Anyone Master Downshift Rev-Matching

[san rensho]

To preserve the synchros, you need to blip when you are in neutral, then quickly downshift. Don't wait to blip until you have gone to the lower gear. YTo will save wear on the clutch if you blip after you have selected the new gear, but if you blip in neutral, you will also save the synchro.

Have I mastered rev matching? No, even though I had to learn how to double clutch downshift because I had Italian cars, that had horrible synchros,I still don't get it perfect every time.

When I first started rev matching, what worked for me is to blip in neutral and quickly select the lower gear, but then take it easy a little. Instead of just popping the clutch, I let it out a little and get a feel for whether I have over reved or under reved. If I over reved, the car will accelerate and I push the clutch in a little to slow down the acceleration caused by over reving.. If I under reved, then the car will brake, and I hit the throttle to compensate,

After much practice, you will get an instinctive feel for how much to blip and when to release the clutch.

[grubinski]

Originally Posted by san rensho

If I under reved, then the car will brake, and I hit the throttle to compensate

I find it always works much better if I just crack the throttle a tad before I let the clutch out when heel/toe downshifting. That way, if I didn't match the revs perfectly, the car isn't upset by too much engine braking, since the throttle is open.

[shadrach74]

Hi guys, I'm new here. Bought a 2002 S about 3 weeks ago and I'm still sorting through it.

The difficulty with the Boxster (or at least the 6 speed S IME) is that the ratios between gears are not spread evenly. 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th are relatively close, 1st and 2nd are relatively tall. The 3rd to 2nd shift in my car requires about 1300rpm rise, while a 5th to 4th requires about 800rpm rise. I'm getting better, but am still not able to drive the car as well as the other two manual cars I spend time in (330CI and Cooper S). The fact is the only way to shift this car well is to recognize that the cogs are spaced differently and and account for it when heel and toeing. The pedals are presented perfectly, it's just a matter of discipline...

[Bigsmoothlee]

You just need to practice until it becomes 2nd nature.

When you get really good, you'll be able to downshift without the clutch. And in some cases, you may feel like popping it out of 4th without the clutch, putting the gas pedal to the floor,and popping it into 2nd gear to accelerate without even lifting the throttle....

I spent years mastering that technique on old BMWs. Rev matching is a must for me on any downshift, city or track.

[ekam]

Watch the first part of this video:
Heel Toe Driving Technique - YouTube

Originally Posted by Bigsmoothlee

When you get really good, you'll be able to downshift without the clutch.

There's a reason why there's a clutch pedal.