The higher the rpms, the more the effect of engine braking - ie - the car wants to slow down even without brakes. So you downshift and revmatch and the car will slow. The trick is to see, say, a red light ahead, downshift to slow a bit so you hit the light when its green, then up shift and go about your business.

Or, you're getting ready to make a turn, you downshift, make the turn and get back on the gas in the lower gear so you are in the power band at the lower exit speed.

The basic idea of rev matching is to not shock your drivetrain. The basic idea of downshifting is to remain in the power band as you slow down.

 

Ahh alright that explained most of it. So basically revmatch until ~10mph or something then neutral-brake?

 

Some of the last 2 options

 

grrrrrr

 

When revmatching, its hard to keep it smooth withouth the car jerking right? I'm trying to practice a bit but I feel like Im not doing it right.

On you tube an s2000 caught fire downshifting...can that happen if you accidentally downshift to the wrong gear?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=p5YV0vJwum0

So the point of revmatching is to downshift every gear for a "smoother" stop without using ur brakes until 10mph or below...correct?

Jmike

 

i can teach u

~tina~

 

I always rev match its just how I was taught to drive when I ride in others cars and they dont revmatch it makes me uncomfortable

 

When coming up to a redlight with some traffic:
Brake, usually downshift w/rev-match to 4th or 3rd if I'm at 5th or 6th (not skipping gears) and shove into neutral when car is about to stall -- well, just before that. I never coast in neutral until I feel the revs have dropped low enough and the car's slow enough for that. I know some people shove it into neutral when the car's going at 40mph when coming up to a light ... imo, that's dangerous.

If coming up a set of turning lights:
And need to stop quickly (i.e. realized I can't quite make it through the yellow light), then just brake hard and jam into neutral.

Other cases? Bleh .... revmatch!!!!

 

Slow down, or stop?

For most stops, I just clutch in and slow with the brakes. Sometimes I'll heel-toe if there's no one around or I feel like it. You CAN slow the car down with the tranny, but do you want to replace brake pads or rebuild your tranny?

To slow for turns, I usually rev-match to shift, but don't engage the clutch: on my commute, there's a 90* corner from a 50mph road to a 25 mph road, so I'll be driving 50-55, hit the brakes and blip the throttle so I can drop from 4th/5th to second, but won't actually engage the gear (let out the clutch) until I'm around the corner and going closer to 25. Basically heel-toeing without the last step.

 

i used to do neutral then brake but thats alot of wear and tear on my brake pads... plus i tended to accelerate before coasting in neutral to minimize my braking time... and i got a ticket for speeding once doing that.... lol! i dont make a lot of sense