Gear Change Light

[Alex_225]

What RPM does the gear change light come on? And how good do you reckon it is.

Ive done 12k in my 172 and the gear change light has come one only about 4 times since Ive been driving it.

 

[blink172]

Do you have miss daisy in the back?



Dont know the exact RPM but its about 6800-7000

 

[McBunny]

lol if you have only had it on 4 times then you dont rev high enough it comes on just before the red line but is different when cold

 

[Alex_225]

I think I must be driving like a complete pansy haha.

Im sure its come on more times than that. Its just I look at the revs and its not like I dont put my foot down, maybe Im just not noticing it.

or Im changing gear just before the light would come on!!

 

[Day]

I dont have one on my late Mk1 172... I quite often hit the limiter in 3rd while joining the motorway!

 

[Tom_16v]

Just keep your foot down until some lights appear!

 

[Ang]

its in such a stupid place it might be coming on and u not notice.....

 

[Lagerlout]

300-400 revs before the limiter. More of a warning that the limiter is fast approaching rather than an optimum time to change gear.

 

[Alex_225]

Thats what Im thinking, I think Im just not noticing. To be honest when I do boot it I tend to look at the road and make the odd glance at the rev counter.

The little gear change light isnt that obvious and is on the other side of the dials to the revs.

 

[Gareth]

i think its pants, at the pace the rpm is building up, by the time you hit the light you already need to be changing gear or you hit the limiter anyway!

[Edited by Gaz2130 on 21 April 2005 at 9:43am]

 

[Alex_225]

They should make it so that the light is more obvious as in they should make the whole rev counter flash. Now that would be cool.

Or have a beeper that lets you know. (Oviously so you could turn it off if you want)

 

[rcp]

yeah, the positioning of it is not very good...especially when you need to be looking at the road ahead!

 

[blink172]

Quote: Originally posted by AlexJMills on 21 April 2005


They should make it so that the light is more obvious as in they should make the whole rev counter flash. Now that would be cool.

Or have a beeper that lets you know. (Oviously so you could turn it off if you want)

Or incorperate the 4 LED race type ones in the binacle edging and make it actually worth using rather than a last chance to change light

 

[Alex_225]

I guess you could always buy a 3rd party tacometer that incorporates a gear change light and just mount it someone more obvious.

The LED idea sounds good though, just have then light up at the different stages of acceleration.

 

[Leeshez]

I have done 900 miles and had it on about 4 times

 

[soepy]

Bit obvious but if you dim your dash lights at night, the shift light is nice and clear-ish

 

[Karl3158]

Quote: Originally posted by Day on 21 April 2005

I dont have one on my late Mk1 172... I quite often hit the limiter in 3rd while joining the motorway!

I have the same problem... 3rd is a little short

Change into 4th and woops youve hit the ton before you know it!

 

[viceroy]

I lit mine up 4 times during the first time I drive it

 

[rcp]

Quote: Originally posted by viceroy on 21 April 2005

I lit mine up 4 times during the first time I drive it

 

[McBunny]

not the only one lol it was always on in mine

i could always see the light i dunno why everyone else has a problem with it

 

[Sawa]

I never used to see it before last September but now I see it quite often!

 

[silvercup182]

I find the optimum gear change point to be b4 the light comes on anyway.... after the power kicks in just after 5 to 6.5k it starts to die off you might aswell change no? IMHO

 

[Jon_1]

in my 172, I find the light only comes on when the car is not at temp and I give it a little too much gas. Ive done about 3,000 miles since ive had it (january) and Ive only seen it come on a few times. Maybe Im not thrashing the car about too much

 

[ChrisR]

Comes on at 7k in 1st and second, 7250 3rd 4th and 5th.

Or the other way round, but its diff for 1 and 2

 

[edgerfs]

My car gives a special rattle just as the light comes on, honestly.

"special" cos i can hear it through all the others, mostly.

 

[blink172]

What is the exact optimum shift point then if the lights pretty much there for show?

 

[Munson]

1rpm before the limiter seems to work for me. I would think these lumps could run to 8000 without a problem. The limiter is set at "warranty RPM"

 

[MarkCup]

Quote: Originally posted by Roy Munson on 21 April 2005

1rpm before the limiter seems to work for me. I would think these lumps could run to 8000 without a problem. The limiter is set at "warranty RPM"

They do Roy (well, 7,750 I think)...quite happily

 

[Munson]

Prove it!

 

[MarkCup]

Ive got audible proof on a video clip from the last airfield meet. I bounced it off the limiter a couple of times at the top of first as I pulled away...