Power Shifting
Power Shifting 
One Slow Civic.... But I can take turns pretty well :-)
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 0
From: Wilkes-Barre, Pa
Rep Power: 0 
This was covered not to long ago on here, But i'm not gonna pull a honda-tech and yell SEARCH!!
But I will say, from what I hear it is shifting without using the clutch at all. It will damaga your gears and clutch. Don't even try it.
But I will say, from what I hear it is shifting without using the clutch at all. It will damaga your gears and clutch. Don't even try it.
I love to suck t3h c0ck & am supr ghey
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3,441
Likes: 0
From: Vermont
Rep Power: 294 
Originally Posted by Blahman2
There is no way that would work.
Registered!!
iTrader: (7)
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 903
Likes: 0
From: NEAR HOUSTON,TEXAS
Rep Power: 0 um without using the clutch mm nooo. i was under the impression, seeing how a few people i know who do it, it is when you shift at the right rpm without letting off the gas. if you're quick enough then the shifts will feel real smooth like an auto.
One Slow Civic.... But I can take turns pretty well :-)
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,121
Likes: 0
From: Wilkes-Barre, Pa
Rep Power: 0
Originally Posted by big_daddy_b_99
um without using the clutch mm nooo. i was under the impression, seeing how a few people i know who do it, it is when you shift at the right rpm without letting off the gas. if you're quick enough then the shifts will feel real smooth like an auto.
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 30,677
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, PA
Rep Power: 607 
Originally Posted by big_daddy_b_99
um without using the clutch mm nooo. i was under the impression, seeing how a few people i know who do it, it is when you shift at the right rpm without letting off the gas. if you're quick enough then the shifts will feel real smooth like an auto.
yeah, you have to get it at the right rpm.......but stupid to do unless u are driving a big truck
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,478
Likes: 0
From: Lost Angels
Rep Power: 302 I have done it, but not in the vic. And then, only because my cluch cylinder died on the freeway. If you know your car, and have a good feel, you can shift without the clutch. But it was designed fo crashboxes with straight gears and no syncros. Like a true racing tranny. Ours are helical cut, fully syncromesh trannys.
Registered!!
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: Arkansas
Rep Power: 0 Yeah it can be done. I have a buddy who has a '97 eclipse with a short shifter that he cut off so it's really short. He can drive through all 5 gears with no clutch...I couldn't believe it when he did it but it was as smooth as can be...it didn't scrape or anything. He says that if you let it drop to the right rpm when your between shifts it will catch every time but you have to know the exact rpm...he said you can feel it if you've been driving the car for a while.
Registered!!
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: los angeles
Rep Power: 0 power shifting is when you don't lift the throttle. what you are all talking about is something totally different and useless. Truck drivers do it because they have 17 gears. power shifting is bad for your clutch because it slips everytime you shift.
Last time I had this much fun some furniture got broken!
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 8,839
Likes: 2
From: PA
Rep Power: 360 Alot of race car drivers power shift all the time if they can. If the tranny and clutch are tough enough you can do it and save some time. In real racing its a little help but in a street car it is drivetrain suicide.
funny about the 95 eclipse as my friend lost clutch usage (line was bleeding) so clutch was always engaged in his 98 talon (same car basically) and other than the rough pull outs he shifted easily through the gears without disengaging the clutch once.
funny about the 95 eclipse as my friend lost clutch usage (line was bleeding) so clutch was always engaged in his 98 talon (same car basically) and other than the rough pull outs he shifted easily through the gears without disengaging the clutch once.
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 7,035
Likes: 0
From: Spokane, Washington
Rep Power: 330 powershifting sounds pretty dumb to me. our cars are pretty slow unless they are boosted or swapped, so it wouldn't make much of a difference and would put more wear on our cars.
Ask zzyzx. I think he probably knows the most about it. If you checked the other thread then you'll see that he explained what it is. And yes, supposedly you CAN shift without the clutch WITHOUT killing your drivetrain. If he feels like explaining it again, he will, if not, search.
Premium Member
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 2,478
Likes: 0
From: Lost Angels
Rep Power: 302
Originally Posted by y.e.c.r.
Ask zzyzx. I think he probably knows the most about it. If you checked the other thread then you'll see that he explained what it is. And yes, supposedly you CAN shift without the clutch WITHOUT killing your drivetrain. If he feels like explaining it again, he will, if not, search.
