where do u switch gears and is this ok to do

[rafael]

i'm pretty new to driving stick,i'v been driving it for like 2 weeks,i can do everything fine but i was wonderin where u guys switch gears.my cuzin said i should switch at like 3k rpms i thought i could go a lilttle higher in rpm's,this is for normal driving,i have a 01 gt,
one more question, when i'm driving and i have to come to a complete stop, is it ok to put it in nuetral and just use the brake?

[SpitfireFrl]

Switching at 3k for normal driving is pretty average, but of course you can go as high as the Celica can handle :). Switch back when less then 2k.

[2kgtx]

I have my car in neutral as long as I can just to save gas so when ever I see that I need to slow down I immeditaly put my car in neutral and coast until I need to use the break, And yes 3k is a good place to change gears for normal driving but if you want to go! bring it up to 7k (redline, actually 6.8k but whats 200 rpms)

[rafael]

thanks 2kgtx and spitfirefrl for the re-plys, i am alot more confident drivng stick,its a lot funner than auto,thanks again

[Efco D-4D]

Originally posted by 2kgtx
I have my car in neutral as long as I can just to save gas so when ever I see that I need to slow down I immeditaly put my car in neutral and coast until I need to use the break, And yes 3k is a good place to change gears for normal driving but if you want to go! bring it up to 7k (redline, actually 6.8k but whats 200 rpms)

you shouldnt do that, because if you go into neutral the engine itself does not slow down the car. "engine-brake" As soon as you step of the gas pedal it doesnt need any fuel anyhow...

you guys only know how to drive with A/T in the states, right ;)

@ rafael: dont worry, you can bring it up to 6k without even thinking of damaging the engine or anything like that ;)

[xav3x]

dont' forget to break in the car

[kuruptgt]

i dunt drive a auto never had one in my life.

[m0rgue]

I leave it in gear, and step on the brake, and when the RPMS get down to about 2k, I shift into neutral and come to a stop.

[oldster]

hmmm.........the only time I am in neutral is when I'm passing through on the way to another gear.

[2kgtx]

I prefer to get better MPG's breaks are there to slow the car down no reason that I can't let them do there job, anyway if I really need to slow down fast I then will keep the car in gear, or even drop it into a lower gear but If I am coming to a long down hill or am approaching a red light I will throw it into Neutral just to save the gas,
BTW I would never do this in an automatic I have heard that this will over heat the tranny, One of my friends did it in his auto Civic

[Efco D-4D]

@ 2kgtx:

When you drive downhill you should never go into neutral, because then you always have to Step on the brakes and they may run hot.

Always choose a gear that brakes the car while driving downhill.

Once again: As long as you do not step on the gas, you save gas, as then the fuel consumption is equal to what it consumes while driving in neutral!

Believe me! ;)

[2kgtx]

I don't know about all that When I see the tach running 3K it seems as if I would be saving gas by having it run at 800, And as for going down hill It is possible to pick up more speed when you are in neutral than when you are in gear, So as long as I don't need to stop at the bottom of the hill I really don't run much of a risk of over heating the breaks.

[Blue Lucifer]

Actually efco is correct. There is no additional gas burning when the RMPS are forced to 3k while using the engine to slow down the car. If that were the case, then all those misshifting people with 10k on the tach would have literally exploded their engine when their vavles got screwed up. The only way to burn gas as you thought is to step on the gas and revmatch it. You may be right about picking up speed going downhill in neutral, but believe me, that's dangerous. If for some reason someone pops in front of you, or you need to make an emergency move or acceleration, guess what? you can't! By the time it takes you to get in gear, you're in trouble. That's why as a safety precaution, you should have your car in gear all the time. And in the end by using neutral and all brake, you're just wearing out your brakes faster than it would if you left it up to the engine, and no this will not wear out the clutch any faster. Listen to the europeans, they're better manual drivers than we Americans are. :)

[GTS-Racer]

I second that ;)

[Kit99bar]

doesn't leaving it in gear/downshifting wear out the transmission and clutch faster?

the brakes are cheaper to replace than the transmission's components

[2nsane]

Hey Guys,
Whatever the real answers are we all drive different, and as amazing as it may seem none of you are damaging the car. We all drive different, doesn't mean better, just different.

[Blue Lucifer]

"doesn't leaving it in gear/downshifting wear out the transmission and clutch faster?

the brakes are cheaper to replace than the transmission's components"

Actually no. Believe it or not, your transmission can take quite a bit of abuse, and so can the clutch. Here, I'll clarify a bit.
If your car is going 60 mph, and you decide to slow down using your engine and put it in 2nd gear and have the RPMs race up to 5K and let it slow down from there; That's BAD, so of course use the brakes. Now if you're going let's say 35mph, and want to stop using the engine, put it in second gear, and let the clutch just past the friction point to slow down the car. In all of these clutch/engine slow downs, you never release the clutch completely. You kinda let it glide into it while controling it with your foot constantly. Idealy, you want it never to reach more than 2500rmps. It is difficult to describe, but you people who do this engine/clutch slowdown technique know what I'm talking about. It is easier to show in a vid. Overall, this downshifting and using the engine to slow down (as long as it is done gently and not abruptly) is safe for you and your car.

