Hi guys,

I recently picked up a 2022 C8 in accelerate yellow, the most fun and awesome car I’ve ever had! I love these cars…

Which leads me to my question: if I pull back both paddle shifters and rev the motor, but I release the paddle shifters before the RPMs settled all the way back down to idle, will it hurt the transmission or anything in the Corvette? Wondering for both sitting at a stoplight and while driving…

I can’t seem to find this information anywhere, so I thought I’d ask the knowledgeable forum. I appreciate you guys.

Thanks!

 

Look under the topic called 'rapid exit'

I personally would not do it as I am scared of these transmissions but it can be done and is talked about in the manual.

 

Moved to C8 General for more discussion.

 

Owners manual seems to place a lot of emphasis on not shifting into neutral while moving and talking about how that will cause damage

don’t know how the paddle revving would be any different

so I don’t make a practice of doing it at all

 

It's not different that dumping the clutch in a normal manual car, and is in the manual under "Rapid Exit", but I wouldn't make it a habit.

 

Not sure what you are talking about. The manual actually says you can shift into neutral while moving, but it does recommend against coasting for in neutral for long distances, not so much about the transmission as about the use of brakes in absence of engine braking. But there are cautions about shifting into drive with the engine revved up, and that is probably what you are referring to.

But that is different from the rapid exit (described in the manual as a legitimate function) from a double paddle declutch. The big difference is that there are actually neutral positions for all 5 of the shift forks, where none of the gears are engaged if the shifter is in N (this is clear in the Service Manaul that lists the fork positions). Four of them have 3 postions - the center one being neutral, and one of the forks has two positons, one being neutral. But the double paddle declutch does not put all the forks in the neutral positions. Two of the forks, each on one of the dual shafts in the transmission, will be engaged (first and second gear from a standstill, of course). The double paddle declutch does just what it sounds like, it takes the pressure off both clutches, When the engine is then revved up and the paddles released, one of the clutches (first gear from a standstill) will engage in a controlled way resulting in an aggressive launch. The shift forks are not moving at this point.

Its been compared to dumping the clutch in a manual. I would say that maybe that's true for a very skilled driver. I say that only because with the rapid exit, the computer is controlling the clutch engagement in an optimal way to control wheel spin and maximize initial acceleration.

"2. Shift into N (Neutral). This can be done
while the vehicle is moving. After
shifting into N (Neutral), firmly apply the
brakes and steer the vehicle to a safe
location."

"{Warning
Coasting downhill in N (Neutral) or with
the ignition off is dangerous. This can
cause overheating of the brakes and loss
of steering assist. Always have the engine
running and the vehicle in gear."

"{Warning
Shifting into a drive gear while the
engine is running at high speed is
dangerous. Unless your foot is firmly on
the brake pedal, the vehicle could move
very rapidly. You could lose control and
hit people or objects. Do not shift into a
drive gear while the engine is running at
high speed.
Caution
Shifting out of P (Park) or N (Neutral) with
the engine running at high speed may
damage the transmission. The repairs
would not be covered by the vehicle
warranty. Be sure the engine is not
running at high speed when shifting the
vehicle."

 

Very good right up @Andybump 👍 To the OP, when I was younger with a '70 Chevelle I did the stoplight launches and quarter mile runs. Now I'm much more into handling/cornering and the very rare adventure of slightly exceeding the posted speed limit 😉. I don't "beat" on my cars but I do love the overall performance available. Repairs, especially on sports cars, can get a bit pricey if you break something critical. Adding unnecessary wear to the DCT internals isn't something I'd make a habit of.

 

Im not doing ANYTHING to tempt the DCT monster

 

At the Ron Fellows course they said you can rev with paddles in as much as you want...cannot hurt the car. In fact they went on to say you can actually release one handle while revving and wave (parade mode haha). We do a lot of parades in Hawaii with the Corvette Club and we rev all the time cruising through downtown Honolulu and Waikiki. Kids (and grownup kids) love it.

 

Its the rapid exit, as described in the manual, that concerns some. While its a legitimate action, a rapid launch, regardless of how it is entered, puts more strain/stress on the car than benign driving. Its a fact. But many (most?) buy the car and expect to fully exercise its performance features. That just the way it is.

There is now, in the 2024 manual, a manual launch feature, that is entered specifically by pulling both paddles and then releasing one of them. See attached.

Anyway, I regard rapid exits and launch control as coming under the heading of a track like event - and I personally would not do it until had the full 1500 miles recommended before engaging in such activities. That's just me. I know some interpret it differently - thats fine.

"Manual Launch : While the vehicle is in
Double Paddle Declutch, Manual Launch can
be activated to gain more precise control
over the engine speed to prepare for a
Standard or Rapid Exit. To activate this
feature, first enter Double Paddle Declutch,
then release and repull either the + paddle
or − paddle while keeping the opposite
paddle held. The Performance Transmission
Active Light will illuminate in the gauge
cluster to indicate that Manual Launch has
been activated. See Performance
Transmission Active 0 92. When Manual
Launch is active, the engine will respond
differently when the accelerator pedal is
pressed compared to normal Double Paddle
Declutch. The accelerator pedal must be
pressed further to increase the engine rpm
and a lower engine rpm limit will be
applied. This feature also provides faster
engine response during a Rapid Exit if any
of the Performance Traction Management
(PTM) modes or Electronic Stability Control
(ESC) Off has been selected. To exit
Manual Launch, release both the + paddle
and − paddle. The vehicle will also exit
Double Paddle Declutch and the engine will
reconnect to the wheels. A Standard Exit or
Rapid Exit will be performed based on the
same conditions listed previously.
{Warning
When exiting Double Paddle Declutch, the
vehicle may move rapidly. You could lose
control and cause a crash with nearby
people or objects. Be ready to release the
accelerator pedal or apply the brakes
immediately if the vehicle moves too
quickly. Do not use the Double Paddle
Declutch when people or objects are near.
Drive Systems"

 

My R8C delivery person showed me the paddle pull feature and will cause no issues with the transmission.

 

Beware of anything you heard during delivery.

My R8C delivery person was a bottomless well of misinformation.

Example: The HTC can only be raised or lowered when the vehicle is stopped and in park, or wind can blow the car over.

Example: The key fob must always be in the front cupholder before starting or the computer may get confused.

Example: Always turn off the interior motion sensor after starting the vehicle or passenger movements may trigger the alarm.

What if you had the same person, or they had the same trainer?

 

The double paddle declutch itself (to be distinguished from the rapid exit) is harmless. People that track report very frequent replacement of pads, rotors and tires. You can normally go three years or 45000 miles between fluid changes, and 22,500 miles between filter changes after break in, but if tracking, it drops to 24 hours of track use. Clearly, driving the car that way puts extra strain and stress (by choice of the owner) on the car. So does exercising launch control or a rapid exit as described in the Owner's Manual, from a double paddle declutch. Also clear is that under the right conditions as spelled out in the manual such activities are not considered abuse. But it will contribute to wear and tear on the car.

What I am getting at is while its not considered abuse, its not quite harmless either.