General Automotive Discussion General automotive discussion and chat. Honda, Toyota, Chevrolet, Ford. It doesn't matter, just talk about it here.

Downshifting at red lights...

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-12-2002
  #31  
Ask me about your mom.
 
tekgnosis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,563
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 292
tekgnosis has a spectacular aura abouttekgnosis has a spectacular aura abouttekgnosis has a spectacular aura about
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: n00dleboy
Might as well take a yellow school bus then.
[hr]
Might as well take the SHORT yellow school bus...

Old 08-13-2002
  #32  
Registered!!
 
Toronto's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 75
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
Toronto is an unknown quantity at this point
How to shift
Old 08-13-2002
  #33  
Registered!!
 
StockV6Cam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Normal, Illinois, US
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
StockV6Cam is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: Crash2002
V6 camaro's are slow as heck

edit: they should have only made them with v8's[hr]
ahahahhaha this coming from someone driving a Civic. Listen buddy, if you wanna race my "slow as heck" car, bring it. I've only got a few mods on it.
Old 08-13-2002
  #34  
Registered!!
 
StockV6Cam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Normal, Illinois, US
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
StockV6Cam is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: n00dleboy

Edit: Also the important thing about downshifting is that you are ALWAYS in gear when slowing down. What if you are coasting neutral and then a deer runs out in front of you and you need to accelerate and move out of the way? You'll need to clutch-gear-release clutch and then accelerate and this takes MORE time than if you were already in gear and just gas it.

Think about that one.[hr]
Oh really? How long does it really take for you to put your car and gear and accelerate? For me it's about a quarter of a second. You guys act like it takes 5 minutes to push down a clutch and put a car in gear. If you know what you're doing it's a swift movement and second nature. Now you asked if going from 5k to 2k stresses the engine, then it must be the same for the opposite right? Well it is!! Anytime the engine has load on it, it stresses it. Not that it's going to break from it. But it puts stress on it none the less. If it didn't, engines would never break now would they?
Old 08-13-2002
  #35  
Registered!!
 
n00dleboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Vancouver Canada
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
n00dleboy is an unknown quantity at this point
Ya and that quarter of a second can mean life or death. You're telling me it's faster to

1. Process which gear is appropriate for your speed
2. Depress clutch
3. Change into gear
4. Release clutch
5. Accelerate

THAN to just

1. Acclerate.

??

Well when a deer darts out in front of your car.. we'll see.

Edit:

FYI.
Another mistake people make while driving is to "knock it out of gear" and let the car coast, then shifting it back into gear while still moving. The problem with this is that while the car is coasting, the input portion of the transmission either stops entirely (if the clutch is depressed) or slows to idle speed (if the clutch is not depressed). When the driver attempts to shift back into gear, the syncromesh takes a beating while trying to spin the input portion of the transmission from a dead stop or near stop up to the speed the car is currently traveling down the road. This is an excellent way to quickly wear out the syncromesh in your transmission, which is not a cheap thing to repair.

Old 08-13-2002
  #36  
Registered!!
 
Jotosuds's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: , Other, ZEBRA
Posts: 37
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
Jotosuds is an unknown quantity at this point
There must be a lot of deer in your area. call me lazy, but i'll coast in neutral. brakes don't wear out nearly as often as you must think. and brakes are cheaper to replace, and don't use engine braking, which is bad for your car. whutever. my friend has a mid 90's civic and he coasted in neutral the whole time he drove it. 174,000 miles. never replaced anything except for brake pads once or twice.

yeah...
Old 08-13-2002
  #37  
Registered!!
 
n00dleboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Vancouver Canada
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
n00dleboy is an unknown quantity at this point
If you revmatch properly and downshift the wear and tear (virutally none) is the same as when you are upshifting.

But i guess this is what seperates the good and bad drivers. On the average only 5% of stick drivers revmatch.
Old 08-13-2002
  #38  
Registered!!
 
Frontierboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Phoenix, Arizona, US
Posts: 53
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
Frontierboy is an unknown quantity at this point
Downshifting always seems better. My clutch showed no signs of major wear and i have had my front breaks worked on already. I guess not enough downshifting, or maybe too hard on the brakes. Anyway, if driving a honda or nissan and as long as you don't ride the clutch, it will last a long time. And you'll still probably fix/replace the brakes before the clutch. Just for info purposes, this was in a 4cyl nissan frontier.
Old 08-14-2002
  #39  
Registered!!
 
