Double clutching is a useful skill to have, since synchros or not, it reduces the wear on your tranny. I double clutch when puttering around town and usually just downshift normally on the track. It all evens out in the end. Oh, I change my own transmission fluid regularly and use Redline MT90. Not much harder than changing your oil. I think that helps too.

 

I've driven stick since I was 15, learned to drive on a stick. I'm 26 now and have yet to have a single synchro go out. Like I said, I don't beat on it or slam it into gear or anything. My roommate has a 2000 Prelude and he's gotta be the worst downshifter ever, doesn't even rev match, just downshifts and drags the clutch out to slow down. His tranny doesn't have a notch in it.

So to those who do double cluch...how fast can you do it? Seems like it would take a while to get all of those sequences down, and quickly.

 

A very useful link:
http://www.g-speed.com/pbh/double-clutch.html

 

Good info in there! I'll practice double clutching on the way home from work.

 

Start out slow. The hardest thing is getting the sequence right. You want to rev after downshifting the lever, and you're supposed to rev in neutral, then clutch in and shift. I kept messing up the sequence. The nice thing is that you aren't doing any damage to your tranny, you're just using the synchros like normal. Heel-toe downshifting is also good to learn but harder, but also good for the synchros since braking with the car in neutral slows down the output shaft in relation to the layshaft and therefore makes the job of the synchro easier.

 

Here's my question. after you have already downshifted and are in gear and about to let the clutch out. Do you dump it or slip it out?

 

You cant just do whatever you want becasue it has synchros. Everything has design intents and limits. I would tend to think that most people who have gone through 2 trannys in this case, or 3 TC's and who knows what else have exceeded these limits in one way or another, if you know what I mean. The BEST drivers know the limits of their equipment, and drive as smooth as they can without forcing anything. Im not saying theres no faulty gearboxes out there...but just like most human-machine interactions, the ratio of operator error to machine error is high.

The synchros should be able to handle casual 1 gear downshifts at moderate RPMs. The time you really need to worry about double clutching are those 5-3 downshifts at 65 mph, etc. This goes for any car though.

Personally, I think if youre just cruising at about 25 in 3rd, and you want to go to 2nd for a turn, double clutching really isnt necessary.

Just be nice to youre car, if you feel like it doenst want to do something, youre prolly right. Back off.

Edit: BTW never shift into first unless youre going under 3 or 4 mph.

 

You mean you have to use the clutch when you downshift?

 

^ haha...no only when you sideshift

 

Awesome post and info! Apparently, I've been double clutching wrong this whole time and never knew it.

 

so downshifting is better for the tranny than putting it in neutral and coasting to a stop? or vice-versa?

Your last sentence confused me a bit.

 

 

Merc, I understand that. I didn't, however. I do regard myself as a good driver, but Im much better now than I was when I put a hurtin on the first. The trannies are tight as strong as they come, but not to the extent I had expected. Lesson learned.

 

Oh, and your statement about downshifting into first became highly apparent on rebuild #2 (third tranny setup). The tranny has all new syncros, a new input shaft and two dozen associated parts. It grinds 5th, mostly attributed to the TSB and the Cusco 2 disk, which also makes it har shifting on the car, so I've gotta have extra care. Really, I baby the tranny and the only gear I really snap hard is the 1-2 shift. Its not a drag car, so I dont drive it like one. Feeling the syncros engage is necessary, especially with the problems associated with the 2 disk clutch I can't seem to remedy. Any opinions on that?

 

No, neutral and coasting to a stop is fine. Just be sure to let up on the clutch when you're in neutral.