I'd never do it on purpose, but it has gotten me home in the past.
Stoplights are a problem, though. Rule of thumb if your clutch fails and you MUST get home..... DON'T STOP! Just roll as slow as the car will run to a light and hope it changes before you run out of space. Once you get the RPM right for the next gear, you just gently push the stick and it will just slide into gear when the rpm's match. Like butter.
Registered!!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Rep Power: 0 
You CAN shift without the clutch, but chances are, you're no Schumaker...
Some rally drivers click of shifts with no clutch (not WRC, they have super unobtanium gearboxes with sequential gears and such...). If you match the input shaft speed to the output shaft speed very precisely and quickly, the fully synchronized trannys in the Civic will do it. Dont do this on the street.
What you should work on instead is heel-and-toeing you downshifts.
Use the clutch.
Some rally drivers click of shifts with no clutch (not WRC, they have super unobtanium gearboxes with sequential gears and such...). If you match the input shaft speed to the output shaft speed very precisely and quickly, the fully synchronized trannys in the Civic will do it. Dont do this on the street.
What you should work on instead is heel-and-toeing you downshifts.
Use the clutch.
Registered!!
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,222
Likes: 0
From: Middleboro,MA
Rep Power: 296 ok if you are talking about power shifting you are talking about holding your foot to the floor (not letting off the gas). Clutching the car into the next gear. Usually when you do this on our cars you bounce it off the rev limiter and the car falls on its *** when you de-clutch. Shifting without the clutch is not new science. It actually takes longer to upshift a syncromesh tranny without the clutch, rendering it useless in most cases. If you rev-match it can still be helpfull in the corners coming in at high speeds downshifting. I will say that its not a good idea to go into a corner fast and try learning this technique. You will end up in the woods. practice on straights for a while. If you want to learn to upshift without a clutch, when you go to shift put light pressure on the stick and try to feel when the syncros line up. If you are patient it will go. If you put too much pressure it will screech(too much of this is not good for the tranny). As for down shifting pull the car out of gear when its not under any load(it should come out fairly easy) once in neutral blip the throttle and put light pressure on the shift lever just like upshifting. it will go when the revs match up. It takes some practice to get it smooth but its nice to master incase you ever have the pleasure of driving an older porche or something. sorry for the long post hehe
Registered!!
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 209
Likes: 0
From: warren ohio
Rep Power: 0 i was under this impression...
waht you guys are talking about isnt called powershifting. your just talking about shiftign without using the clutch. anyone can do it honeslty....
just pull back on the 5speed in 2nd..... as your car slips the gear out, and press ever so slightly on the gear shifter... the stick will slip into the 3rd gear without using the clutch..
powershifting doesnt even fit that scenario... how is the hell is that "power shifting" when anything but power is used in this...
i believe power shifting is when you shift WITHOUT letting off the gas...which is not good for the car but can often times greatly increase 1/4 miles times and what not....
waht you guys are talking about isnt called powershifting. your just talking about shiftign without using the clutch. anyone can do it honeslty....
just pull back on the 5speed in 2nd..... as your car slips the gear out, and press ever so slightly on the gear shifter... the stick will slip into the 3rd gear without using the clutch..
powershifting doesnt even fit that scenario... how is the hell is that "power shifting" when anything but power is used in this...
i believe power shifting is when you shift WITHOUT letting off the gas...which is not good for the car but can often times greatly increase 1/4 miles times and what not....
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,097
Likes: 0
From: Jacksonville, Fl
Rep Power: 374 Powershifting is popular in 5 spd rear wheel drive cars and trucks with a front mounted engine. At a certain rpm, the clutch will float and you can shift up without using the clutch - the shifter being directly attached to the trans. of course you need a RWD, and if you didnt notice, our civics are fwd, therefore if you try and powershift in the civic, you are only f*ing it up.
Registered!!
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 52
Likes: 0
Rep Power: 0 might as well add my .02$ as well...
Powershifting - shifting while racing without lifting up on the gas. Must be very fast and have a clutch that can handle it. Even then, if your a good enough driver, it really won't imporve your times.
Clutchless shifting - sliding into the next gear without the clutch, when the rpms fall inbetween gears you hold it in the next gear, once the rpms fall to the right spot it will go right into gear, or if down shifting you have to rev match it perfect and slide it in. This is not done for racing, more so only when the clutch is gone or about to go, since you have to do it slowly.