[NoCones]

Originally posted by Blue Lucifer
let the clutch just past the friction point to slow down the car. In all of these clutch/engine slow downs, you never release the clutch completely. You kinda let it glide into it while controling it with your foot constantly.

If that doesn't wear a clutch, I don't know what would. Rev-match and let the damn thing out!

And as for saving gas by putting it in neutral...fuhgettaboudit.

[GTS LAID]

i say the engine is the strongest part of the car... on the order of 100s stronger than your clutch tranny or brakes. If you're gonna slow down... rev match like no cones said into 5000K and let the clutch go and you'll be fine since the input and output shafts will already be in synch. as for bringing the car to 5000K .. i give you this. 5000 K on a car that has an almost 8000K redline is like 3750 on any other car (6000PRM redline)

[Da Kine Guy]

I always stick the car into gear going down hill, saves the brakes. Can you imagine how hot the brakes get on those soccer mom SUV's you see going down a long hill with the brake lights on the whole way? Discs are probably glowing red :o

As for hurting the car, its fine. It's just going the opposite it normally goes, instead of the engine turning the wheels the wheels are turning the engine. Engine braking is actually pretty good for your engine, but DON'T SLIP THE CLUTCH!! Always have the car fully engaged in gear when engine braking. You can slip INTO the lower gear to make it a bit smoother if you want, but for heavens sake don't go downhill with the clutch slipping the whole way!!

[00 LSM GTS]

do you really have to use the engine to break?
I usually just put it in neutral when there's a stop sign/light ahead then use my break to stop? and when light turns green and i have to speed up when cars in neutral, I find the appropriate geat to put it in and rev match. Is that wrong, because that's how i was taught, "use the breaks when your stop, go easy on your tranny"

[PuckPuck]

Definetly do not slip the clutch, you'll be replacing it every year, and yes engine braking is good for an engine, 5k might scare me, i don't care how high the redline is, it's still just an aluminum block and that's a lot of friction

you will not use extra gas, just think your car needs to maintain an ideal air:fuel ratio (14.7:1), when your foot is off the gas, the throttle plate is closed and the air is only coming through the idle air controller/valve, wether the car is making 4K or 800 rpms it will still get only x amount of air when your foot is off the gas, and will only feed y amount of fuel for this air making a 14.7:1 ratio.

[dankjeweler]

Originally posted by NoCones


If that doesn't wear a clutch, I don't know what would. Rev-match and let the damn thing out!

And as for saving gas by putting it in neutral...fuhgettaboudit.

when you rev match how do you know what to rev up too.sometimes get the RPMS right on sometimes not a enough i just may be stupid lol just wondering if there is any rule of thumb lol

[GTS LAID]

just takes practice and a lot of painful jolts from not revving high enough

[Da Kine Guy]

Originally posted by dankjeweler


when you rev match how do you know what to rev up too.sometimes get the RPMS right on sometimes not a enough i just may be stupid lol just wondering if there is any rule of thumb lol

Yup, just gotta get to know your car. Took me awhile to learn 'em on my old Corona, but now you'd be be hard pressed to "feel" a shift anymore with me driving. The Celica is quite a bit touchier then my old boat, but after I drive it enough I am sure I'll get a better feel for it. Hell, I still over rev the engine going into first quite a bit:D

[Blue Lucifer]

OOps. What I meant earlier by gliding, I mean to find a suitable position and rpm, and then release it completely. Damn. I was soo tired. Didn't check what I was reading. Well, all in all, I think most people get what I was saying anyways.

[Blue Lucifer]

"you never release the clutch completely"
I meant completely in the sense to rock the car or jerk it. Alright, I'm going to bed! I have to stop staying up at night! Brain doesn't function. :)

[mothra]

Downshifting is not something you do to "slow down" your car (through engine braking). The purpose of downshifting is to get into the appropriate gear for exiting a corner.

Brakes are used for slowing the car down; engines are used to accelerate and maintain speed.

When I want to come to a stop, if I'm in 2nd, 3rd, 4th I just take my foot of the pedal and roll until I can see I'm slowing down enough that I have to push in the clutch pedal to avoid stalling (around, let's say, 2K rpmish).

[Austinbrtndr]

tell ya what.... while you guys are trying to slow the car by downshifting you are taking way to long and about to run right up my butt... when youre in the city... please use brakes... thx

[kawika]

Originally posted by Efco D-4D


you shouldnt do that, because if you go into neutral the engine itself does not slow down the car. "engine-brake" As soon as you step of the gas pedal it doesnt need any fuel anyhow...


dude, you should never, i repeat: NEVER, use the engine brakes. this will permanently harm your engine and is a major no-no.

i know, i know, lots of ppl babble alot about engine braking or not. but just ask your mechanic or read a little about it, you'll figure that engine braking is really not so healthy for your engine.

i'd rather spend 200-300$ on brakes every year than paying 2000-3000$ in engine repair ...

[NoCones]

?

so you never decelerate without putting the clutch in? you're always either on the gas or have the clutch in when going downhill? c'mon.

just what "permanent damage" do you think is going to occur?