Whats the proper way to downshift in a Z and use the engine to do some of the braking?

 

Rev matching is your friend.

 

+1

 

Quick blip of the throttle is the proper way, or heel-toe if you have some fancy footwork. I find its more difficult to downshift smoothly at low rpm's on the Z, due to the higher clutch engagement point, but at mid-high rpm's its easy.

 

So just dropping it into, say 3rd at 40mp or so and slowly letting the clutch out is not the best idea?

 

Anytime you downshift, release the clutch and hear the revs go from low to high, you are wearing your clutch. That is why people here are suggesting you match the revs with a quick blip of the throttle. Rev matching will also come in handy if you ever track your car.

 

+2!!!!

Just do it. Besides, it sounds cool too.

 

Ahh, I get ya now. Thanks man...much appreciated. This is my first ever manual tranny car, so I am trying to learn the best ways to drive it.

 

I don't want to sound like a retard, but what is match revving? :-/

 

This is easier to explain in person, but let me try:

Let's say you downshifted from 4th to 3rd around 3000rpm (I am just picking a number at random for this example). While your foot is on the clutch, the rpm's will drop since the engine is no longer connected to the wheels. So let's say you are now down to 1000rpm.

If you now release the clutch, the engine will reconnect to the wheels, and since you are still moving at about the same speed down the road, the wheels will cause the engine to jump back to 3000rpms (which wears the clutch).

Matching your revs (revs=revolutions=rpm's) means you give a quick tap on the accelerator to try and bring the engine to around 3000rpms, then release the clutch. That way, the clutch will reconnect to the engine when both are turning at 3000rpm's and you won't wear the clutch.

 

When do you give the quick tap on the gas? When you are in neutral? Doesn't the foot have to be off the clutch at that point when you rev in neutral? I am gettin' rev matching confused with double-clutching...but I think they are the same thing right?

Steps:
1. right foot on gas in 4th gear @ 3k rpms
2. right foot off the gas and then left foot to press the clutch (rpms drop at this point)
3. shift to neutral
4. Remove foot off clutch?
5. tap the gas with left foot when in neutral to bring rpms up to 3k or whatever..
6. left foot presses the clutch (the double-clutch occurs here)
7. shift to 3rd gear
8. left foot off the clutch then right foot on the gas and FLOOR THE ****!!

hahaha...can anyone correct me on the steps above?

 

rev matching is EASY if you think of it like this.

Downshifting is the OPPOSITE of Up-shifting (the go-fast, fun one!!)

Now when you Up-shift, you let off the gas and clutch-in, right? what happens to the RPMs as you make a smooth shift? they drop a slight bit. this is also rev-matching...in a sense. If you power shift you basically plow thru the gears and dont let the RPMs drop much (drag style)

Now do the reverse to downshift. When you clutch in....you need to RPMs to go UP not DOWN! So you tap the throttle (500 rpm/gear is good to start with) SO if you go from 5th @ 3000rpm to 3rd gear...you would have to get the engine to spin about 4-4,500 RPM to engage smoothly and not dride the clutch.

 

AFAIK double clutching isnt 100% necessary. Some people might argue how over the long run it will save you some syncros or something.....not sure myself...but certainly not needed....

 

Remove Steps 2 and 6. You do it while clutch is pressed once.
Press clutch-> Neutral-> accel blip -> downshift->release clutch. Not too difficult...

If you get used to it, you do all these almost simultaneously!! I'm at that point right now, and I do this for both 4th to 3rd and 3rd to 2nd while stoping.

Once you can do this with ease, it's time to learn hill and toe.. which is rather difficult...

 

Best way to learn, let an experienced driver take you out for a spin. Then practice what you see. Easy concept thats hard to explain on paper. Practice makes perfect.

 

I've been trying to teach my buddy how to heel toe for the last year. It's hilarious. I figure he just need to get on a track and get someone else to show him a different way. Jerky-jerk is his nickname now. LOL!!!! I have been racing a stick so long it just comes naturally to me. I actually roll my foot from the brake to accel. Heel on accel toe on brake until I have decided to mash the gas coming out of the turn. But, I have wide feet. Sorry, it comes with time and a lot of country or mountain driving.

Not something that you can do perfectly in just a day. It takes a few days to get the hang of it. Then you need a few more days to get it on the edge. You have to make it around the corners braking and hitting the accelerator at the same time.

 

cool thread. hey you guys forgot to add lifting up the e-brake when you understeer =)

 

"Slower cars are friends not food."

-Finding Nismo

 

Soon you’ll be able to “feel” the correct speed and gear for downshifting. It will become second nature. The shift should be smooth: no tach bouncing to red line, and no 20 feet of rubber left on the road. Smooth is the key.

Rev matching and double clutching has its place, but practice and work on smooth. Later, when you're running Solo I and II, you can do all that other fancy stuff.

 

how to perform 'Rev Matching' you ask? a good visual way is to watch nearly any Best Motoring dvd