Happy new year everyone.

I just got my 2014 gsr and it feels good to be back.
I sold my 08 MR last year and I regretted everyday since.
This is my first time owning a stick shift and it being a awd seems to make thing a bit unforgiving.

I have a question regarding my downshift habit.
1. clutch in
2. hold gas
3. downshift into 1 lower gear (keep holding throttle 1k rpm above the current rpm)
4. clutch out + gas

is what I did above a good habit? This is usually what I do and I found the transition is very smooth this way.

I tried to :
1. clutch in
2. blip throttle
3. downshift
4. clutch out + gas
but it doesn't seem nature to me and I have to blip a couple times to be confident to release clutch and I can't get it very smooth, hard to know the amount of blip I need as well.
From what I read on the forum, I think most people do this. But I have a hard time to do this right. Is this one the best practice on shifting this car? If so, I am gona practice it.

I also tried to double clutch downshift with blip throttle in a slow month, and I did OK, but not as smooth as the first one. If I do hold the throttle instead( similar to the first one), I can get a smooth shift. But I think I am gonna leave double clutch alone for now.

I have a tendency to give it a bit gas when upshifting too, especially when it is cold or I shift very slow. when it is cold, it is hard to make fast shift. My shift usually wouldn't catch the ideal clutch release rpm, so I have to give a bit gas to keep rpm at that ideal rpm so I can release clutch without upsetting the car. Is this the right thing to do?

When it is warmed up, I can shift without any throttle during the shift fast and smooth.

I heard people saying no lift shift is bad, so I just wanna make sure I drive the car in a good manner.

Could you guys give me some advices/ suggestions?
Thanks for your help!

 

I personally blip the throttle on downshifts. It takes some time to get to know the car and the inputs you need to make in order to operate smoothly. I would say holding throttle while downshifting would seem to cause more wear on the clutch, and the clutch on this car is already a high wear item in comparison to other vehicles.

 

Thanks, GEOFF,
Could you tell me a bit more about your habit?
Do you give it a "hard blip" and then let the engine drop to the right rpm to release clutch?
Or would you give it a gentle throttle, and then release the clutch while the rpm is close to the ideal rpm?
Not sure if you know what I mean, it kind of feels, the first one is over rev a bit, and time the clutch release,
second one is like rev it less or rev it very close to ideal rpm and then release clutch.

 

Just get off gas, clutch in, change gear, and right before releasing the clutch, push on the gas a bit and let go. Then release the clutch.

No one can tell you how much throttle to add or for how long, it's all in feel and especience. But you shouldn't be holding the gas pedal depressed. Just push it, like a button. The rotation of the engine and its mating to the drivetrain will run the RPM from then on.

The more advanced part comes when you have to do this under heavy braking, which requires heel and toe. What I described above has your foot off the brake, and on the gas pedal for that split second.

Practice this at low revs. Start by cruising at like 2K RPM, Clutch in, the RPM will drop a bit, hit the gas to get the revs to like 2500RPM and as soon as you hit that RPM, release the clutch.

 

Learn to heel toe. It just takes practice but learn to apply the brake and roll the side of your foot to blip the throttle with the clutch in, downshift, let the clutch out. You know you've applied the right amount of throttle when the downshift is seamless when you've let out the clutch.

You'll use different amounts of throttle based on the gear and the rev matching. You do this to avoid upsetting the car's balance when entering a turn.

Just learn how to do it right and practice. Don't learn a habit you'll just have to break later. Alternatively, just brake, push the clutch in and downshift when you are slow enough it doesn't matter.

 

the blip raises the rpms momentarily and as you let the clutch out it will engage at the correct rpm. it doesnt have to be at xxxx rpm. The blip gets it within a few hundred instead of 1500 jump. It's all feel..if you practice this on your car, and then you go get in another manual car, you'll have to learn the smooth movements again.

 

Thanks for the input, guys.

I think I kind of get what is the "blip the throttle" you guys are talking about now.
Sometimes I managed to do without thinking, probably 3 out 10 times.

I understand there is another technique called heel toe, but I don't find I have that many chances to practice it during daily commute, and when I try it, I either brake too hard, or get my foot stuck or just end up releasing the clutch at the wrong time. I think I will master downshift without brake first, then start practicing heel toe.

The reason I am asking this is because sometimes, I want to pass the car in front of me in a some what aggressive manner.

 

Wrong, every time you come to a light.

Please just take it to the track.

 

He may mean actual passing on a highway, but if not I agree,

Take it to the track or autocross its more fun there

 

When slowing I get off the gas, clutch in and blip the throttle and release clutch. Heel tow is still new to me to but like anything it takes practice. I'm working on this now but can't help to put more pressure on the brake while doing so causing me to break harder than desired.

 

Ya, that is what I meant. Like sometimes, I am following the traffic on freeway, and then I my speed slowly decreases to around 50 at 5th gear cuz that lane is slow. In this case, I would want to switch lane and quickly downshift to accelerate to 65-70 mph. I could lug the engine, but I know it is bad. Plus if I don't accelerate fast in that case, I might be rear ended someday, people in LA aren't that patient.

I hate being some ******* on the public road, owning a fast car doesn't mean I have to be showing it off every time I get on gas.

 

, I tried. It is just, I found evo's brake is very effective most of the time with just slight force on brake, and the brake and gas pedals aren't at the same level, and most of the time, I upset the car.
How did you learn this technique? is there any exercise you did when the car was stationary? I practice this foot work every morning before I start the car, but when I actually used it on road, I never felt confident.

, but I will keep practicing.

 

I do what OP does but rev match as good as possible
1. clutch in
2. hold gas until about 1k for next gear
3. downshift into 1 lower gear (keep holding or adjust for good rev match)
4. clutch out + gas

Also question!
How fast do you guys let out clutch without clutch restrictor pill mod? Mine seems like if its not a perfect rev match (within 100 or less rpm) it just feels like a lot of wear yet a smooth shift.

 

Practice makes perfect, and I'm by no means perfect but, with Shep's racing build on the transmission and the CC Twin disc clutch, the revs build fast and I can shift fast, letting out the clutch almost instantaneously with the throttle blip. When braking entering a turn the down shift speed is somewhat less relevant.

In racing you don't find yourself shifting down without braking or scrubbing speed some other way. I'm not in 5th on a straight then downshifting to 4th to get to the power band., which would be more like what happens on the freeway.

 

I use the same "blip throttle" method and it has worked out fine for me. Hard to put an exact number on it but something around 3000rpm in 4th gear, blip to 4000rpm, down shift to 3rd. I was always taught to never hold throttle with clutch engaged.

This.

Instead of ruining tranny parts, just downshift at really low rpm's. Easier to replace brake pads than clutch. Gradually work on rev-matching as you get comfortable with the shifting/throttle response of the vehicle.