I agree with Jfusion:
My personal opinion with respect to downshifting as you approach stop signs and stop lights etc... , is that it is cheaper to replace brake pads than it is to repair a tranny and clutch. I am one of those guys who lets off the gas as I approach a slow down condition, then put it in neutral as I coast to a stop. I don't downshift approaching a stop unless I expect to re-accelerate before I arrive at a complete stop. Just my thoughts. hth.
That's how I have driven for ~ 40 years. I've never had clutch or MT troubles. Brakes are SO much cheaper and more effective at slowing the car.
Also, if not DC'ing, I let the car show me how quickly I should shift. Hold the shift knob with fingertips, press clutch, gently apply shift pressure, at a point the shifter will smoothly engage the next gear. I notice on my AP2 (heavy flywheel) that a smooth 1-2 requires a fairly slow shift, even when the trans fluid is warm.

 

Yep, I have to shift into second very slowly (probably a full second slower than any other upshift) to have a smooth change. Pretty sure it's because the 1-2 change involves a much larger difference in rpms. Shift too fast and you don't give the engine enough time to drop in revs before second is engaged and it bucks.

I clutch in, shift to second and then wait for the revs to drop to a point I estimate 2nd gear wants and then let the clutch out. I guess this is upshift rev-matching--instead of blipping, you time when to let the clutch out. If I try be quick and slam it, it's jerky as hell.

The 1-2 change is the only upshift I have to consciously rev-match.

 

Unless your goal is to save on syncro wear, then the only way to do that is to double clutch

 

Good to hear because I noticed the same thing. It's definitely because the RPMs drop a lot more than other gears. I think the same thing is true with all cars though. The higher the gear transition, the easier it is to perform a smooth shift.

 

This is a little off topic but relevant to the coasting technique. A very knowledgeable poster on another forum commented on coasting to a stop:

http://forums.s2kca.com/showthread.php?t=27347

I haven't had problems coasting to a complete stop although I usually on do it the last 50 - 75 feet.

 

stock clutch, 70,000 kms, rev matching always. no clutch or syncro or rear end issues.

 

^I got 66K on mine, its about to die..but I do abuse the clutch so its all good.

Syncros will only die if you abuse it while racing and stuff..

 

My 2 cents on downshifting through the gears when coming to a normal stop:

Why? The S2000 has excellent brakes and doesn't need engine braking to help you slow down. When I am coming to a stop, I'll sometimes downshift to 4th with rev matching and then just let off the throttle leaving it in gear, letting the RPMs come down to about 2,000 before going into neutral for the stop light. You are essentially burning no fuel when off the throttle and decelerating in 1 gear down to 1500 rpms or so.

When driving aggressively through the curves this changes and I am always rev matching and shifting to keep the engine in the powerband regardless of speed.

 

wow, I think this is the first time I've opened one of these downshifting/synchro threads and actually found good/accurate information

to just add a lil more good info on the s2k trans, here's this ol post. https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showt...=0&#entry204419

fwiw, i don't skip gears, ever. i do downshift from whatever gear to 2nd every time i come to a stop (or very nearly ever time). why not just coast and use the brakes? Because that isn't nearly as much fun.

 

Thanks for this. Glad I don't coast in neutral because not only do I think it's dangerous, but I know now after reading that thread it can confuse the ECU leading to idle speed problems.