Norm Peterson

One thing that I noticed is that the OE PCM programming combined with the DBW throttle isn't all that smart when it comes to giving you the little 'blips' of throttle that your right foot asks for. I can't speak for any of the aftermarket tunes, but the FRPP tune is much better in this respect.

BTW, I normally double-clutch on downshifts in preparation for a turn and when dropping down to 4th or maybe 3rd approaching a traffic light that might just turn green. Better to anticipate the gear that you'll want to be in than feel like you have to cram it into that gear when the driving situation predictably changes.

Ideally, it's more than just engine revs that you want to match, and a good double-clutch also rev-matches the input shaft and transmission countershaft to the new gear's roadspeed requirement. It just takes a little more practice, and it becomes just another second-nature part of driving quickly enough. After 30-odd years, I am still always aware that I am double-clutching, but there has been zero thought given to the details of getting it right for so long that I can't remember ever having to think about it. Except for when the OE PCM programming in this car had no idea what I was trying to make it do, that is.


Norm

Lito

Tip for gas savings:

Dont coast in neutral, coast in gear.

When you coast in gear no fuel is injected into the engine, once you depress the clutch or go into neutral and the engine idle and fuel is burnt.

So a gas saving driving should be coast, go, coast go, always in gear.

haproot

+1 to two posts above..

jahudso2

Yes coasting in gear wont use gas, but if you are having to revmatch to go the next lower gear, you are using more gas than if you are idling, so if you know you are coming to a stop, you should leave the car in whatever your current gear is and just push in the clutch before the engine starts to struggle.

Derf00

When down shifting in manual car in order to accelerate faster you need to RPM match teh engine to the tranny or you risk one of two things. That's what the blip does. Upshifting doesn't require a blip.

1) looking like a dope because when you engage the clutch and the engine and tranny are not speed matched you'll jolt and just to prove you don't know how to drive stick

2) if you jolt hard enough you could damage something. A lot of stress gets put on the engine by down shifting and dumping the clutch.

Riptide

Understood. But I avoid that in my case by adding throttle as I let the clutch out. Therefore, no jolt.

But from what I've been told and from reading here - there is still increased wear with that method.

haproot

Also called shockloading.

Derf00

having driven a manual tranny cars for 350K + miles, while you may wear the clutch out a little faster, here's what my experiences are.

00 V6 mustang replaced the clutch at 94K miles for the hell of it. Still had 25% left. Peeked in on it before I sold it last week at 125K more than 50% left. I was the original owner of that car.

87 Nissan Sentra replaced the clutch at 125k miles for the hell of it. Still had 25% left. Car now has 250K miles on it, still with 2nd clutch. I owned the car from 15K on. My parents still have it. [&:]

My 08 GT is an auto and while I will upshift manually on it rarely, I'm hesitant to downshift manually unless the RPMS are below 2K since there is no rev-matching available.

Derf00

There's going to be wear on something no matter what. Brakes and/or clutch. Brakes are easier to replace so that's one way to look at it. Other way is there's greater control with engine braking.

Lito

I must say this is one of the dumbest statements I've read in these boards.