Hey fellow manual drivers. Do you guys heel-toe / rev match when downshifting? Does this car automatically do this for you? This is my first car that I've ever driven that was not more than 10 years old, I just don't know if its necessary anymore!
Manual Transmission - Auto Rev Match?
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I rev match both up and down shifting, but that's just me.
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It definitely does not do it for you. I rev match every down shift unless I am rolling slow and going into second or something. I never needed to match up shifts because the revs don't fall too quick. You just have to get the timing right and it is super smooth.
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I feel our cars have a slight rev hang, which is not easiest to drive smooth.
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Seems like every car these days have some. I think it's an emissions thing. Having the AC on all but gets rid of it. Honda seems to be the most severe which is part of the reason I chose the Elantra over the Civic. I had two 8th gen Civic Si's and it was terrible.
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I can't heel and toe, I have tried for years and I fail miserably. I just feel like my brain can't process that many movements at once lol. I do however just blip the throttle and down change to forth and/or third without using the brakes if I am coasting to a stop light.
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You sound like me... Every time I try to heel and toe I end up jamming the brakes and then messing up. I really do not think you should heel toe on the street anyway. It just isn't necessary. Rev matching, however, is good for the car and eliminates jerkiness. Plus with this car it'll cause a pop which sounds awesome.
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Upgrading to a lighter flywheel could resolve this some. I imagine the factory flywheel is in the 17-20lb range. Heavier flywheels on turbo motors help keep the rpms higher between shifts, thus keeping you in boost between shifts. The factory tune also implements a slight hold on the throttle during shifts for emissions purposes. A stage 0 tune will likely clean that part up.
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Yes i heel toe downshift when slowing down for turns and curves. Usually when im driving spiritedly. However i will say that heel toeing on these particular cars isnt as easy to do as on hondas or toyotas. The brake pedal is pertrued out slightly too much. It is easier than some other cars though.
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A lighter flywheel definitely makes revs go up and drop much faster, but it also adds more chatter noise at idle. I also don't see a need to heel and toe if you're not racing. It's only smooth when you're breaking hard into a corner or something. If you're coming to a light or not braking as hard and heel-toeing, it'll be jerky and pointless. All you have to do is tap quickly on downshifts. On upshifts just don't let go of the clutch too fast. Once you get the rhythm it's easy.
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I'm not sure if it's done this way for emissions purposes, but it's typically a dual mass flywheel that creates the effect.
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I decided to conduct some Google research and found this:
"This strategy is used because it was found that suddenly closing the throttle produced a sudden spike in gas pressure within the crankcase which emphasised the rate of oil vaporisation, thus adding to emissions from the engine. Also, when the throttle is suddenly shut, the fuel mixture suddenly becomes lean which creates NOx (oxides of Nitrogen) which also contributes to emissions."
The strategy they mention was talking about automakers implementing programming that keeps the throttle open slightly more open than usual. I am sure the dual mass does have some effect though. Heavier flywheel means more inertia and engine not slowing down as much.
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Yeah, you need clown shoes to pull it off in this car. There is way too much difference in height to get a correct amount of throttle. Hopefully, someone discovers a way, or develops a bracket that will fix the pedals so they line up better
I rev match every downshift, and depending the situation the upshifts too.
I had a 370 for a short while, and it auto rev matched, I really didn't care for it.
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does your car tells you when to downshift? I have the indicator but only upshift.
Thanks for answering! I think you got my drift. I originally was asking specifically about downshifts before corners when heel-toe is necessary. I was hoping there would be some magical auto rev match.
I'm not good at heel toe.
Other than that, when I'm on the street, i don't really find the need to rev match. I use my brakes to slow down and when i do downshift its usually below 1400RPM where you don't really need to rev match to the lower gear...at least...i don't think you do? Pretty surprised to see some people say the blip the throttle on every downshift. I don't feel its necessary for normal driving.
Question here as I'm always curious how other ppl drive their manuals. lets say you are slowing down to go over a speed bump or to pull into a steep parking lot entrance. In this situation I'd usually brake down to 4mph or less (just rolling), clutch in, shift into first and slowly go over or up. I don't really notice any jerk in the car or hear any grinds in the transmission.
How do you handle these everyday situations?
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A quick blip even at slow speeds/RPMs, allows to catch the revs as the fall, oppose to forcing the revs up. This is the ideal method, granted there are situations where just easing off the clutch and letting that alone sync everything up okay too, but generally speaking it's best to blip/rev-match.
For the speed bumps and parking lot, I'm using the clutch to modulate my speed(letting it slip, or typically a in/out dance), more than the throttle, to get over a speed bump if I don't carry the speed to make it over, as otherwise I just clutch in, and use the momentum to go over. Much the same with incline at slow speeds, or navigating a tight parking space, the clutch is used to control speed, more than throttle. This is done lightly and within limits, so not to burn the clutch, to which it has never occurred. Very steep inclines slowly, where you can't carry any forward momentum, I'm going for full on/off clutch engagement as soon as possible, and hanging onto first.
I've tackled S.F. streets and downtown Seattle streets with no issues, those are properly the hardest there is, especially during stop and go traffic up a steep bank.
For the speed bumps and parking lot, I'm using the clutch to modulate my speed(letting it slip, or typically a in/out dance), more than the throttle, to get over a speed bump if I don't carry the speed to make it over, as otherwise I just clutch in, and use the momentum to go over. Much the same with incline at slow speeds, or navigating a tight parking space, the clutch is used to control speed, more than throttle. This is done lightly and within limits, so not to burn the clutch, to which it has never occurred. Very steep inclines slowly, where you can't carry any forward momentum, I'm going for full on/off clutch engagement as soon as possible, and hanging onto first.
I've tackled S.F. streets and downtown Seattle streets with no issues, those are properly the hardest there is, especially during stop and go traffic up a steep bank.
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Geez, ain't that the truth! SF streets are tough to drive, especially in rush hour.
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Same here. I've experimented by leaving the car in 3rd gear until it almost stalls and the downshift light (if there actually is one) didn't come on. OTOH, I find that the upshift light is very useful if you want to maximize fuel economy.
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