Rep Power: 0

I just bought a new 2004 SI and just learned how to drive manual. I got the basics down, but I'm lookin to learn the better points of shifting. About 2 days ago I raced a 2000 Tiburon and sadly got my *** handed to me. My car shouldve been able to take him so I figured it was my newbie *** driving that messed me up. Anybody know a good rpm for launching, good shift points, or any personal tips for learning? Thanks

 
Rep Power: 314

PUSH THE CLUTCH IN ALL THE WAY!!! (EP tranny's SUCK...so you gotta baby them a bit)

Shift at about 6700 rpm's....maybe less 'till you get comfortable with shifting, and try not to hit the rev-limiter....it's not REALLY bad...but if done TOO much....it can be.

Launch at about 3k - 3500 rpms....but launching doesn't mean DROPPING THE CLUTCH. You still have to ease it out....just faster. Learn your grip point, on a hill is the best way I've found to "teach" your leg where it is....'cause if you don't find it JUST RIGHT...you'll either stall out, or buck like crazy.

Oh...and a lil tip about going from 1st to 2nd....yes the tranny is going to grind. It's not you, it's our shitty OEM crap tranny. BUT!!!! THERE IS A CURE (temporary)....if you KNOW you're going to be racing...and you have an extra 30 seconds.....RUN THROUGH ALL THE GEARS (1-5) a few times while stopped. Meaning.....1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1....1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1....up and down a few times to get everything lubed up and loose enough...and you won't grind if you're shifting correctly. Again...it only lasts for a few minutes...but like I said, it WORKS! (That and pushing the clutch ALL the way in, not just past the grip point.)

Hope that helped a bit, and maybe later down the road...I'll explain Heel-toe shifting...lol.

Just check some major racing sites, and they have ALL KINDS of tutorials for the different shifting methods, like how to shift WITH OUT the clutch, etc. (But again....that comes later... )

 
Rep Power: 374

First off, how many miles are on your EP3? It takes awhile for the K20s to fully break in. If you are racing the car without that many miles on it, than you are hurting it more than anything.

Second off, I use to have a 02 EP3 and I never had a problem with the gears grinding or anything else. If its having that problem, than learn how to drive. If you are driving correctly, than have Honda look at it. I have DC5 and the 6-speed is know to have a little bit of grinding going into 2nd gear. But I really don't have that problem. So make sure you are engaging the clutch all the way before shifting.

Third off, do you know what the Tibby had done? The Tibbies have 140 hp and the SI has 160. But the Tibby weighs less. So really its a drivers race stock for stock. And if he was modified, than of course your going to lose.

 
Rep Power: 563

I remember the salesman telling me....

NO DOWNSHIFTING MORE THAN ONE GEAR AT A TIME UNTIL 1,000 KM's.

 
Rep Power: 314

Somebody doesn't visit ephatch.com very often....

The tranny problems are VERY common. It's just poor quality, IMO....but whatevery. We work with what we get.

 
Rep Power: 314

That's funny....what a weird warning. Kinda like the "not for use as mask" warning on plastic bags....you KNOW they would ONLY put that on there if someone had ALREADY DONE IT...and DIED from it!


But in my opinion....

You have to "break in" the car, how you're GOING to drive it....HARD. It's good for it to "red-line" it every once in a while, set those valves properly, let it "learn" you and how you drive. I didn't do it with my EM2...and I regret it...I think it would have helped a bit. The EP3 now has over 800 miles on it, and I've redlined it a TON..and it drives like "A Bat out of HELL!!" <--Just the way I like it

*Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying RACE DAILY....just give it some gas, get everything set, and you'll be fine.

 
Rep Power: 374

Thats odd. I haven't been of ephatch for a while, but for the good amount of time I was on there I saw one case with people having problems with grinding gears.

 
Rep Power: 0

dude, theres a whole petition going on over there

 
Rep Power: 314

Yup.

I think I'll ride the coat tails of that petition if it works...but for now...

1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 N 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 N 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1

^^ Werks fer me! At the AutoX event on Sunday, one of the other two EP's was grinding into 2nd all day long...but the other EP that wasn't grinding, and I.....yeah...we were running through the gears before each run....and no problems whatsoever. After learning of his troubles, we told him our secret...he tried it, and DIDN'T GRIND!! Weird

I don't know why or how it works...but it does....just long enough for you to shift from red-line 1st into second.