How To Power Shift Correctly - Go Faster Without Destroying Transmissions

How Powershifting In A Turbo Car Leads To Faster Acceleration!

Powershifting, no-lift shifting, or flat foot shifting is a method of changing gears in a manual transmission where you do not take your foot off the gas pedal. Unfortunately, this shifting method is very tough on clutches, so there's a right way and a wrong way of doing it. Cadillac, with the CT4-V Blackwing, has developed a methodology to powershifting that maintains boost pressure of the twin-turbo V6 engine, while reducing the engine load during the shift. This clever trick involves altering ignition timing, wastegate control, and the bypass valve control. In the end, the desired result is great - a seamless manual transmission shift, all without lifting your foot off the throttle.

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[EngineeringExplained]

*Clarification!* Does the clutch still have to absorb the engine vs transmission speed difference during a power shift? Yes! But with the delayed ignition timing (or some tuners will use spark cut), you put the engine in a low load state, so that when you re-engage the clutch, absorbing the speed difference is easier because there's not a bunch of torque going to the clutch (it's instead being used to make exhaust pressure, to keep the turbos ready). And once the clutch is re-engaged, ignition timing goes back to usual and you're right back at full power.

[hanswurst]

Power Shift into R (short for Race) to unlock the high rev Range of your car

[TheMikeguy]

Just so no one use confused. If you have an older car and want a good time you abuse that thing and slam it as fast as you can between gears while not lifting. Transmissions, diffs, clutched, are all replaceable but a lap time is forever.

[NoHope_]

Engineering explained: “that’s called turbo surge, and we don’t want that”

Me: “but TuTuTu 😢”

[DWS]

I really enjoyed this video. I am 72 and thought I would try this out. Jumped in to my Mazda 3 manual shift hatch back. I pressed voice recognition and told the vehicle what were gonna do. The car started laughing told me to grow up. It threw on the 4 way flashers shut off the A/C and said take that !! And then it shut off after spewing some Japanese words at me.

[colo]

You’d be a great teacher, I know pretty much nothing about engineering yet I still understand this process perfectly, you explained it flawlessly

[peanut]

Couldn’t have explained it better myself . . . Hmm 🤔 wait? I couldn’t have explained this at all! Thanks Jason.

[timhamilton]

I never thought I would see the day that GM would simultaneously only sell Corvette with two pedals and offer a Cadillac with three!

[TofuInc]

GM (and most manufactures) have been doing this for years on the automatic transmissions. When you start tuning the ECUs you can see all the torque management settings you have to work with. The ECU reduces torque exactly as you explained, but pulling timing right as the transmission shifts. It's practically magic because it all works so smoothly you don't even fell it happening. Interesting they are applying it to manual transmissions now, really neat stuff.

[mikemartenson]

I’m glad you mentioned the supercharger toward the end, I’ve done it once or twice on my MX5 ND1 SC and the only difference I could tell was the smell of my clutch!

[JeepDoctorPH]

Another well detailed explanation.. Thumbs up

[williamwhite]

I shifted with my gas pedal flat on the floor a few times when I was in a tight drag race. It would mean a gain of a half car length against the competitor each shift. The car was a 65 Chevelle, 300hp 327, 4 speed muncie, and 12 bolt eaton posi rear bought new. 100k miles in 4 years and sold it when the USArmy shipped me to S. Korea in 69. No trans failures or rear diff failures. I did have to do two minor rebuilds on the engine. New rings the first time and a scorched rod bearing and broken rings the second time. Did not need reboring. Only had to polish the crankshaft after the rod bearing failure because I heard it and stopped the engine immediately. Easy and cheap to repair engines back then.

[dj_laundry_list]

Jason, I wish you would put this much footage of yourself shifting in the garage without the engine running in every video

[theRandy]

I've always wondered about this, thanks for the video.

[carcaineproblems]

Thanks for the info. Now do a Granny Shifting vs Double Clutching comparison video!

[stevencurry]

Timely subject! I've been debating how the no lift shift worked when factored to the trans, clutch and engine. Well stated!! I'm a Twin Turbo guy so this should work well in my case. I'll consult my tuner on the timing/fuel cutoff in-between shifts @ the Red line. My monster clutch is pretty durable but I don't want to push the limits. Great video and perfectly explained! Thank you!

[kevinhawthorne]

Thank You for all of your videos that you did. I am enjoying all of them.

[DawnUSNvet]

LOL - I love this! I used to do it with my 1964 VW. Drag racing with an NSU Prinz, it was effective. We called it power shifting. 40HP didn't spin too fast in the fractional second shift. You are way out over the edge with these systems that make it 21st century. thank you :)

[poliphilio]

So complicated, i learned power shifting on my 2003 Fiat Seicento 1.1 :D the wheelspin on 2nd gear was insane. And the clutch set was like only 50 eur :D money well spent :D

[chrisdixon]

I absolutly loved this video! Fantastic explanation, bring more like this