How to shift insight?

[Eli]

The Insight engine definitely loses a bit of steam past 4700RPM like the torque curve indicates, but unless you want to take a big hit in 2nd gear acceleration, you have to keep winding it out.

Another thing: Most people don't realize the Insight is limited to 6.5kW in 1st, 4th and 5th gears, while it will give 11kW+ for short bursts only in 2nd and 3rd gears.

MIMA really makes 1st gear nice because of this, in comparison to a stock car.

[Willie Williford]

And I said "engine wise".

[Cobb]

Thats interesting about the assist limits.

I dont think there is really a right and wrong way, its what works best. For me and my suzuki I like using 135 for highway speeds and for city I use 124. For 35 mph zones I use 3 rd so I do not speed. I take it to 4500 before shifting. I drive to keep up with traffic, no regards to mpg.

When I get the money for the suzuki I am going with a 2 inch system and a 4 to 1 header and stainless steel exhaust system. It feels like its plugged up and parts are rusted up.

Eli, like in another conversation about the HCH do you see the actual requested kw and the actual output varies for the Insight?


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[head-met]

Regardless at what rpm you shift at, always leave enough time to the rpm to drop between gears when upshifting, especially from 1st to 2nd. In addition, blip the throttle when downshifting. This will help you blocking rings and syncros live a long and happy life.

[Eli]

Upshifting never seems to be a problem. Has anyone ever heard of an Insight transmission going out on the upshift from just plain wear?

There isn't any granny shifting going on here though.

Originally Posted by Cobb

Thats interesting about the assist limits.

I dont think there is really a right and wrong way, its what works best. For me and my suzuki I like using 135 for highway speeds and for city I use 124. For 35 mph zones I use 3 rd so I do not speed. I take it to 4500 before shifting. I drive to keep up with traffic, no regards to mpg.

When I get the money for the suzuki I am going with a 2 inch system and a 4 to 1 header and stainless steel exhaust system. It feels like its plugged up and parts are rusted up.

Eli, like in another conversation about the HCH do you see the actual requested kw and the actual output varies for the Insight?


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Yep, very true.. there isn't a right and a wrong way. There are just too many variables and conditions.

Regarding the requested/actual kW, I don't know, I'll have to bring up that parameter and watch it for a while, maybe log it.

[theaveng]

I don't blip the throttle. I just leave my foot on the pedal, so when I downshift from 5th to 4th, or 4th to 3rd, the engine will gain 500 rpm in the brief time it takes to make the shift.

Originally Posted by biododge1

one thing that gets overlooked is HP..Torque is worthless without HP.

Yeah true, but hp is pointless without torque (rotational force). F=ma. No force or weak force, and you get no acceleration or weak acceleration.

So why is the insight limited to 6.5 kilowatt?

[Rush]

Sometimes when my 2000 Insight is in first gear and I rev it to around 3.5k, it seems to pop out of gear when I'm shifting to 2nd. What is that?

[Cobb]

That means you need to use more force to hold it in gear or upgrade your bungie cord.

[Insight for life]

Originally Posted by Rush

Sometimes when my 2000 Insight is in first gear and I rev it to around 3.5k, it seems to pop out of gear when I'm shifting to 2nd. What is that?

Hey mine too! Its only sometimes too, I have to accelerate a certain way to get it to do it. it doesn't actually pop out of 1st gear, its just more happy than usual to go to 2nd.

[Cobb]

Thats likely where the acceleration tops out. Typically its hard to pull the tranny out of a gear when a load is applied to it. Either an acceleration or negative acceleration.