or so.

yea thats what im kind of looking for, the most fuel saving shift point lol, ive never heard of one before for the mazda

[mit-gee-mui]

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=8761
(At bottom of this page)

Similar topic
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=19645&highlight=shift+rpm%2A

Quote from manual
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=94425&postcount=17

Same question as yours, but it wasn't really answered.
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=7522&highlight=shift+rpm%2A

[oni]

I heard around 3K is optimum

[Kevin@nextmod]

4000rpm-4500. sometimes 7900

[sicsol]

Normal is 4000 rpm for myself & every so often 6000 rpm just to feel the rush.

[RX9]

I've heard that around 3,000 is the best for fuel economy. But I typically shift about 2500 or so.

you need to shift at leat 3500, you are hurtting the turbo when shiftting at 2500.:chuckle

[Mafty]

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=8761
(At bottom of this page)

Similar topic
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=19645&highlight=shift+rpm%2A

Quote from manual
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=94425&postcount=17

Same question as yours, but it wasn't really answered.
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=7522&highlight=shift+rpm%2A

i read all those and none of them answered what is the best for fuel economy. the one was about how much rpm is needed to get from stand still to first, which i didnt even know people rev'd there engine before starting, i just let go and give it some gas lol. anyways thanks for the links but they didnt really help.

[mleblond]

On my car normal driving is 3500-4000rpm but on hard shifting 5500-6000rpm to get full boost. On my 2.0l 3 I used to do 3500 as I want to hear the engine to make sure it works. 2500 is almost time to downshift :chuckle

[WeatherB]

you need to shift at leat 3500, you are hurtting the turbo when shiftting at 2500.:chuckle

LOL. I hope you mean hurting it emotionally rather than physically. 3500 is too high for normal daily driving.

[Skarbro]

Normal driving 3,000 rpms.

But I've been experimenting with shifting at 2,500 rpms lately to see if I get better fuel efficiency. It works if you are very light on the gas pedal.

[Gizzmo_jr]

I've been going back to 3000rpm from 2200-2500, due to my driving style and heavy'ish foot. Just like Skarbro said, you need a light foot which I don't have and load up the engine.

[Fuman]

i read all those and none of them answered what is the best for fuel economy. the one was about how much rpm is needed to get from stand still to first, which i didnt even know people rev'd there engine before starting, i just let go and give it some gas lol. anyways thanks for the links but they didnt really help.
fuel economy doesn't only depend on what rpm you are shifting it, also depends on your throttle input, so no one answer will be best. (if we are talking about the same car).
watching your driving habit is best to save on gas

[Mafty]

yea im not the most lead foot, but the gas pedal is kinda light in our cars hehe, but i dont find this thing has any acceleration, i really have to step on it to make it move. alright so it seems like 3000 is good for daily driving which is what ive been shifting at anyways, so ill keep to it.

i dont really step on the pedal off the line, and even if id o give it some gas i dont find the 2.3 accelerates at an alarming rate anyways so i dont bother, i do a normal accel i think, and will continue to keep shifting at 3g, just wanted to see if anyone had something different

[tweak_s]

i've always done 2.5... I try to be very light on the gas

I think that the shift point is only half of the equation. The other half is really how much gas one gives.

[Mafty]

i've always done 2.5... I try to be very light on the gas

I think that the shift point is only half of the equation. The other half is really how much gas one gives.

i dunno, if you watch the L/100 readout on the dash, the higher the RPMS the more L/100 you are using, which means fuel economy is going way down. So i think shift points are important. for example my car at 2000rpm is doing about 6-9L/100 depending on the gear, but once i get into 3000rpm im at 9-16L/100 (16 obviously being a lower gear like 2 or 3)

[Brian]

An internal combustion engine is the most thermodynamically efficient at low RPM at full throttle. Provided the engine isn't bucking, shifting at the lowest rpm possible will generally net you the best fuel economy. This is easy to accomplish with a manual transmission.

[dentinger]

ive been trying to change my driving habits lately, so..
in the neighbour hood, i shift around 2000ish, and accelerate slowly.
in the city, on main roads, around 2500ish, and again, accelerate slowly.
on the highway, i usualy dont care, but i try not to speed to much, and ive been using the "tailgate the semi" trick, but i dont know if that actually works or not.

[sudz]

I have a 2.0, and if I shift at 2500, i find it lugs the engine slightly (i.e. my CAI goes "bahhhhh" but the car doesn't "surge forward" very well)

2500 is about where the car actually starts pulling. I shift at 2500 when i'm not paying attention, or if i'm accelerating very slowly. you cant try to accelerate fast when shifting at 2500 (at least in a 2 litre) *jealous of speed owners*

I find my first gear usually gets to 3500, then i shift into second at 2,000RPM. I always found 1st and second to be a bit further apart in this car than any others i've driven. Second gear starts are much harder in my Mazda3.

[Olestra]

If you go with the quoted owner's manual shift points, they translate into 2500rpm shifts.
I find the 2.3L engine doesn't bog down until 2k RPM and under.
I feather the throttle when using these shift points and monitor my current fuel consumption using the trip computer. The computer probably isn't that accurate but it's to get an idea of what my throttle position is.

[tinythetiger]

When I get in my car and want to go forward, I shift into drive :chuckle
jk jk, I personally like shifting at 3k and gunning it until I get to the limit
of course as you've probably figured already, I drive a sport mode automatic so i doubt it's exactly the same on a stick shift.

PS i am extremely jealous of all of you, i want standard.

[Olestra]

When I get in my car and want to go forward, I shift into drive :chuckle
jk jk, I personally like shifting at 3k and gunning it until I get to the limit
of course as you've probably figured already, I drive a sport mode automatic so i doubt it's exactly the same on a stick shift.

PS i am extremely jealous of all of you, i want standard.

Don't worry, it loses its novelty quickly and not all that great in big city traffic.
The auto trans in the 3 is pretty decent.

[RX9]

LOL. I hope you mean hurting it emotionally rather than physically. 3500 is too high for normal daily driving.

yea, im just jk.:chuckle

[Videcak]

Normal driving shift between 3000-3500 RPM. I find any less than that you're just lugging the engine down when accelerating normally, its only a 4 banger remember. When I'm pulling onto a highway, its usually 5000-5500 RPM. When I'm accelerating hard to pass someone or just want to have some fun it is redline shifting, occasionally touching the rev limiter. Its limited to use up until that point...

[laksman91]

6500 ALL DAY EVERYDAY! Lol, I wish... most of the time 3000-3500. I want to keep it lower

[JiNuWiNe]

I heard shifting early (2000-25000RPM) caused a load on the engine? Is it true? I always thought shifting at 2700-3000RPM is ideal.