downshifting question
03-18-2008
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downshifting question
this is a noob question but im a self taught stick driver and i never really got around to askign bout this.
when shifting down from 4th to 3rd, can u skip 3rd and go to 2nd. or is skipping gears downshifting really bad?
when shifting down from 4th to 3rd, can u skip 3rd and go to 2nd. or is skipping gears downshifting really bad?
03-18-2008
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Re: downshifting question
Skipping gears isn't a really good idea shifting up or down.
My buddies Camaro makes him skip 2nd gear when he is getting on it, which I always thought was weird. I assume it's because his transmission is designed that way.
In any case, and if I'm wrong I'm sure I'll be corrected, but I think downshifting is hard on the tranny anyways, downshifting 2 gears is just that much harder and I think skipping gears when upshifting kinda hurts the clutch a little bit.
I guess the only time I would consider this is if I was going down the highway, had to slow wayyyy down to like 10mph for a deer crossing the road, I might skip it down to 2nd, but at that point the engine has slowed way down too.
And if you are downshifting to brake,
. Just get better brakes they are cheaper and easier to fix than trannies and clutches.
My buddies Camaro makes him skip 2nd gear when he is getting on it, which I always thought was weird. I assume it's because his transmission is designed that way.
In any case, and if I'm wrong I'm sure I'll be corrected, but I think downshifting is hard on the tranny anyways, downshifting 2 gears is just that much harder and I think skipping gears when upshifting kinda hurts the clutch a little bit.
I guess the only time I would consider this is if I was going down the highway, had to slow wayyyy down to like 10mph for a deer crossing the road, I might skip it down to 2nd, but at that point the engine has slowed way down too.
And if you are downshifting to brake,
. Just get better brakes they are cheaper and easier to fix than trannies and clutches. Last edited by pheaton; 03-18-2008 at 06:39 AM.
03-18-2008
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Its fine just make sure your not goin like 40 mph cuz at that speed a downshift would be revvin 2nd till like 4500 or 5k lol. Other than that, i think you should be ok.
03-18-2008
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Re: downshifting question
yeah last night I was driving in 5th, I was slowing down, once I hit about 80km/h I went to shift down to fourth but I missed it and accidentally went into second. not good....it was revving at like 6000 RPM and I didn't know what the hell was going on.
but I've only been driving stick for a few days. I hope I haven't caused too much damage with all of my stalling and jerky shifts. getting considerably better though!!
but I've only been driving stick for a few days. I hope I haven't caused too much damage with all of my stalling and jerky shifts. getting considerably better though!!
03-18-2008
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doing it once "shouldn't" hurt your trans, just try not to do it too often. I mean even people that have been driving a manual since they were 16 still miss shifts, its gonna happen, just don't make it frequent.
03-18-2008
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i always downshift to slow down, daily driving. cracked my tranny case open not long ago and everything looks as healthy as if it had zero miles. clutch still looks brand new and has like 70k on it. just blip the throttle a bit and try to rev match.
03-18-2008
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i have accidentally done it a couple of time :P
i am an idiot, however.
What do you do when you are going in 5th gear, then slow down to cruise around a yield? I always push the clutch, push the brake, then pop it in 2nd and cruise on through.
i am an idiot, however.
What do you do when you are going in 5th gear, then slow down to cruise around a yield? I always push the clutch, push the brake, then pop it in 2nd and cruise on through.
03-18-2008
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Rep Power: 328 Re: downshifting question
^thats fine......just dont drop ur clutch or else ur gonna blow ur redline....
and its also a good idea to know what the RPM will be at different gears on different speeds...
^if that makes sense to you...
so when you down shift, you should try and revmatch that RPM to take some stress off ur transmission....
and its also a good idea to know what the RPM will be at different gears on different speeds...
^if that makes sense to you...
so when you down shift, you should try and revmatch that RPM to take some stress off ur transmission....
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Rep Power: 328 Re: downshifting question
im a pretty agressive driver and i downshift ALL the time..not just "once is a while"
im at 95k miles and my engine is still awesome.
(but then again, i take care of my car very well)
im at 95k miles and my engine is still awesome.
