Is there really a 6th gear on my S? - 986 Forum - The Community for Porsche Boxster & Cayman Owners

meerzee · 03-22-2008, 05:45 AM

LOL.

I have never shifted into 6 on my S, just might need to do it one day to make sure that is it really there.....What is the shift speed for 6th gear? I know I have been up to at least 125 in 5th....

Anyone else have these type of thoughts?

RandallNeighbour · 03-22-2008, 06:17 AM

I've only got a five speed, but I hear the same thing from others with 6 speeds ... great for 140+ mph driving, but rarely used any other time and a bit of a waste. Mostly there to differentiate the S from the non-S.

I wonder how much low end grunt your car might have with a 5 speed on it with lower gear ratios

Should I upgrade to a 3.4, I'm going to attempt to keep a 5 speed tranny in my car.

Jeph · 03-22-2008, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RandallNeighbour

Should I upgrade to a 3.4, I'm going to attempt to keep a 5 speed tranny in my car.

Why in the world would you NOT do that upgrade? I'm thinking about that very same task... I wonder if the boys at RUF would do such a conversion for a non S.

03-22-2008, 07:29 AM

I use 6th gear all the time. On every drive. Meerzee, what do you use when cruising on the highway?

meerzee · 03-22-2008, 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmussatti

I use 6th gear all the time. On every drive. Meerzee, what do you use when cruising on the highway?

5th gear.....falls back nicely for all 70-85 driving right around 3k RPM.
heck 125 is about as high I as I can take it anywhere around here.
Unless Max or Gary know of any secret hot spots....

Inquiring minds -need- to know.

Blkboxster · 03-22-2008, 07:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meerzee

5th gear.....falls back nicely for all 70-85 driving right around 3k RPM.
heck 125 is about as high I as I can take it anywhere around here.
Unless Max or Gary know of any secret hot spots....

Inquiring minds -need- to know.

Lol why not just put it in 6th? less stress on the engine.

Brucelee · 03-22-2008, 08:04 AM

I used to use 6th all the time in the S.

Runs quieter, improves MPG, extends engine life.

With the crap stereo that I had, I couldn't hear the music unless I used 6th.

merplastic · 03-23-2008, 06:13 PM

I use 6th gear all the time. 60+ mph and not racing and it 's virtually all the time.....

986chris · 03-23-2008, 06:32 PM

I shift to 6th after a quick squirt to 80 in 3rd, on entrance ramps. When I shift to 4th i'm always tempted to run 100+, bad for insurance premiums!!

blinkwatt · 03-23-2008, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 986chris

I shift to 6th after a quick squirt to 80 in 3rd, on entrance ramps. When I shift to 4th i'm always tempted to run 100+, bad for insurance premiums!!

I do the same thing,that's too funny.

Does going from 3rd-6th have any bad effect on the tranny?

986chris · 03-23-2008, 07:27 PM

imho i think you use the tranny less, hey clutch too. gotta be better.

PSL-Boxster · 03-23-2008, 07:46 PM

i dont have the 6th gear on my box, but i do have the tiptronic option... whenever its just in drive it almost immediately shifts into 5th gear at 40 ish mph for fuel economy.. i guss that the 6th gear prolly really helps well on that topic considering gas prices these days

HB. · 03-23-2008, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blinkwatt

I do the same thing,that's too funny.

Does going from 3rd-6th have any bad effect on the tranny?

Yes!

I'd rather wear out my clutch then wear out the tranny. It's the same with down shifting.

drburton · 03-24-2008, 05:48 AM

meerzee, I'm with you I barely use it. Most of the time I am driving locally and if I'm on a highway it is for a short period of time, so no 6th. When drove up to Duluth last Fall I used it, but otherwise very rarely.

cbenitah · 03-24-2008, 08:17 PM

So my question here is why is it bad to shift from 4th to 6th? I doubt I am putting more stress on the engine/tranny by skipping 5th

But please educate me here

blinkwatt · 03-24-2008, 08:45 PM

Why is it bad to skip gears?

hjkim550 · 03-25-2008, 01:30 AM

The racers on this forum will correct me if I am wrong.

I was under the impression that you should try to avoid skipping gears when you are downshifting for corners. If you watch vids of pro racers taking corners, they heel-toe down from 4th to 3rd and then again heel-toe down into 2nd gear for the final turn. By sequentially downshifting you (theoretically) have less chance of over-reving the engine and less wear and tear on the transmission.

Soo.... I really have not heard that skipping a gear while upshifting will hurt the clutch or the transmission. If so, that is a new one on me.

986chris · 03-25-2008, 03:40 AM

downshifting at the track with a throttle blip helps shorten the time it takes the engine to recover from the lower ratio you're about to engage. And if we all remember a few years back the Corvette had a 3rd 4th gear block out that would engage un less you had your boots in it.

Bob Z. · 03-25-2008, 05:33 AM

Believe it or not, the Vettes still have the skip-shift, which helps them with the EPA/MPG. I hated it in the last one I had albeit it only came into play when in traffic - otherwise I just stepped on it and it did not activate.

Brucelee · 03-25-2008, 08:26 AM

I normal driving, I can see no issue with skipping gears, did it all the time in the S.

The issue is always to match the gear and engine speed to the speed of the car.

I think?