anyone here know how shift w/ out using the clutch??? If so, whats your technique?

 

lol tell me ur not serious

 

I would never try, not with a new car. My father told me how he used to do it on his old vettes and muscle cars. He said you just have to time it exactly right at the exact perfect RPMs. I don't even think you could do it on new cars. Good luck though!

 

Get an automatic!!!

 

I am not going to do it on the Z, the tranny is peice of **** as it is. I just know that there are different ways to do it. I didn't know what rpm range anyone else did it in.

 

I had to do it one time one my old 1984 VW GTI when the clutch linkage broke. I was able to "limp" home, shifting without using the clutch. I was very use to the car and knew exactly what the rev drop was for each gear. I just matched it and the shifter just slipped in with no grinding or anything. I had to pop it in neutral at stop lights and then get the car going again with the starter!

I would never try this on the Z.

Silverstone Performance
Phoenix Az

 

I have a friend that says he races w/ out using his clutch except for the start. I don't think that is the smartest thing you could do to your car. I wouldn't even do that once to the Z. Unless I was loaded and didn't care, or if it was someone's Z, whom I didn't like.

 

You can shift without a clutch quite easily if you match the revs properly. If you gently pull on the shifter, it should ease out of gear without grinding when the revs are matched so that there's no load on the gearbox. Pushing it into the next gear is a bit trickier, but it can be done. It is possible to mess up and get a "grind" (actually shift dogs bouncing in and out of engagement), so I wouldn't practice on the Z to learn the technique. I got really good at it on my old RX7 when the clutch cable broke!

 

I believe it's called "power shifting." A no no in my book. It may work, and it may be fun, but the consequences are too high if you don't do it right.

 

My dad used to do it when he drove a semi. I guess when you have that many gears you learn those litle tricks.

 

I went on a semi truck trip w/ a friend one time, it was blast, my friend never used the clutch as well, I thought it was a different tranny system then a normal car's.

 

Right on! Just gotta pay attention. If you are a drag racer, it will get you down the track much quicker.

 

How much faster is it by NOT using your clutch, I can't tell the difference.

 

You can drive without using the clutch normally (not powershifting, that is shifting without letting off the gas), and it is not hard on your tranny at all. It is pretty easy too. You just use the clutch to get going in first, but when you want to shift, let off the gas and gently pull the shifter out of gear and then pull the shifter down to the next gear but don't force it in. If you just hold it against that gear (not to the point where it grinds), it will slip into gear when it hits the right rpm - you can usually do this without having to blip the throttle.
I don't do it in normal driving since using the clutch is just more natural and shifting this way is slower, but it is nice to know in case you ever have clutch problems and you need to be able to limp your car home.

 

The 350 is the easiest car I have driven to do a clutchless shift, especially a high RPM. There is approximately a 500 to 1000 RPM difference between gears. So what I do is tap the throttle to release the gear then hold the throttle to about 25%. I then move the gear shifter to the gate of the next gear without forcing it. As the RPMS lower slowly the gear will go in without grinding. To downshift I do the same thing except I hold the throttle to about 75% open to get the higher rpms.

When racing I just blip the throttle to get the gear in without the clutch. In the Z, at high rpms the engine will slow down very quickly. If you blip the throttle to release the gear then quickly shift the gear it should go right in. I don't recommend do that though unless you mastered clutchless shifting at normal speed.

 

I'm kind of let down that so many fellow Z drivers aren't aware that this is possible ... it's an extremely common tactic, especially for drag racers.

*sigh*, I hope most of us at least know what heel-toe shifting is

 

I am already having to get my POS tranny replaced, I don't know if I am going to test anything on it.

 

I'll ask what is heel-toe shifting. Besides haveing your heel on 1 pedal and your toe on another. Can you explain it and the purpose. without belittleing

 

Hey all,
This link was on another thread, so I can't take credit for knowing about it. This website is really helpful, since I didn't know much of anything about racing. Anyway, this tells you all about heel-toe shifting. Good luck!

http://www.turnfast.com/tech_driving..._heeltoe.lasso

 

That is a good link. The main purpose is to be as smooth as possible. If you drive smooth, you can go faster... and that is the name of the game (circuit racing, not drag...I'm not too sure about drag).