(but then again, i take care of my car very well)
03-18-2008
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is it bad to be pressing the clutch about halfway while giving it a bit of gas if I just wanna creep up slowly? I heard that holding the clutch too much is bad but I don't know how else to just creep along at a very slow pace. That is the only instance where I do that though so it's not all that often...
03-18-2008
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Rep Power: 224 Re: downshifting question
is it bad to be pressing the clutch about halfway while giving it a bit of gas if I just wanna creep up slowly? I heard that holding the clutch too much is bad but I don't know how else to just creep along at a very slow pace. That is the only instance where I do that though so it's not all that often...
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You can shift from any gear to any other gear as much as you like. Problem comes when your RPM and speed don't match. Also driving with the clutch not fully in or out is always a bad idea (unless in neutral of course).
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03-18-2008
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03-18-2008
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Rep Power: 328 Re: downshifting question
is it bad to be pressing the clutch about halfway while giving it a bit of gas if I just wanna creep up slowly? I heard that holding the clutch too much is bad but I don't know how else to just creep along at a very slow pace. That is the only instance where I do that though so it's not all that often...
03-18-2008
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thanks guys, so its not a good idea lol. another question, can u change the accuall gears (replace it with a new gear) if their grinded up. say u just wanna change 2nd??
03-18-2008
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you shouldn't creep along slowly while holding the clutch in....thats bad bad bad. For you that said it was ok it ruins that one thing called a throw out bearing and isn't good for your pressure plate either...I did it when I first drove my stick and now even at idle it chirps kinda..its hard to explain the sound.
And to answer your question yes, but very pricey though. You'd be better off getting a used tranny from a junkyard.
And to answer your question yes, but very pricey though. You'd be better off getting a used tranny from a junkyard.
Last edited by Alex857; 03-18-2008 at 07:15 PM.
03-18-2008
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you shouldn't creep along slowly while holding the clutch in....thats bad bad bad. For you that said it was ok it ruins that one thing called a throw out bearing and isn't good for your pressure plate either...I did it when I first drove my stick and now even at idle it chirps kinda..its hard to explain the sound.
And to answer your question yes, but very pricey though. You'd be better off getting a used tranny from a junkyard.
And to answer your question yes, but very pricey though. You'd be better off getting a used tranny from a junkyard.
03-18-2008
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haha no no but I'm saying don't like ride it. Sorry man I read fast and thought he meant like drifting around in gear with the clutch pedal pressed. Thats my mistake. Not saying I do it all the time but yes I have dropped it lol
also I have a bad habit of pedalling my car from a stop (like not giving steady fuel but more like brum brum brum as I let the clutch out lol). My clutch and pressure plate gives me fits when they warm up lol.
also I have a bad habit of pedalling my car from a stop (like not giving steady fuel but more like brum brum brum as I let the clutch out lol). My clutch and pressure plate gives me fits when they warm up lol.
Last edited by Alex857; 03-18-2008 at 07:34 PM.
03-18-2008
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you know whats my worst habbit???
whenever im at a stop on a upward hill, i always rock my car up n down..... hahah im sure its eating up my clutch like mad.
whenever im at a stop on a upward hill, i always rock my car up n down..... hahah im sure its eating up my clutch like mad.
03-18-2008
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Re: downshifting question
noone mention Rev match?
If you rev match before u downshift, nothing hurts except you burnt more gas.
let say it is 1800RPM when u are going 60km/h @ 5th gear, now you want to downshift to 4th gear. Notice that @4th gear,the engine speed will be higher in order to go at the same speed. So you clutch in---->rev to 2000RPM----->downshift from 5th to 4th gear--->release the clutch.
If you do it right, u can even dump the clutch and will not feel anything.
If you rev match before u downshift, nothing hurts except you burnt more gas.
let say it is 1800RPM when u are going 60km/h @ 5th gear, now you want to downshift to 4th gear. Notice that @4th gear,the engine speed will be higher in order to go at the same speed. So you clutch in---->rev to 2000RPM----->downshift from 5th to 4th gear--->release the clutch.
If you do it right, u can even dump the clutch and will not feel anything.
Last edited by colourwolf; 03-18-2008 at 10:16 PM.
