Mark355

We all change gear so many times that we probably don't think about it much, allowing muscle memory to seize control. I've always had this fascination with getting every gear change smoother-than-automatic perfect. I find it really rewarding. Makes me feel like I'm a good driver and being kind to my car. Low torque and close ratios make it a challenge every time I drive.

Some days I can really nail it. Ever redline 1st but cast aside the urge to slam 2nd? Slide into 2nd unhurriedly while letting the revs fall to just a bit above 6k in an AP2 and the change is butter smooth if you apply suitable throttle toward the really 'grabby' part of the clutch travel. Rev matching isn't just for downshifts. Timing this is even easier at redline in higher gears because it doesn't seem like there's as large a difference in ratios as there is from 1-2. Enhance the smoothness by gradually getting off the throttle approaching redline, clutching in quickly before engine braking begins.


Modulating the throttle instead of treating it like an on/off switch will diminish the abrupt change in momentum that's throwing your passenger's head all over the cabin. Do this through three or four gears and it's a kinda strange sensation because you're still moving quickly with the engine roaring but the cog changes rival an automatic for seamlessness. Zero jolt from drivetrain shock. Yes, it's slower than Best Motoring but speed isn't the objective here.

For downshifting, sadly I can't heel-toe and modulate the brake pedal well. I usually brake way too hard so instead I just brake, let go, and clutch in while blipping then brake some more after the downshift. Not particularly fast but fine for the street. I find the rev match takes a bit more finesse when going down in the box. I blip by ear and aim for 200 - 300 rpm higher than the engine speed I estimate will align with my wheel speed for the lower gear. This makes for a sublime transition but blip too hard and the car will lurch forward when engaging the clutch, not something you want when slowing down. Blip too little and you can feel the synchros (correct me if I'm wrong here) working harder to compensate for the speed differences, something you can really detect through your seat.

The car will tolerate quicker clutch engagements if your rev matching is really precise. I find zipping through town, where it seems you're reaching for the gear lever constantly, and having your blips echo off the buildings while dancing on the pedals to nail three downshifts approaching a corner is one of the most enjoyable daily moments in the car. No jolt or stammering. No slippage or mistreatment. Hardly any thinking, just the timing and reflexes of a three pedal God.


Then there's those other days where I just don't have it. My 1-2 timing is off, redline or otherwise. My blips aren't particularly accurate, typically being low off my target but sometimes just low enough where I think "that could have been a little better." It's simply not as smooth as I want. I'm struggling with the subtle clutch engagement adjustments needed to compensate for ascending steep inclines while upshifting through lower gears (anyone else notice this?). It's an off day. Sometimes I even bog off the line! I should toss these shoes.

My car is not tracked so I don't have the satisfaction of hammering on the damn thing like I'm on Best Motoring. I've started paying more attention to the gearbox as a way to challenge myself every time I get in the s2k. Also like the idea of just being kind to the car and the car complementing the driver. Even on the street's low limits, the s2k is highly communicative. This was way longer than I intended.

Who else takes pride in their shifting?

iamxpl

i sure do. i always look at my passenger to see if i bobble their head. also i heel toe consistently on off ramps. all staying above vtec =)

Mr. Slowly

I always give my shifts careful attention. Power shifting if for children without a clutch delay system. I have to admit my passengers tend to rock back and forth through each shift as if enduring the staging sequence of a Saturn V rocket. I give more careful attention to pushing gently through the synchro gates and a smooth clutch engagement. I've proven for myself that down shifting to a complete stop is nothing but a waste. I gain 1 MPG by leaving the car in gear until the lowest possible rev. Down shifting for a turn however is only logical. It usually means skip shifting, though, which isn't the greatest idea. I double clutch when skip shifting as it gives me the proper timing to push the shifter easily through the synchro gate. For a single gear, I can get away with rev matching. Honestly, I'd prefer to double clutch as that's the way I taught myself to down shift but there is too little rotating inertia in this motor and the gears are too close together.

People say the s2000 clutch has an on-off engagement. I've found the clutch and every other aspect of the car to have just as much buttery middle ground as my old Acura. I only needed to increase my sensitivity to make use of them.

Anal retentive drivers unite!

Hicktown s2k

I have always been told it is bad for a manual car to not downshift coming to a stop (just pushing in the clutch and rolling up to it) anybody heard that?

NNY S2k

Mark, nice write up, great pics
your buddy up north
Levi

freq

You really should find a way to get your car on a road course.

Nicely written post.


When looking at the thread title, I thought it was spam.

iamxpl

for safety reasons i stay in gear and downshift through the gears, and holding in the clutch to slow down puts extra wear on the throw out bearing from what i read.

Mr. Slowly

As far as I'm aware, a bad throw out bearing only manifests itself as a barely perceptible rattling noise while in neutral with the clutch out. Down shifting works the engine, clutch, and synchros. Arguing over what best to wear out seems silly on a car that needs tires every 20k miles. But I'd still rather lean on the brakes than the engine, clutch, and synchros. Unless I'm specifically out for a hoon. And I don't keep the clutch pressed in at stop lights anyway.

iskflawed

tighten your throttle cable and adjust your clutch pedal. having little to no freeplay on clutch and thottle helps when shifting as when heel toe'in.

Mark355

Car is DBW. My clutch pedal doesn't begin to grab until about half way. 42k miles. Indicator of wear or do I need to squeeze under there and adjust? Always been reluctant to touch it.