I've started doing this very regularly.....and am getting quite good at it. I've noticed significant shifting differences...tranny seems happier!

am I on weed? I THINK NOT!

 

I know this has been discussed before, but can someone explain double clutching again?

 

<cough cough> wasting your time <cough cough>

 

I don't understand it fully, be here goes: it was used 'back in the day' before transmissons had good syncros. What it does is when you push the clutch in, some saft is stuck to the transmision side still spinning at that rate, when you push the clutch in a second time it sticks to the engine side so you can speed it up to match the speed the trany is spinning at. Thus less wear on your syncros. I wouldn't worry about it too much though. I would imagine our syncros will last 3 to 400,000 miles before giving us any probs.

 

http://www.triumphspitfire.com/Healtoe.html

 

Double - Clutching in Not neccesary in today's cars.

 

It is not necessary every time, but it DOES help. Regardless of the synchros, those who say it is not useful are mistaken.

Synchros will not last that long if you ABUSE them.


[Modified by FBP_1171, 7:46 AM 7/23/2001]

 

I guess abuse is relative. My coworker has a 92 civic with just under 300,000 miles on it. He beats the snot out of it, and his transmision seems fine.

 

Have you ever driven on a track? You like stuffing the tranny into the next lower gear without double clutching?

I don't.

Warren

 

I've beat the snot out of trannies too, and only had one go out on me at 79K. Clutch usually goes first.

 

You don't need to double clutch to match revs, and double clutching while heel and toeing usually results in people f--king things up more than anything else, even if they thing they have it down ......

 

Thats what I would think too. You try and do it too quick and you let the clutch out while its still parcialy in gear.

 

who needs to use the damn clutch anyway??? i say bump and grind them syncros till it feels smooth..lol j/k

No need double clutchin. If it seems like its going smoother cause its all in you r head .

 

i dont konw about you guys but i just had to get new syncros under warrenty and i only have 15000 miles in my R.

 

Funny, 35,000 miles on it when I sold it, did a whole season of 8,000 rpm dumps on slicks, often heel and toing around exits with some the very rare speed shifts, quite a few miles WITH a short shift kit, and everything was working perfectly fine.

Huh, go figure.

 

I've never double clutched when I track race..I agree it would take more effort and precision. However, I do now, even when I race.....you just have to get used to it.

Anyways, I like the feel of my tranny than before..

BTW MUGEN child...that is one ugly steroid-monkey in your sig.....Lee Priest?

 

I learned to double clutch driving over the road trucks where you need to be fast and precise. If you miss a shift even by just a heartbeat you may have to find another gear since the rev range is only 1000 rpm or less.

Every once in a while when driving a street car I double clutch out of habit. The shift is always smoother than when I single pump. I don't think double clutching is always necessary with modern synchros but if I HAVE TO make a shift especially going down a cog then I will double clutch if I have time. If I am in a big hurry to get the shift over I'll just ram it home but I have a better chance of screwing up.

As usual Warren is right.

Regards,
Alan

 

There's no point to double clutching at all. I've tried it a couple times and it's awkward. I'm a lot more likely to screw things up and grind gears. After 260kms of hard track + street driving my synchros are starting to wear now. I have to slow down a little bit getting into third. Keep in mind about half the time I shift clutchless and about 1 out of 20 of those times I'll grind going in because of bad timing. Needless to say my synchros/tranny have been ABUSED badly, but are only now showing signs of wear.

If you're going to spend the time matching revs and double clutching why not at least get rid of the first clutch depression? Pull out of gear while you're letting off the gas when there's no load on the gears, match revs and then use the clutch to make sure things go in smoothly? Or don't use the clutch? It'll be less wear on the clutch... I've done that while downshifting at the track so I could brake with my left. When it works it works beautifully. When it doesn't... watch out.

Either way, I think 160k miles is a decent lifetime for original synchros. They were put in our cars for us to use, so why not use them? Would you not use brakes because you don't want them to wear?

 

I always double clutch, even on the track. If you practice, it becomes second nature. It probably isn't necessary, but why not do it? Also, the difference going into first for really tight corners is HUGE. When you double clutch, you can go smoothly into first no problem. I don't care how well you rev match; try going into first at 30 MPH without double clutching and the trans is obviously not happy.

 

I have NEVER had a problem getting into first. I still don't understand that one. Must be the double clutch...

I also double clutch out of habit more than anything. If you can't do it without thinking about doing it, then you haven't really learned how, IMO. You need to learn not just how to do it, but WHEN. There is not always enough time to do it, and in those circumstances, I don't try to do it either.

To each their own, but I will keep driving my way, because it works for ME.

 

Double clutching is a mark of a good driver. This technique involves blipping the throttle to match the road speed to the engine speed of the gear you are attempting to downshift into. For example, when going from third to second, you should blip the throttle to bring the revs up, matching the speed of the wheels to the lower gear, thus giving you a seamless downshift when you release the clutch. This allows for smooth shifting, and won't upset the car as much when diving into a turn, for example. If you don't use this technique, you will essentially be using the clutch to help slow the car down, taking some of the work away from the brakes (a bad thing). This will significantly shorten clutch life (another bad thing). Try this while driving down the highway, while crusing in 5th at normal speeds, downshift to 4th and don't raise the rpm's while releasing the clutch. You'll notice how the car immediately begins to slow down due to the lower gear (compression slowing the car). Then try it again, this time blipping the gas while simlutaneously releasing the clutch, and when done correctly, you will notice a seamless downshift without the sudden deceleration. Try it out, let us all know what you think.

 

Not exactly. That is rev matching. Double clutching involves pushing the clutch once to get out of gear, lifting it, THEN matching revs, pushing the clutch in again, putting it in the next gear and lifting it again.

I assume everyone here is talking about double clutching on downshifts only, because if anyone has enough time to do that upshifting they'll be about as quick as my grandmother.

 

Anyone notice on the RSX commercial the guy seems to double clutch real quick. I believe it is the commercial for the black one.

 

EXACTLY!!!

 

for me at least, I can rev-match on downshifts without double-clutching and I never upset the car, plus it doesn't take as long. The only time I use it is to go into first.