Shifting is one of the hardest things, i believe, to learn when you're going for times. There are many techniques all try to decrease free float time(time clutch not engaged/out of gear) and keep surge/slug of gear change to a minimal. Being smooth and quick is what gets you there faster. I prefer the "know your clutch move" If you play with the clutch enough you'll learn were it slips and where it totally disengages. That fine line in between is a sweet spot most try to hit. You timing is everything. Your foot must be instinctive on locating it and once there your shift must be clean and precise. If it is and your foot comes off clutch like a dump there is vertually no chatter and no bog. It feels as if you never let out the clutch just feels like you suddenly went into another gear ratio... smooth as glass... many get this to happen every now and then. The worst thing is missing as you'll be polishing syncro's as you grind the hell out of your missed gear. I always shift like this when racing. While there is the slight chance of grinding gears if perfected you'll not only save your clutch from wear but save your tranny from shock! Your reward will be a smooth transition which allows you to jump ahead in a fluidic motion! THIS IS HARD AS HELL TO DO!! Took many years of polishing syncro's to get this art down and everytime you change vehicles its a new ball game. Seating is also important as your legs must keep a snapping release ability while maintaining a smooth engage ability. Ever notice most racers don't sit getto fabulous style?? This is because of thier positioning setups for steering and shifting!

 

It is illegal to coast in nuetral in a manual car. Check your drivers manual. Not kidding either. It's been 14 years since I took the test and that still stands out.

 

thats kinda odd if your on brake and in gear if you were hit foot would come off clutch and brake thus killing the car and locking the front wheels that would be safest better then a auto by far imo think about it.

 

btw that saved me when i was rearended a couple months ago from going into the car in front of me. had i not done that i would have rolled right into the person in front of me

 

Think worst case:
You are driving down a steep mountain road, and you are braking with the car in neutral. The engine dies (not seizes, just dies).
You now have lost your power assist to your brakes and your steering. Now you are probably accelerating because you can't generate enough brake force without the assist. Also, it's hard to steer. You put it back in gear and let out the clutch - now your skidding sideways from dragging the tires, go into the other lane and hit a car head-on, or skid off the side of the mountain.
If the engine dies and it is in gear, everything still works because the drivetrain keeps the engine spining, so power assist to brakes and steering still work.
It is illegal in most states, check your local laws, the Car Talk link is wrong.

And, with fuel injection, it actually uses MORE gas. When your in neutral the engine has to supply fuel to keep the engine running at idle. When you are in gear coasting with your foot off the gas there is no fuel being used because the injectors are shut off until the engine speed gets down to about 1,500 RPMS. The drivetrain keeps the motor spinning.

 

I think I shift ok..
sometimes so ****ing jerky I dun even know what Im doing and sometimes so smooth that even I myself cant feel anything...

btw, about stopping with downshifting or neutral+brake, there was a HUGE thread about this..
search..
it was a poll ...

 

There are other reasons for staying in gear. You may need to quickly accelerate to avoid another car, for example. You can waste precious time shifting. I didn't know it was illegal but I was taught to keep it in gear.

Also, a slightly different technique for beginners on slopes... you can use the ebrake to keep you still while you take your foot off the brake to step on the gas. You don't have to have that feel for the engagement either. Just apply gas and let out the clutch slowly until the front of your car starts to lift . You can then drop the ebrake, add more gas, and let go of the clutch. It was a good technique until I learned how to feel the engagement.

Other good practice is to try starting from second gear from a stop. This will help you feel how to use the clutch properly.
Also, on a gentle upward slope, try keeping the car in place with only the accelerator and clutch (no brake). Just remember, this is practice and not to be done all the time...

Don't ever slam the shifter into gear. Use the palm of your hand and just gently guide it to each gear.

I've never had to change the clutch on my civic and it's got 81,000 miles, too. No signs of slipping. That's all I can think of for clutch practice other than normal driving. The heel/toe thing is silly unless you really are racing. (or I guess if you have a modified transmission)

-Lee

 

ok i'll save you lazy *** some time, here's the thread:
Poll: Do you downshift when slowing to a stop?

 

what he said

 

SO, if you're in reverse with, you can shift to 3rd gear while going backwards to slow down?

 

About coasting in neutral being illegal...

Here in Virginia, it's only illegal to coast in neutral on "a downgrade on any highway":

http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp...0+cod+46.2-811

"Highway" is defined elsewhere in the Code to basically refer to any public road in the state and those private roads designated as highways by local authorities.

I personally use neutral a lot in the Evo in stop-and-go traffic, which I see most days on my commute. I don't see how you can avoid it without wearing your clutch unnecessarily. If traffic is creeping along at 3 MPH, you can either coast in neutral or slip the clutch in 1st gear. I'll keep my clutch slips to a minimum and coast in neutral most of the time, thank you very much.

Also, this might not be obvious to some, but coasting with the clutch pedal depressed is not the same as coasting in neutral. Whenever the clutch pedal is depressed, you are exerting a force on the throwout bearing, and potentially wearing it out prematurely. Under proper usage, the throwout bearing will outlast your clutch disc (and will normally be replaced at the same time as the disc). The clutch pedal should normally only be depressed when actually shifting gears, not when coasting down to a stop, and not when sitting stationary at a traffic light.

 

not sure why you'd have to slow down while going backwards but if you did, throwing it into any forward gear while the engine is running would most likely destroy your transmission and lock the wheels up, making you skid. Yeah, you'd come to a stop faster, but if you were driving to fast in reverse, you had it coming to ya

Also, it is illegal to cruise in neutral on the highway because the cars slows down faster and easier when in gear. Racers call it "engine brakes". While not in gear, the car is simply rolling free, and if you had to stop your brakes would be the only thing to use, but they would stop the car faster if they were helped by the gear the car should be in.

As to the comment of cruising in neutral in heavy traffic to save the clutch, you are already going so slow that the law is useless anyway. You could easily make a panic stop in neutral at 10 mph.

 

Amen Jbrennen...I agree.

 

In Maine I've noticed signs usually going through small towns that say "No engine braking for the next 3 miles" I always found that strange, only thing I can think of is the old ladies driving don't think you're slowing down unless they see your brake lights. I'll snap a pic and post it the next time I see one (the sign, not an old lady).

I was also brought up with brake pads are much cheaper than replacing the clutch, but I think it all boils down to the situation and what really works best, let's face it, the EVO has amazing brakes, but if you want to stop the quickest you need to downshift for engine braking and apply the brakes, but in racing and/or spirited driving, downshifting only is much better when trying to maintain momentum.

My suggestion would be to take your car out into a huge empty parking lot, Civic Centers, stadiums when not in use and try out different techniques and see and learn how each feel and how the car reacts. If you've never done it before, go to an AutoX for the 15-30 bucks it will cost you, it will show you, you're not as good as driver as you thought you were and it's a great/safe way to learn the dynamics of your car and your driving ability in a semi-controlled environment.

 

The injectors do not shut off when you get off the throttle in gear. I wish people would stop saying that. It drops the injector duty cycle down to base idle. Jeez, have any of you guys ever hit fuel cut in a DSM? It's VERY hard and VERY instanteous. THAT is the injectors shutting off. When you get off the throttle, you are not hitting fuel cut........

Data log it. Go from WOT to 0% throttle application. Then read the log. Look at the injector duty cycle.

They do not shut off......I have already had to say this in another thread. Why do so many people think they shut off?

Oh, but you are dead on with the coasting in neutral portion. That part is very true. Good reference, too.

Josh