[328 B.X.i]

My friend and I rounded off a few percentages to make it easier, but the chart should be pretty self-explanatory. Helps for some new guys learning to drive stick and rev match. Its for the 328xi, cause that is what I have, but it is easy enough to figure out with the i or the 335.

[E90330iS]

Cool

[STE92VE]

Wow, I really appreciate the time and effort with all the work you put into this.

I may be a simpleton, but could you possibly explain in terms a 5th grader might understand? To me it looks like a page from an NFL playbook.
Trying to calculate the correct RPM's from those percentages seems like you need a dual core processor in your head to figure it out before you shift.

I think the most effective tool you can use when you try to rev match are your ears, if you are in tune with your car. If you listen to the sound of your engine, you should be able to match the pitch with the accelerator when shifting.

Would love to try your method, just need a little more info.

[LEDZEP]

I agree with Steve. I've always learned the sound of my engine when it hits the sweet spot for shifts. You push beyond that if you're doing some spirited driving. You also get a good feel for the tach for your car.

[dmboone25]

I use my ears too, but it doesn't hurt to have a specific RPM range in mind if you are driving in a "spirited" fashion and want to get through the gears in the best way. Nice diagram.

[txusa03]

what if you are deft?

But seriously, who drive a manual and look at the tach to rev match (no fun in driving then). Just my opinion. Anyway, thanks for sharing.

[Stronie]

Nice work....but if you know how to drive a manual then there is no need for this.

I'll bet most people don't even know what rev-matching is.

[ALPINE6SPD]

wow thats a lot of work great job

[LEDZEP]

Originally Posted by txusa03

what if you are deft?

But seriously, who drive a manual and look at the tach to rev match (no fun in driving then). Just my opinion. Anyway, thanks for sharing.

When driving a new or unfamiliar stick, I will watch the tach to get a feel for where the shift points want to be. After that it's just by ear.

[ward]

I appreciate that you spent a lot of time on that but.....


how many revs you need to add or drop is different every time depending on if you're speeding up/slowing down and how fast you're changing speed

there's no way to make a "chart" as the correct amount of revs to add or let drop is different every time

how fast you can shift effects how much speed is lost "coasting" in between gears too

[328 B.X.i]

Originally Posted by ward

I appreciate that you spent a lot of time on that but.....


how many revs you need to add or drop is different every time depending on if you're speeding up/slowing down and how fast you're changing speed

there's no way to make a "chart" as the correct amount of revs to add or let drop is different every time

how fast you can shift effects how much speed is lost "coasting" in between gears too

As far as that goes, this is obviously more of a generic approach...it has you when you are on flat terrain. Clearly, if you are shifting on a steep hill, your RPMs will drop faster, if that is what you mean. So this isn't an end-all, but we were just bored and just threw this together....it wasn't a lot of work, my friend has an RX-8 and the original chart was there, we just used gear ratios to get the updated %'s.


As far as understanding the chart, the blue just means how far you have to let the RPMs drop, so say your at 4,000 RPMs in first, you'd have to let it drop to 60% of that to get a perfect shit (@ 2,400 RPMs). Same with downshifting, from fourth to second, add 100% RPMs...so if at 2,000 RPMs in fourth, rev to 4,000 and put it in 2nd for it to be perfect.

And, obviously, you use your ears, i'm not saying we should be posting this chart ontop of iDrive and reading it as we go...I just figured what the hell and since they did it for RX-8 messageboard, I decided to add it to ours.

[MX20]

Just got this idea (since it looks like open season ).

Remember the LED-based line that displays the rev limit in some of your higher spec'd cars?
Well, something like that might also display the "optimal" revs according to the current selected gear and current speed. (car knows both...)
It could be even considered a helper for people with disabilities (re: what if I'm deaf).

But I'd still like that line to tell me when the engine is warm enough to push it

[blingbling]

WOW. This chart is sick (not that I'm going to stick it on my dash or anything).

