Who rev matches their downshifts?

[ARCOgraphite]

The "car rich" kids with their $$$ Civic Si and Subaru WRX and Mitsu Lancer EVO must drive a stick I would guess. My wife would still not concede to a auto trans (or CVT!)yet at almost 60 years old, she.

 

[OVERKILL]

I rev match but don't double-clutch.

 

[SteveSRT8]

I routinely drive a toy truck with an old m-21 trans without using the clutch at all except to start off. I once made deliveries for weeks in an old step van with a 4 speed manual in it and no clutch at all. Used the starter to get going in first and then played rev match for hours on end in traffic. Second nature to me...

 

[MCompact]

I rev match/double-clutch 100% the time. Once it's a habit it makes doing the same at HPDEs a LOT easier.

 

[hpb]

On the rare occasion that I drive a manual car these days, I always rev match, but don't double clutch. I rode a new BMW R1200 motorcycle recently, they have a quickshifter which allows you to change up and down without using the clutch or backing off the throttle. It's awesome, and on downchanges the ECU gives the engine a little "blip" to match the engine revs to wheelspeed. I think a few of the paddleshift cars do that too.

 

[supton]

I generally do. But I coast to most stops, and generally skip shift too, so there can be big rpm jumps.

 

[Rosetta]

Not rev matching isn't that stress full for clutches as opposed to taking off.

 

[gregoron]

I rev match but don't double clutch. Sometimes I go through corners and curves without using brakes, just downshifting and engine braking. No fancy heel and toe, just blipping the accelerator. It's definitely involving.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Volv04Life

Im in the same relearning boat. I never did know how to rev match and still dont. I just come to a stop and throw it in first...

Rev matching is easy. When decelerating give the engine a shot of gas as you are using light pressure on the gear shift in the gear your trying to get into. When I was a kid I drove a grain/dump truck in the fall for my uncle at harvest time. The clutch pedal wasn't assisted in any way,and being a pre-teen I wasn't strong enough to push it in completely with one foot,so I used both feet and rode the clutch,using no fuel either,to take off. Unloaded it was easy but with a load on it was impossible so my uncle raised the idle speed 300rpm and then it was do-able. Ever since then I only use the clutch to start off with,unless of course I'm driving aggressively. And I've never turned a tranny into crunchy pudding that wasn't already on its way out anyway. Not a 4/5/6 speed manual anyways. I was driving a tow truck for a few weeks a couple years ago,filling in for a friend who got hurt and needed a driver. It was a 79 chev with a 454 and a 4 speed. It had a bull low gear which topped out at 5mph,so unless you had 15000 on straying in second was the way to go b As he walked me thru the "quirks" which he referred to as the trucks "personality" he was adamant about rev matching on both up shifting and down shifting. He maintained his own trucks,none of which were newer than 1985,and he was very clear that there was no wear to the driveline parts when rev matching was properly done. Considering he's been operating his small fleet since the 1985 truck was bought new I took his word for it. Just food for thought.

Originally Posted By: SteveSRT8

I routinely drive a toy truck with an old m-21 trans without using the clutch at all except to start off. I once made deliveries for weeks in an old step van with a 4 speed manual in it and no clutch at all. Used the starter to get going in first and then played rev match for hours on end in traffic. Second nature to me...

Funny you mention that. I had an old ford tempo that the clutch was cooked but the clutch job cost more than the car was worth so once it died I was leaving it where it died. I drove that car for a spring and summer like that while I was getting a 350 target master into my cutlass. In traffic you had to be really attentive and anticipate everyone's actions around you. And the car never did die on me. I got the cutlass finished just before school started and I left it at a friends farm which it then became a field car that eventually blew up at a party in said field and from there it got riddled with holes as a target I rev match on my bikes too. There's just something inside you that feels right when your shifting gears without the clutch and they just slide right in. What's double clutching. How exactly is it done,and why is it done? Thanks

 

[A_Harman]

Double clutching is pausing the shifter at neutral and letting the clutch pedal back out. Then you push the pedal back in, and put the shifter into the next gear you were going to select. This matches the speed of the input shaft to the engine before the next gear is engaged. Double clutching is necessary on unsynchronized gears.

