Met with my friend yesterday Sunday Morning, My friend is a driving instructor for Vipers, while driving he mentioned that he thinks my car could beat Vipers.
I asked him about the clutch what he thinks, how it feels?
He said he could drive my EVO like an automatic, he said the clutch feels like a sequential shifter, you don't have to press the clutch all the way down, I said what do you mean?
after watching him press the clutch I realized what he was talking about, basically he had his heel touching the carpet and only pushed down with his toes about an inch after it crabbed, he said this would drastically help increase lost time when shifting, it feels weird when trying because I am so used to pressing the clutch fully down when shifting.
anyone here have any input?

 

the only time the clutch should really go all the way to the floor is when youre moving off.. forward(1)/reverse(R)... i might be wrong tho! also.. i dont know about anyone else, but i noticed the level the clutch grabs(pedal travel) gradually gets higher as you go through the gears.... i.e.. going from 1st thru 5th.. i duno how to really explain it.. maybe others will chime in... also.. i dont own an evo so...

 

You are correct ... you don't "need" to fully depress the clutch when shifting. However, if you shift like your friend showed you there is little room for error and its more likely that you will slam gears together without the clutch engaged.

If your Evo is a dedicated track/drag car, go for it. If not, I'd keep the clutch technique on the safe side and depress it fully when shifting. It's not worth it on a DD.

 

I agree, it's easier and probably safer to just press it all the way in, especially if that's what you're already used to.

 

there is actually a point when u can shift without a clutch if u get the RPM just right and u can just slide it right in. unfortunately its not for aggressive driving and room for error is quite thin....

the rpm is exactly when ur flywheel and clutch is spinning at the exact same rate... u just have to figure out that rpm by urself

 

Evo would beat the viper on a road course with a little massaging but not in the drag (I don't think)-

How much do you like your clutch? If you dislike it, don't push it to the floor when shifting, you'll end up having to buy a new one in a couple of months. It is not Necessary to push it to the floor, but it will make sure that the gears properly engage and not grind if you just happen to tiptoe a little light

 

This is true, but the technique is quite rough on the synchros. I know of a few Evos that experience grind during a high RPM shift after this technique has been performed on the car. Newer transmissions are not built for this technique.

 

I think you're correct. The new Viper SRT-10 is reported to have a sub 12 sec 1/4 mile time, and the previous model GTS ran low 12's. A modded Evo with a competent driver could stay close to one at the strip and would likely dominate it on a road course.

 

So if I'm trying to improve lap times I could try not fully depressing just not all the time cause that would be abusing my clutch?

 

exactly.

 

I would think that the partial clutch technique would be more useful in drag racing. I'm sure it would make you a little faster around the track, but I don't know if it would be worth it.

 

I used to do that on an old camaro I had. You have to bring up the rpms then let off the throttle a bit, then push it into gear. It's kinda pointless since you can't do it under WOT.

 

The Evo will dominate the Viper on the road track. Viper is a lot of car to drive and no driver assist.

 

there is a point where the clutch already engaged. The factory set up some where in the midlle of the clutch pedal route. That can changed when the clutch start wearing out.
So he didn't discover anything new. Make sure your clutch is engaged when you shift. That's all. What ever is down to the flour or up to the sky or in the middle...
we dont have a straight cut dogbox transmission ... so, use the clutch!

 

I agree use the clutch, i tried that way of just lightly pressing or tapping the clutch to shift, third forth went smooth but it felt a little hard to perform for every gear, not shifting but trying to stop from fully depressing the clutch, its like learning to drive a stick for the first time again.

do our stock clutches have plates between the flywheel??