Darren

F.Y.I.
Something I have noticed is my tranny with shift smooth as glass so long as I don't depress the clutch much more than an inch or two of its initial travel. Not knowing the car well, I started out "safe" and would put the clutch to the floor before each one of my shifts. When I did this I would often get that "notchy" transitions between gears. As I got more comfortable driving mine I started with the heal/toe and only slightly depressing the clutch. Now my shifts are faster and I hardly ever get a grind or resistance.
Hope this helps

phile

i've noticed that shifting can be smooth without depressing the clutch all the way to the floor also. However in my case, I press almost all the way down with an inch or so to spare before it's fully depressed.

eazy

Hi tony, let me see if I can explain this a little better for you.

First of all, someone said something about heel-toe downshifting. Completely disreguard that. That is more complicated and it doesn't even apply to your situation.

No, 60mph is not too much for 3rd.

The reason you couldn't get into 3rd the first two times is because your rpms weren't close enough to where they should be for that gear at that speed. Your synchro couldn't do its job. By the third time you slowed down enough that the synchro could finally work. That is not a good thing. To learn more about manual transmissions, try this link: http://auto.howstuffworks.com/transmission.htm

Here is the proper way to downshift in a casual situation such as yours:

To downshift from 6th gear @ 60mph to 3rd gear. Push in the clutch. Take it out of 6th gear. Release the clutch. Press the clutch in again. While holding the clutch in, use your other foot on the gas to get your rpms to about 4300. Select third gear. It will slide right into gear like a hot knife into butter. Release the clutch. If your rpms stay matched perfectly it will be a completely smooth and painfree process.

Double clutching is not necessary like in my example because that's what synchros are for. But in a casual situation, it's always best to take it easy on your synchros. By double clutching and rev-matching, your synchros don't have to do anything, and neither does your clutch. It's the most drivetrain friendly way of downshifting.

When you just select third gear and let out the clutch, you make your synchros work really hard, and your clutch takes a beating as it attempts to grab and get the engine to the correct speed. It also causes you to clutch-brake(sort of like engine braking, except your clutch is doing the work). If you do that as you are going around a turn, it's like locking your back wheels up and it can cause you to spin out.

To find the exact rpms to match in 3rd gear at 60mph for your car, just accelerate to 60mph in 3rd and take note of the rpms. There is a way to revmatch very quickly without having to hold your rpms and match them exactly, but you should learn to do it right before you worry about that.

Yep, do the exact method I just described. ANY time you select 1st gear while you are rolling, you should ALWAYS, and I stress ALWAYS, both doubleclutch AND rev-match. Any time you go from 1st gear to reverse - You should be completely stopped, and you should always double clutch.

I hope that helps! Your car/mechanic/pocketbooks will thank me!!

Have fun!

eazy

Well, I just realized I made a mistake. Then this site took its usual dump and I couldn't edit the post. Now it's too late to edit it. Figures. I have some suggestions for the people who run this site, if they are intent on keeping their audience.

Anyway... Let me correct this paragraph.

To downshift from 6th gear @ 60mph to 3rd gear. Push in the clutch. Take it out of 6th gear. Release the clutch. Match the rpms to ~4300. Depress the clutch, and select third gear. It will slide right into gear like a hot knife into butter. Release the clutch. If your rpms stay matched perfectly it will be a completely smooth and painfree process.

Sorry for the mess-up. If you rev-match after you depress the clutch, it isn't a double-clutch. I knew that, I just had a senior moment.

phile

I think everyone is misinterpreting the initial post. Remember he was asking about shifting from sixth to THREETH. Not sixth to third

tractng

iTrader: (9)

Easy,

Can you just do this with one swoop (step)? While it is in 6th gear, can you just step the clutch in while you have the gas down and move it to 3rd gear?


Tony

Nominee

Just double-clutch, you'll be able to get into first no problem, no resistance.

eazy

tract, yep you can do that. I wish I could just show you all of the shifting techniques in real life - it would be much easier than trying to type it out. Just practice and try not to beat up your drivetrain in the learning process.

What you really need to work on, is being able to upshift/downshift from-to any gear at any reasonable speed. Once you have mastered being able to that properly, you can move on to more advanced techniques.

Inova

WHY ARE YOU GUYS DOUBLE CLUTCHING??! that is a waste of effort.

a proper downshift involves matching the revs, and changing into gear in one movement.

clutch, shift from 6th to 3rd, throttle to desired rpm, depress clutch. that is all accomplished in a swift movement and does no harm to your tranny if you match the rpms correctly. its also much quicker and less feathering is required.

supsup

so which is good?

double clutch or "just clutch and gas"

well...
some ppl say the "Clutch and gas" is bad for the clutch

some say there is no need to double clutch with the type of tranny we have...

Kolia

iTrader: (2)

Neither is bad.

I use the "simple" rev matching. If for some reason the gear does'nt engage, switch to double clutching to help it.

phile

guys, double clutching is pointless. WE have synchros for that stuff. If you're worried about stress on your tranny just rev match! END OF STORY.

trash259

Isn't that the best/easiest technique for rev matching downshifts?

All in one motion:
clutch (to the floor), shift from 6 to 3, throttle (rev match), release clutch.

I do this all the time and it results in a clean smooth downshift.

I dont understand the whole "press clutch, put into neutral, release clutch, rev match, press clutch, put into lower gear, release clutch."

As long as your clutch is fully engage or full disengage, you can throttle all you want and your clutch is fine.

Kolia

iTrader: (2)

Releasing the clutch and then bliping will simply spin the input shaft in the transmition, “loosening” the synchros so you can engage any gear (except reverse).

It’s rarelly necessary with a synchro mesh transmition. The only time I needed to do it was to put first gear in or during endurance races when the tranny was getting tired (after +8 hours of racing).