Hey the other day I was driving at around 25mph or so and a honda tried to ricer fly by me so I down shifted into second. I felt crappy because he actually pulled on me til like 40 or so, at that speed is it ok to shift into first? When I get really on it i can go to 40 in first but I didnt wan't to hurt anything by downshifting into like 4500-5500rpm(not sure the actual ammount).

 

i wouldn't...

 

Do it do it!

 

NO, absolutely, NO. (Unless you know, and can apply consistently, the proper technique.)

 

You can do it one of two ways- the right way, and the wrong way. The wrong way would be to just slam it in first and let off the clutch real fast. NO!!! The right way would be to rev the engine, with the clutch pushed in, to about where it would be at in first gear at 20mph and then EASE the shifter into 1st. You should feel it kinda "suck" it into gear when you get it right. Done properly, it'll be smooth as silk.

 

It's really hard to shift into first at that speed. Your better off putting around in second for a little bit until you gain your power.

 

Like revvin said you gotta rev match. Even so it's not advisable to do that. I never downshift into first unless I am almost stopped.

 

I would not do it, unless you know exactly how to do it right.

 

you said he pulled on you until you got to like 40 mph, do you mean he was already flyin @ 40 and you at 25?
Upset with not catching him quick enough.....
Buy a TII.




ya I agree, I wouldn't do(although, I've been known to do it!) it, becuase not only do you have to rev match, and be good on the clutch, I think that at 25 Mph, you'd only have a little left in first gear anyways, I'm guessing you'd have to rev match to at least 6000 rpm maybe 7000rpm(which is right in that sweet spot..) I'm pretty sure in my n/a 1st gets me 30mph, if I push it to the red.
But you might have different rear diff gear ratio than me...then your speed at said rpm would be different too...

Also I think that shifting like that is probably hard on the drivetrain(clutch/tranny)
and not worth a honda flyby sucka...


Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but isn't shifting into 1st that high just a waste, to only split/second(s) later shift again..

The only time I downshift into first is when I'm making a U-turn (10-12 mph a little too low for 2nd..) and of course for the 'please pull me over popo' rolling stop..

|M|

 

It would be best to double clutch it into 1st, usually thats the best way to get into 1st unless you're stopped or rolling <5mph.

To double clutch, just push the clutch in, take the car out a gear, let the clutch back out with the shifter in nuetrol, then rev match the engine to aprox. the rpm you'll get too(if your going 25, just give the gas a nice hard jab up to 5-6 grand), then push the clutch back in, and put it in first while the rpms are still up. Its also good to do that whenever downshifting to any gear because it will save your syncros.

But anyway, are you surprised a honda pulled on you? No offence, but a n/a fc isn't exactly a drag racer.

 

I didnt even think about not being able to get it into first, I forgot most cars have a safety switch for that so you dont hit first instead of third I guess. And I know MY n/a isnt a drag racer but a lot are, theres just no way in hell Im going to let a honduh try and get a win off of me because I know itd bite me in the *** later on. Once I started to near the powerband I caught him quik though. Speaking of flybys, the other day in my neon a mustang drove by so I got into the other lane and got on it really hard and it was and older guy and when I flew by him I threw the flashers, I dont do that to be ricer I was just with my girlfriend and having fun but he floored it and caught me like instantly and just flew by me, Mustang 1 Neon 0

 

40mph is the top of 1st so shifting into 1st here is not an option as you'd be out of the powerband. Actually, with that mentioned, @ 40mph you should be exactly in the powerband for 2nd - going into 1st at forty would lose your power and make you shift.


Rolling at speed and shifting into first is possible, but it's really hard and generally really slow. Basically You're going to need to
1. shift to neutral
3. Hit above 8000 rpm
4. shift to 1st

That's at a max speed of like 30 because otherwise 8000 rpm isn't going to be enough revs when you downshift to 1st, be in the powerband, or catch the revs.

This takes loads of practice and will probably cost you a syncro a few times until you're really good at it.

I've considered it in autocrossing but in reality you never really have enough time to make it worth it. I wouldnt consider it in street racing because that's already dangerous and if you blow up a clutch in the middle of the street it's a bad thing - especially when the clutch doesnt blow and locks the rear end in braking, overeves your engine at 10k+rpm and spins you 5 times

ps. I know from a misshift from the top of 3rd to 2nd with no revmatching - spinning on an empty rd and watching a mailbox go around and round is scary enough (4 spins at 90mph), with you racing a car, in traffic, or with curbs it becomes a fatal combination.

 

you have 86 base and your racing in a straight line, thats you first mistake.

 

i personally don't know about the rpms because I never noticed. I just feel the car. Downshifting is easy you just have to feel the car. The car will let you know if it can take it. I have down shifted from 5th to fth to gain the power faster then into 5th. Same for 3rd and forth I never had to downshift into first though. I never had a reason to other than when I am slowing down to stop I take turns in second which is normal.

 

You lost.
Take it like a man.
The Honda might've been NOT STOCK.


-Ted

 

there are alot of hondas that would only need a muffler tip to beat a 86 base.

 

He said he was going 25 mph; he didn't catch up with the Honda until he hit 40 mph (which, yes, is the powerband of second gear).

But yes, personally I would've downshifted to first b/c the FC is a little sluggish at 25 mph in second (let alone third). Strange that everyone is making such a big deal about how "hard" it is to properly downshift. Do you really need to be taught that...? I mean, isnt it kinda obvious?

 

Yeah, I mean, if you don't rev match it feels like you just opened a parachute on the back of the car.

I guess I'm being overly critical; some people may want to have these things explained to them. But hey, I say with cars, the only way you learn is by goin' and ******' things up yourself.

 

mine is not.

 

AWESOME man.

 

I would have put it into first at 25 went to 40 shift into second take it to 80 shift into third but hey i have a 3.909 soo yea a 4.10 will what get you into 60 at top of second?

 

Yah around 60 or so.

 

Learn to double clutch and learn your gear ratios well.

 

man just slam it into gear, double clutching is so slow. i could care less about having syncros, if you drive an rx7 that shifts smoothly your just not having fun. a tranny isnt that hard to rebuild, put it to use

 

Werd...**** happens. Some honda drivers just know how to drive real well....and most others get lucky. Until ur driving around in a porsche or ferrari u'd better get used to getting screwed sometimes.