Heel-toe - I will agree with the other member. What yous should really be practicing is your heel-toe technique. This is great for down shift when doing auto-x or going into corners, or makeing quick stops. It does take practice of presing the brake and rev-matching while downshifting all at the same time. But its so worth it. I use this technique 24/7 now since it has pretty much become second nature. Not to mention it makes the brakes last a lot longer. For anyone thinknig this can hurt the trans, they are jsut not a good enough driver yet. Also, aftermarket pedals help a ton, since they are closer and you really only have to use the side of your foot, instead of the heel.
Hopefully thats helps some of you.
Powershifting - shifting while racing without lifting up on the gas. Must be very fast and have a clutch that can handle it. Even then, if your a good enough driver, it really won't imporve your times.
Clutchless shifting - sliding into the next gear without the clutch, when the rpms fall inbetween gears you hold it in the next gear, once the rpms fall to the right spot it will go right into gear, or if down shifting you have to rev match it perfect and slide it in. This is not done for racing, more so only when the clutch is gone or about to go, since you have to do it slowly.
Heel-toe - I will agree with the other member. What yous should really be practicing is your heel-toe technique. This is great for down shift when doing auto-x or going into corners, or makeing quick stops. It does take practice of presing the brake and rev-matching while downshifting all at the same time. But its so worth it. I use this technique 24/7 now since it has pretty much become second nature. Not to mention it makes the brakes last a lot longer. For anyone thinknig this can hurt the trans, they are jsut not a good enough driver yet. Also, aftermarket pedals help a ton, since they are closer and you really only have to use the side of your foot, instead of the heel.
Hopefully thats helps some of you.
Last edited by Kevo Dafro; Mar 13, 2005 at 10:44 PM.
Registered!!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 209
Likes: 0
From: monterrey, mexico
Rep Power: 0 ^ he´s right. powershifting has nothing to do with clutchless shifting. In fact shifting without a clutch will only make you do slower shifts, kinda destroys the wole concept of POWERshifting doesn´t it??
Anyone who wants to know about clutchless shifting...
I did it religiously in my 95 DX. My clutch was fine, I just felt I was able to relax more when I didn't use it. You do NOT need to worry about actually matching the RPM's when upshifting. The lock-out will actually guide you when the RPM's are falling and matching up. You do, however, need to get a feel for it first. I think I only touch-grinded the gears 2 or 3 times when I first started. But after that it was absolutely second nature. Downshifting you DO have to match the RPM's, but you can use the same technique as upshifting. Rev your engine to aproximately above the syncro point and follow like before. But If you don't know your car or don't have the reflexes to put it back into neutral if the touch-grind (not a full out grind into gear, just touch and you have a heart attack XP) I do NOT reccomend even attempting this.
My '02, that's a different story. I think it's the linkage or sumthin, but the shifter is ALOT stiffer and not as easy moving as the old vics and tegs. It takes a little more effort to do it, but it can be done! Except my 5th gear... don't know why it won't just go into gear like the rest... Maybe it wants to be different!
I did it religiously in my 95 DX. My clutch was fine, I just felt I was able to relax more when I didn't use it. You do NOT need to worry about actually matching the RPM's when upshifting. The lock-out will actually guide you when the RPM's are falling and matching up. You do, however, need to get a feel for it first. I think I only touch-grinded the gears 2 or 3 times when I first started. But after that it was absolutely second nature. Downshifting you DO have to match the RPM's, but you can use the same technique as upshifting. Rev your engine to aproximately above the syncro point and follow like before. But If you don't know your car or don't have the reflexes to put it back into neutral if the touch-grind (not a full out grind into gear, just touch and you have a heart attack XP) I do NOT reccomend even attempting this.
My '02, that's a different story. I think it's the linkage or sumthin, but the shifter is ALOT stiffer and not as easy moving as the old vics and tegs. It takes a little more effort to do it, but it can be done! Except my 5th gear... don't know why it won't just go into gear like the rest... Maybe it wants to be different!
Thread
Thread Starter
Honda Civic Forum
Replies
Last Post
silentz
1st - 5th Generation Civic 1973 - 1995
8
Jun 17, 2015 10:21 PM
Srudet
Mechanical Problems/Vehicle Issues and Fix-it Forum
2
Jun 7, 2015 09:34 AM
Blazz
Mechanical Problems/Vehicle Issues and Fix-it Forum
14
Jun 4, 2015 01:04 AM