 

[KitaCam]

No need to double clutch to rev-match the Kitacamry...just a bit of "goosing" the accelerator does the trick.

 

[Delta]

I always try to rev match on my downshifts. Always did this with my 04 Nissan Frontier with the little 4 cylinder, made it more fun to drive. The Jetta seems to almost need it; its clutch and transmission can be a wonky grumbly mess most of the times (putting it in 2nd before reverse unless you like a grind comes to mind...). No matter how much I try, about 90% of the time you will not get a perfect rev-match going into 2nd from 3rd.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: A_Harman

Double clutching is pausing the shifter at neutral and letting the clutch pedal back out. Then you push the pedal back in, and put the shifter into the next gear you were going to select. This matches the speed of the input shaft to the engine before the next gear is engaged. Double clutching is necessary on unsynchronized gears.

Gotcha. Thanks A-Harman.

 

[gregoron]

Originally Posted By: Delta

I always try to rev match on my downshifts. Always did this with my 04 Nissan Frontier with the little 4 cylinder, made it more fun to drive. The Jetta seems to almost need it; its clutch and transmission can be a wonky grumbly mess most of the times (putting it in 2nd before reverse unless you like a grind comes to mind...). No matter how much I try, about 90% of the time you will not get a perfect rev-match going into 2nd from 3rd.

I have an older Jetta (see signature) and yes, my 5 speed MT is notchy. I sometimes have problems getting 1st. However, 2nd gear is very short geared. Going from 3rd to 2nd on mine requires around 1k to 1.5k rpm to rev match. You really gotta step on it. I dunno if this applies to yours.

 

[cutter]

I try to do it at any opportunity. I <span style="font-weight: bold">definitely</span> do it when shifting from 6th to 3rd at 60 mph.

 

[D189379]

I did it in my old truck just to master it. Once I figured it out, it honestly seemed kind of pointless. Just a waste of gas imo.

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: gregoron

I have an older Jetta (see signature) and yes, my 5 speed MT is notchy. I sometimes have problems getting 1st. However, 2nd gear is very short geared. Going from 3rd to 2nd on mine requires around 1k to 1.5k rpm to rev match. You really gotta step on it. I dunno if this applies to yours.

It's just real picky about that sweet spot. Normally I'll rev too little or too much depending on my speed. Normally when I come to a stop I'll drop down through the gears to 3rd and fully clutch it to a stop. It's a real quirky clutch/flywheel/trans combo.

 

[gregoron]

Originally Posted By: Delta

Originally Posted By: gregoron

I have an older Jetta (see signature) and yes, my 5 speed MT is notchy. I sometimes have problems getting 1st. However, 2nd gear is very short geared. Going from 3rd to 2nd on mine requires around 1k to 1.5k rpm to rev match. You really gotta step on it. I dunno if this applies to yours.

It's just real picky about that sweet spot. Normally I'll rev too little or too much depending on my speed. Normally when I come to a stop I'll drop down through the gears to 3rd and fully clutch it to a stop. It's a real quirky clutch/flywheel/trans combo.

Have you replaced the brake/hydraulic clutch fluid? VW recommends changing them every 2 years.

 

[Delta]

Originally Posted By: gregoron

Have you replaced the brake/hydraulic clutch fluid? VW recommends changing them every 2 years.

Not since I bought it 1.5 years ago. Last brake service was 42K (58,3xx now) miles/3 years according to records. It is due though, pedal is getting wonky since it's replaced the Expedition as daily driver. Need to get it to a dealer before winter for it. Not trusting the local redneck shops around here.

 

[Pajamarama]

As someone who drives a MT car, I'm not sure if I do or I don't. What exactly is "rev matching downshifts"? Sorry if this is a stupid question.