darr3239

You are just trying to do everything at once, like walking and chewing gum, in the shortest amount of time. The blip should occur just as the gear shift lever moves enough to take it out of the gear it's in, and right before the next gear is engaged. The shift lever is not moved step by step. It should be one, on-going, fluid motion.

Mark2009

To make life easier on the transmission. It doesn't want to go into gear at the wrong RPM, but the synchronizers (little gizmos inside the transmission) 'force' it, and that is hard on them. If you match the RPM before putting it into gear your transmission will like you


.

Mark2009

At this point I think we're just working out advanced downshifting (street stuff, not track stuff).

ZedNought6

Dumb Question...I was always taught NOT to downshift into 1st as 1st is only used to overcome the resting inertia of a car. The synchros of 1st gear are not cut out for downshifting while the car was rolling, the car should be at a stop to place it in 1st. Is this not the case with these cars? Gears seem pretty tall, so it would make some sense if 1st was an option. I have been keeping away from 1st and only going into 2nd when moving. I do practice blipping and rev matching. And I assume you've got that right when there is no abrupt drag on the motor or surging forward when the clutch is released. I have been known to drop to 2nd at 60ish...that wakes 'er up! Kind of incurs a spontaneous lane change too, but hence the afore mentioned "have a plan."

AzDave47

Back in the 1950's and earlier many manual transmissions did not even have syncros on 1st gear so unless you were skilled, you needed to be stopped to get 1st gear. By the 1970's almost all manual transmissions had syncros in first gear so you could shift into first while moving. Most engines have enough torque so that if the car is in motion they will go OK in 2nd.

Also many 1st gears are out of RPM by 35 MPH. Our Z's 1st gear is good to 62, but we have so much torque that we usually cannot get the rear tires to hook up with full throttle, but there is not really any reason you can't shift down into first while moving. On road circuits with street tires I usually cannot get all the power down coming out of a 2nd gear corner, so I use third even though I have the revs to use 2nd.

On my Forester I do find some situations where I need to shift down into first while moving, generally a very sharp, steep up hill turn taken at less than 10 MPH (like going into someone's steep driveway). Of course, the Forester doesn't have much torque

darr3239

I agree. If you are moving at all there is no need to go back into first gear with a Z06. Second has all the capability you need to get accelerating quickly.

ZedNought6

Cool thanks for the response. It was dear ole dad's advice that was reinforced by me ruining the synchros in a Nissan I had. I think that the issue was more to do with my heavy hand then, these days I only use about as much pressure as I can generate with my fingers and allow the shifter to fall into gear on its own accord rather than jamming it in. Uhhh seems like the same technique I use for other things now that I older

Rupert pupkin

Rpm difference from what I can tell is usually 1k between gears, while downshifting.

Maligator

If its harsh, due to the fact I didnt rev match, then how is it that a rear wheel automatic would do almost the same thing? When I hammered my TBSS the azz end kicked out and the tires spun on a 2-1 downshift.......

Honestly, your right; I tried it this way/your way/the correct way and couldnt believe how much easier it was to do it all at once! I took a few tries, but it was 100 times easier than how I was doing it before!

Dirty Howie

You can also buy a gas pedal overlay plate that increases the surface area of the pedal thus making the positioning of your foot to brake and blip at the same time much easier. At least on Forum Vendor sells these.


DH

scootguy58

YouTube has a gaggle of downshift videos. Try there. It's a pretty simple concept once one gets it.
Turn off the radio, open the windows and LISTEN to what you are doing. When you get it right ...no bucks, jerks, longitudinal chassis upsetment (your passenger will tell you when its perfect)...then you will know, "Grasshopper".
Also, go somewhere where you are not worried about the braking part, just the smooth downshift part and focus on that for a bit.

On a side note... although the brains of the family has been driving sticks since early "four on the floor", the concept of the perfect downshift even in the Z car, has eluded her. This year, she buys herself a new little P-car. I take her out and in one afternoon, she is d-shifting like Mario. Oh well...

Maligator

I looked, but I didnt see any that had the timing down right where I could visually see what they were doing. Im just going to hit spring mountain in the spring, funny that I need to attend a school to learn how to drive a car!

The biggest problem I have is giving it enough of a blip so it doesnt jerk. My timing is all off; its just easier for me to raise the throttle, hold it, shift into the lower rear and release the clutch. If I blip, and not hold, I cant get the timing right of letting the clutch out, which makes for a spine thrashing ride.............

blkbrd69

Shows what can be done at what speeds.

I can heal toe fine on track, but "can"t" do it on the street as I am pushing the brake almost to antilock engagement when I am rolling my heal over.

I do practice with the car idling, need about a 800 rpm blip depending on timing. Its only about 500 pm between shifts but you are slowing quickly.

Couldnt get consistant till I went to tiny thin sole driving shoes.