SOHCVTEC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Cape Coral, Federated States of Micronesia, US
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
SOHCVTEC is an unknown quantity at this point
Alright WTF a V6, most likely 3.4L (160hp, 3300lb y0!) Camaro owner coming here and talking crap about the power of our cars. Not putting enough power to clutch and the like. Alright, I'm a former Cam owner here, 96 Vortec S/C Z28 running 14# boost on stock internals with CC306 cam and all that good stuff. Before you up and insult our performance, you to know that 3.4L Cams run a best of 16.9 stock right? And even if you have a 3.8 sure you may be faster (15.8 stock y0 w/ 200hp), but your car is also hella unreliable and I know this becasue my Z28 was in the shop every two weeks stock and non-stock the whole time that I owned the thing. Of course your clutch wears, the T-5 transmssion in your car wasnt used in the 3rd gen Camaros on anything more than a 305/185hp engine. Why? Too much power and torque that can't be handled by that transmission. The T-5 in Chevys is always a bomb waiting to explode and you are lucky it's just the clutch so far. So.. before you come here talkin crap with your 15.8-16.9 domestic iron machine, know your facts, and if you need to learn all about Honda power, come race me, I'll be happy to help u out.
Old 08-14-2002
  #40  
Registered!!
 
SOHCVTEC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Cape Coral, Federated States of Micronesia, US
Posts: 185
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
SOHCVTEC is an unknown quantity at this point
Oh, downshifting and rev-matching won't hurt anythig. You will get used to it and do it fast enough eventually and wil save wear on the brakes.
Old 08-14-2002
  #41  
Registered!!
 
n00dleboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Vancouver Canada
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
n00dleboy is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: SOHCVTEC
Oh, downshifting and rev-matching won't hurt anythig. You will get used to it and do it fast enough eventually and wil save wear on the brakes.[hr]
Cheers, [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG] my point exactly.
Old 08-14-2002
  #42  
Ask me about your mom.
 
tekgnosis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 2,563
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 292
tekgnosis has a spectacular aura abouttekgnosis has a spectacular aura abouttekgnosis has a spectacular aura about
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: n00dleboy
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: SOHCVTEC
Oh, downshifting and rev-matching won't hurt anythig. You will get used to it and do it fast enough eventually and wil save wear on the brakes.[hr]
Cheers, [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG] my point exactly.[hr]
Double cheers [IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/beer_yum.gif[/IMG]

I can always tell in rush hour when someone is driving stick...they barely use the brakes. I try not to use them at all, except for tapping them to let the guy behind me know that I'm slowing down.

It's obvious that StockV6Cam is a complete amateur driver, so disregard any of his advice.
Old 08-14-2002
  #43  
Registered!!
iTrader: (1)
 
solar's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: St. Pete Beach, FL, Florida, US
Posts: 1,158
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
solar is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: StockV6Cam
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: noypirider
however, i only do engine breaks if i know my break will not be able to stop the car as fast as i would like to.

just my 2 cents...[hr]
EEEEEEEEXactly. Obviously it's different between our cars. In my car, whenever I engage the clutch it wears on the clutch teeth. Not to the point of breaking them, but wear none-the-less. I think the FWD hydrolic clutches engage for you and give you less wear, not quite sure.[hr]
What are "clutch teeth"????

[IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]
Old 08-14-2002
  #44  
Registered!!
iTrader: (1)
 
aznsmtboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco, California, US
Age: 40
Posts: 3,009
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
aznsmtboy is on a distinguished road
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: civic510
Yeah, I'd wear out my brake pads first rather than the clutch. Think about it this way. Would you rather replace your brake pads or your clutch?[hr]
Yeah you must also realize that excessive use of the engine to stop a car, will also take a toll on the tranny, so you don't want to do to much of engine stoping. Also, you don't want to only stop with the brakes, a little bit of both is good. Because using the brakes to stop a car, will not only ruin your brakes but also your rotors. If you even them up a little bit, then you should have a long lasting car, without any tranny problems or, warped rotors.
Old 08-14-2002
  #45  
Registered!!
iTrader: (1)
 
aznsmtboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco, California, US
Age: 40
Posts: 3,009
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
aznsmtboy is on a distinguished road
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: NickDaMans02Civic
, even when I drive a auto I downshift because I get so bored and it saves the brakes life.

