I have two questions:
1. How far can you exceed the redline by on a stock 87' GXL, becasue I always hear people talking about going up to 8000 or 8500, and I always thought that this was bad.

2. What exactly is heal-toe-braking, I have a faint idea, but I don't think it's right.

 

1. I believe you can go to 8500 where fuel cuts. I would never do that though not worth it since there is not much power up there on stock stuff and you could melt your stationary gears I have only gone to 8100 once by accident.

2. heel-toe braking is using your heel to rev the engine up while braking and downshifting. you brake so that you won't unsettle the car by slowing the car by downshifting.(kinda confussing but oh well i tried)

 

Exceeding redline on a stock motor is a bad idea. There's no power to be had on stock ports and internals up there anyway.

As far as heel-toe, that's a shifting technique, specifically downshifting. It allows you to brake and rev match the engine simultaneously for the next gear you are about to be in. Others will probably chime in with links to properly explain the technique.

 

I lost an engine by exceeding the redline. Mazda put it there for a reason. Don't go beyond.

 

when you down shift, letting the clutch out with the motor at a lower rpm causes the car to jerk. when on the edge of adhesion this can cause you to lose control, let alone upsetting the balance and line. the main purpose is to get you into the proper gear so you can be on the gas as soon as possible. properly done you use the ball of your foot to brake and either the side or heel of your foot (depending on shoe size/pedal placement) to blip the throttle and "rev match" the wheel speed. this is of course done while the clutch is in. timing is the key. you will actually want to overshoot the perfect rpm a bit as by the time you get the clutch out it will have fallen a certain amount (flywheel weight dependent). also do not confuse heel toe downshifting with double clutching.

 

why do u need to redline anyway most of the power is between 4000 rpm and 6000 rpm!! thats not redlining it either!! i shift at like 4000-4500 rpm, fair enough fer me!!

as fer brakin' and down shifting i use my left foot like the Nascar drivers do!!

 

alright, thanks guys, I finally see the light.

 

Well a redline a day keeps the mechanic away.

Nah seriously the power on a stock car drops after 6500 RPMs

 

mines not stock but i was just sayin'.................!!

 

The reason I went beyond was to avoid shifting during a lapping day.

That common arguement is often used, if you look at the total power under the curve it can be benificial to rev it high, even beyond the redline. Keep in mind the next gear starts higher up when you reved it high in the last gear.