I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "powershifting." As Wisconsin has pointed out already, full powershifting (shifting at redline without releasing the throttle) is not a good idea. I tend to think of powershifting as something that comes in degrees. I don't know how well you can see it in the videos, because things happen so quickly, but try to notice how Wisconsin's feet move in unison. Sometimes one foot or the other is moving, but during a shift they are both moving at the same time. As the clutch is depressed, the throttle is released, and as the clutch is released, the throttle is depressed. The relative timing of this rocking action involving the clutch and the throttle can result in silky smooth shifts that passengers can hardly feel. Even at full charge, we normally don't want to upset the balance of the car, so we want the engine speed and transmission input shaft speeds to be close when the clutch engages. However, when we're going for maximum acceleration we can get a momentary surge in additional acceleration immediately after a shift if the clutch/throttle synchronization is altered so that the engine is turning faster than the transmissions input shaft; By altering the footwork we allow the engine to retain higher revs during the shift. This gives us more energy in the flywheel as the clutch engages and gives us a little boost. In general this is NOT what we're thinking about when we're doing it, because the timing of the footwork varies depending on the situation and conditions. It is however what I'd consider a partial powershift, because we don't (necessarily) lift fully off the throttle during the shift.

 

[QUOTE=Wisconsin S2k,Jul 21 2006, 10:42 AM]considering the nature of our high revving car, you want to AVOID powershifting.

 

^Do you mean you don't have to fully push the pedal in so that you just barely get past the engagement point? I do this and only push in the clutch maybe 60% of the way so that I barely engage it and let it pop out as quickly as possible.

 

[QUOTE=afwfjustin,Jul 21 2006, 04:41 PM]^Do you mean you don't have to fully push the pedal in so that you just barely get past the engagement point?

 

thanks guys. i ask this coz this is usually what i do. i never release my foot off the gas pedal and just leave my left foot as close to engage the clutch for the next gear. till i hit the 4th gear and stop doing it or sometimes 3rd. i do mis-shift sometimes if im not really close to the pedal since im only 5"3'. i was thinking of getting that stuff to make the clutch pedal a bit closer to the firewall since im used to this type of set-up. but i do hope i dont brake anything since i do this when nature calls.hehe what i mean is if theres somecar right next to me and reving his engine up i dont want to be left in the dust.hehe thanks, i really appriciate your inputs.

 

i mean the "omnipowerusa". im not used to long travel of the clutch.

 

Just had to say that i finally tried to launch my car for the first time today and probably set my clutch on fire. It all went so fast that i don't know what I did wrong, but my clutch smelled like ass.

I *think* what happened was that my tires never caught..so I barely went anywhere and my rpm went straight to redline...I shifted to 2nd and the rpm dropped all the way to maybe 3k and I was at about 20mph

So funny.

 

Basically, you're saying if you shift fast enough to where the engine rpm's are GREATER than the speed of the tranny's input shaft, you'll get a "surge" of momentum? I experience this all the time when I'm going for max acceleration, but was wondering if it is hurting my differential in any way? I figured that the extra energy from the flywheel HAS to go somewhere, and most of the time, my tires won't chirp (unless they're cold or are running higher psi). So wouldn't the differential be taking the brunt of the excess force??

 

[QUOTE=RED MX5,Jul 21 2006, 11:21 AM] Do you limit the clutch stroke on your cars?

 

this is a bad thing to do, particularly on our cars. you should be releasing the gas on a shift.