Nick[hr]

NO, what are you doing?? Don't downshift to stop the car in a automatic. In laymans terms, you are messing with the ECU when you are downshifting with an automatic. The ECU knows at what point to have the gear shift going up or down. Shifting in an automatic isn't that good as it is. The longer you continue to downshift in a automatic car (physically changing the gears form D to 3 or D to 2nd however it is setup. You will start to experience a lag in gear changing. Your first symptons will probably be in reverse, it will take an extra few seconds to get into reverse.
Old 08-14-2002
  #46  
Registered!!
 
StockV6Cam's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Normal, Illinois, US
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
StockV6Cam is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: SOHCVTEC
Alright WTF a V6, most likely 3.4L (160hp, 3300lb y0!) Camaro owner coming here and talking crap about the power of our cars. Not putting enough power to clutch and the like. Alright, I'm a former Cam owner here, 96 Vortec S/C Z28 running 14# boost on stock internals with CC306 cam and all that good stuff. Before you up and insult our performance, you to know that 3.4L Cams run a best of 16.9 stock right? And even if you have a 3.8 sure you may be faster (15.8 stock y0 w/ 200hp), but your car is also hella unreliable and I know this becasue my Z28 was in the shop every two weeks stock and non-stock the whole time that I owned the thing. Of course your clutch wears, the T-5 transmssion in your car wasnt used in the 3rd gen Camaros on anything more than a 305/185hp engine. Why? Too much power and torque that can't be handled by that transmission. The T-5 in Chevys is always a bomb waiting to explode and you are lucky it's just the clutch so far. So.. before you come here talkin crap with your 15.8-16.9 domestic iron machine, know your facts, and if you need to learn all about Honda power, come race me, I'll be happy to help u out.[hr]
Hahahahahhahah wow, as a matter of fact. The 3.4's STOCK run a best of 15.6's, most are at 15.9's (the 5 speeds at least). The 3.8's usually are at 15.1's stock. Now you take my 3.4, add a K&N FIPK, MSD DIS-4 Ignition w/ taylor wires and NGK plugs (helps alot), 3" cat, cat-back exhaust, 3.73 Rear w/ LSD, 1 pc. Aluminum Driveshaft, and BMR LCA's and you've got a nice mid-high 14 second car. Less than 1000 bucks and I've got a car that smokes just about any car on this site (probably yours too) and looks alot better. Oh and I'd like to know how you ran 14 pounds of boost w/ stock internals. And if you didn't know, a cam is considered an internal. What CR were you running? I think you're full of it. Oh and just so you know, my car has 74k miles on it and has never been in the shop. Yeah, real unreliable
Old 08-15-2002
  #47  
Registered!!
 
WeakVTEC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: FL, Florida, US
Posts: 86
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
WeakVTEC is an unknown quantity at this point
Well, my login doesn't seem to be working so I made another one. Alright now, I shouldn't have said stock internals for my Camaro, stock BOTTOM END more like it i suppose. And I didnt' say it worked well did I? One of the reasons I don't have the Camaro anymore is because blew the motor, had it rebuilt for about two months with a good bottom end, then the FIRST day I took the car back out, It got rear-ended at a stop light by some dumb drunk. Guess that car just wasn't meant to be. By the way the blower was a Vortech V-1T. Now, here's some proof that modded N/A 3.4Ls run high 15's - low 16's: V6 F-body Owner Timeslips The FASTEST 3.4L N/A runs a 15.6. Now what do I run? 15.7 ish. You are NOT the fastest 3.4L Fbody I can guarantee you that because i know Tim. The 3.8 timesleips also prove my point.

0wn3d
Old 08-20-2002
  #48  
Registered!!
 
civicman10's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Ventura County, California, US
Posts: 140
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
civicman10 is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote
[hr]When downshifting, as you push the clutch in, give the gas pedal a little blip (quick press) - just enough to bump the RPM up to what it will be when you shift down to the next gear. As you do this, shift smoothly, then quickly release the clutch.[hr]
Does it matter which order you do this in?

For example, does it matter if you
a) Push clutch in, give some gas, shift down, release clutch

or

b) Push clutch in, shift down, give some gas, release clutch

Also, the quote above says to quickly release clutch? Does that make sense or am i just reading it wrong?
Old 08-20-2002
  #49  
Registered!!
 
