Learning to rev match downshift .. any tips?

[FTD]

Originally Posted by EE3racing

Hey PB, are you old enough to remember rolling clutch starts? Great for sneaking away for whatever reason you might need to sneak away...

Are these a thing of the past?

Originally Posted by FTD

Are these a thing of the past?

Maybe not....No offense but why would you want to hold a car on an incline with the clutch? What that basically equates to is using the clutch like a sanding disc...

edit..I get it, he was teaching you the inevitable brake to clutch launch on a hill..we had customers who we used the "sanding disc" name for, some did it with each and every shift...

[70Sixter]

The difference with older cars to me is that the revs fall sooo much faster. Modern computer controlled engines with emission controls come down so slowly I have begun to wonder the benefit of double clutching unless you have a race prepped engine. You don't have to baby the syncros as much and are less likely to beat the syncros in the modern cars.

Maybe I need to learn to drive the Box completely differently from the 914. As an old timer who learned on what are now old cars I guess I need some new tricks.

[nefarious986]

Agreed that its not the smartest idea to practice on the Porsche, but its the only car I have right now.

I thought about getting a 2k - 3k beater car to practice on, but that seems like it could be a money pit too. Getting clutch changes for a honda is about $500 ? .. last time I changed the clutch on the Box was about $800. Not big enough of a diff to go through all that trouble .. what I worry about though, is messing up the tranny. However, I'm still under CPO warranty for another year so crossing my fingers.

[nefarious986]

Can one of you`old timers` explain to a young newbie what you mean by the rolling clutch start ?

Originally Posted by nefarious986

Can one of you`old timers` explain to a young newbie what you mean by the rolling clutch start ?

Key is in the on position, wheel unlocked (never used to be an issue) anyway, roll down the hill, put the transmission in second or third and let the clutch out smoothly, the engine will fire as it's being turned over via the drivetrain with spark and fuel to the cylinders. Be ready to either push the clutch back in when it starts or after you get the feel just keep on moving..Note gear selection depends on the incline.

Ever lose a starter or battery is low and you have pushers or have parked on a hill, you can drive away..

[Bry]

Originally Posted by insite

for me, necessity was the mother of invention: when i was a teenager, i had a car that would stall out unless i stayed on the gas. to keep the motor alive, i learned to work the brake and gas with one foot. this lead to heel & toe; i do this ALWAYS, track or not.

I learned rev-matching in a similar fashion. Once apon a time I had a car with bad - as in, nonexistent - synchros, so I learned to rev match naturally just so I could shift without grinding every gear. I still to this day do this with every shift.

Keep practicing. Try using smooth driving techniques everyday. When you start doing track events, you'll be amazed how much faster these techniques will make you.

[pbanders]

914's are notorious for having starting problems related to a combination of heat and poor design of the current path for the solenoid (goes from the battery, up to the ignition key, then back to the solenoid - no relay!). As a result, you learn all kinds of ways to start it. I've started it with the "rolling clutch" technique on a downhill, and also have push started it myself (push like hell, jump in, pop the clutch). Another exciting trick is to get your "assistant" (i.e. current girlfriend) to turn the key to the start position, while you are lying on the ground behind the driver's side rear tire, with your jack handle in hand, underneath the car, whacking on the solenoid to get it to free up and engage. Always a good idea to have her check TWICE that the car isn't in gear, especially reverse.

[FTD]

Originally Posted by pbanders

Another exciting trick is to get your "assistant" (i.e. current girlfriend) to turn the key to the start position, while you are lying on the ground behind the driver's side rear tire, with your jack handle in hand, underneath the car, whacking on the solenoid to get it to free up and engage. Always a good idea to have her check TWICE that the car isn't in gear, especially reverse.

Hilarious.

I had a bag of bolts that eventually needed a new ignition switch [or something] and I had all of the ignition stuff taken apart / removed and kept a standard head screw driver on the floor board for 'hot wiring' the car. I did a lot of roll starting with that car too.