I've been driving manual for only about a month now and I do use my ear/feel to upshift. When down shifting, I just down shift to the gear to be in the nice rpm zone (between 2-3K/min). I keep hearing about "rev-matching" for down shifting but I still don't get it. I understand how it's done but I still don't understand why I have to "blip" the throttle a bit to bring up the rpm to downshift. When I down shift, I just let go the cluth as I add more gas (so the transition is smooth). But I don't think I'm rev-matching. I feel it's just too much work to worry about the "right" rpm when downshifting.

If anyone can give me a simple advise as to how to downshift correctly, it would be nice~!

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by blingbling

When I down shift, I just let go the cluth as I add more gas (so the transition is smooth). But I don't think I'm rev-matching.

If anyone can give me a simple advise as to how to downshift correctly, it would be nice~!

You're doing fine.

The purpose of rev matching is to make the smooth transition from gear to gear, either up or down. If you and your passenger's heads aren't bobbing around when you shift, like the give-aways at the ball park, then you are shifting properly.
Don't worry, be happy....

[mkoesel]

Why is 6-3 in red?

And why no 6-2? 6-2 is my favorite!


Nice chart tho.

[cquinn]

I put the 6-3 in red because that side of the chart is a little busy, and it's easier to see that way. 6-2 is a lot of fun, although it's not that common. FYI, add 200% (triple your RPM) for 6-2

[danimal]

OMG that is sooooo geeky. I want one

-Dan

[bimmerFUD]

Originally Posted by STE92VE

I may be a simpleton, but could you possibly explain in terms a 5th grader might understand?

For any car, look up the gear ratios. For the 328xi, first gear is 4.32:1 and second is 2.46:1. So

first to second: 2.46/4.32=0.57 or about a 60% decrease in rpm
second to first: 4.32/2.46=1.76 or about a 75% increase in rpm

[txusa03]

Originally Posted by bimmerFUD

For any car, look up the gear ratios. For the 328xi, first gear is 4.32:1 and second is 2.46:1. So

first to second: 2.46/4.32=0.57 or about a 60% decrease in rpm
second to first: 4.32/2.46=1.76 or about a 75% increase in rpm

cool, thanks for the math lesson. Was not sure how you got the % (but now I know).


so if we do it by ear, that mean we cant listen to music

[STE92VE]

Originally Posted by bimmerFUD

For any car, look up the gear ratios. For the 328xi, first gear is 4.32:1 and second is 2.46:1. So

first to second: 2.46/4.32=0.57 or about a 60% decrease in rpm
second to first: 4.32/2.46=1.76 or about a 75% increase in rpm

How the percentages were derived was not the issue with my statement. I'm interested in how you apply the percentages to real world driving. From this chart, it would seem that you need a co-driver with a calculator to compute the RPM's you need to match as you call off the numbers before you attempt to shift.

[mkoesel]

Originally Posted by STE92VE

From this chart, it would seem that you need a co-driver with a calculator to compute the RPM's you need to match as you call off the numbers before you attempt to shift.

Or the ability to do math quickly in your head.

But honestly, yeah, that's why people just use the engine sound. Or - since on public streets you are usually very aware of your speed - just memorize RPM as a function of speed for each gear. Some are simple, like on the 335i 2nd gear RPM is roughly speed x 100.

[blingbling]

Originally Posted by txusa03

so if we do it by ear, that mean we cant listen to music

That is true to some extent (at least for me). I blast my music on the highway but when I get off the exit, I lower the volume.

Originally Posted by STE92VE

From this chart, it would seem that you need a co-driver with a calculator to compute the RPM's you need to match as you call off the numbers before you attempt to shift.

I'd like to see someone actually do this...

Originally Posted by mkoesel

just memorize RPM as a function of speed for each gear. Some are simple, like on the 335i 2nd gear RPM is roughly speed x 100.

Really? I don't really think like that when I drive... I just shift so that the rpm is between 2-3k/min, nice and comfortable. So do you have the ideal rpm for 3,4, 5, and 6th?

Thanks,