RunawaySoul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: , Georgia, US
Posts: 615
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
RunawaySoul is an unknown quantity at this point
This is crazy. I've downshifted in every manual car I've had. My previous car was an acura integra with almost 200k miles on it. I downshift as I always do, press down the clutch and downshift, and gradually let go of the clutch when the RPM matches the speed I am in. For those that say that wears out the clutch, BS! 200k on an original clutch and it still had the original clutch when I sold it.

Even the manual in Honda's instruction book will tell you it's ok to downshift. I don't believe Honda would tell you do destroy your own engine. Even if they did, people would eventually catch on and not buy Hondas.

It is indeed safer to downshift than to coast in neutral. I'd rather pay the price of a clutch in that case than to pay with my life. If my life isn't worth the price of a clutch, I am going to go kill myself now. Have a nice day!

Old 08-20-2002
  #50  
Panda
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
hehheee..you should try to blip the throttle using the " heel-toe" method...and match the revs while you downshift...hehhehhehe
Old 08-20-2002
  #51  
Registered!!
 
n00dleboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Vancouver Canada
Posts: 1,807
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
n00dleboy is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote
[hr]Originally posted by: civicman10
Quote
[hr]When downshifting, as you push the clutch in, give the gas pedal a little blip (quick press) - just enough to bump the RPM up to what it will be when you shift down to the next gear. As you do this, shift smoothly, then quickly release the clutch.[hr]
Does it matter which order you do this in?

For example, does it matter if you
a) Push clutch in, give some gas, shift down, release clutch

or

b) Push clutch in, shift down, give some gas, release clutch

Also, the quote above says to quickly release clutch? Does that make sense or am i just reading it wrong?[hr]
No it doesn't matter which order, but gradually you'll do it so fast you won't even realize the order. And when you've done it right you won't even feel your car jerk when you downshift.

Old 08-20-2002
  #52  
Registered!!
 
RunawaySoul's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: , Georgia, US
Posts: 615
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
RunawaySoul is an unknown quantity at this point
The dude with a camaro, get a REAL corvette. I'm not listening to some dude with an American car tell me how to shift. American cars are different cause they suck, they are poorly made. That's why the clutches don't last. My dad's corvette is on his 2nd clutch, only has 33k miles on the car. Come back when you have some knowledge.
Old 08-21-2002
  #53  
Registered!!
 
SikVik's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Lakeland, Florida, US
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Rep Power: 0
SikVik is an unknown quantity at this point
I had a 96, 5-speed V6 Camaro, until I totaled it. I never had to replace the clutch all the way up to 110k miles. Oh yeah, I have always downshifted when stopping in every car I have ever owned. I like my Honda way better than I liked that heavy POS Camaro. The doors of that damn car probably weigh more than I do.
200 HP was kinda nice in my Camaro(would have been nicer in a lighter car), but I am hoping someday to have at least that much in my Civic.
[IMG]i/expressions/face-icon-small-puke.gif[/IMG]GM

Honda
Old 08-21-2002
  #54  
Jap-Euro Fusion
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Thread Starter
iTrader: (16)
 
Boilermaker1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Washington DC
Age: 41
Posts: 13,151
Likes: 0
Received 3 Likes on 3 Posts
Rep Power: 400
Boilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to beholdBoilermaker1 is a splendid one to behold
Quote
[hr]200 HP was kinda nice in my Camaro(would have been nicer in a lighter car), but I am hoping someday to have at least that much in my Civic.[hr]
YOU WISH[IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG][IMG]i/expressions/laugh2.gif[/IMG]


I've been working on this, now I have another question. I drop the gear, and give it some gas... now do I give it enough gas just to keep it from idling and let the clutch pull the revs up (feel the drag on the clutch), or do you rev it high enough that when you pull the clutch back out, the revs drop to where they need to be. Pulling the revs up slows the car down alot faster, and I'm doing it evenly, I just feel drag, I don't get thrown forward, but I'm sure that's not good.
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Honda Civic Forum
Replies
Last Post
UltraHDGames
Member's Rides
13
06-08-2016 05:16 PM
Tyler93
Mechanical Problems/Vehicle Issues and Fix-it Forum
6
03-20-2016 09:03 PM
Solo Flow
Mechanical Problems/Vehicle Issues and Fix-it Forum
6
10-04-2015 07:52 AM
frank_kleng
7th Generation Civic 2001 - 2005
4
09-29-2015 10:55 PM
tommycanada
Mechanical Problems/Vehicle Issues and Fix-it Forum
1
09-05-2015 04:59 PM



Quick Reply: Downshifting at red lights...



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:22 PM.