Originally posted by GeX
Whats the basic technique to clutchless gear changes. Bein a cento driver i feel i ought to learn. Wish i had my mums old Fiesta to practise on now.
GeX
First - practice only between fourth and fifth, as they are the easiest to get right.
In simple terms, modern gearboxes have 'cones' inside to speed up/slow down adjacent gears so you can engage them. If, during your normal driving, your changes are a bit 'lumpy' you will have trouble initially. Find somewhere long and straight (and hopefully reasonably quiet) and drive at about 50mph in 4th gear. Listen very carefully to the engine, to get a 'feel' for the revs you are using. (Initially you <could> look at the rev counter to see what revs you are doing)
Change into 5th normally and listen to the engine note change, then back into 4th, back into 5th, back into 4th, back into 5th, back again into 4th, and finally into 5th again. You should by now have a feel for the revs at 50mph in 5th gear. You will then be able to slip the car out of gear without pressing the clutch at all. Now you are coasting in neutral, and your revs will drop. If you try to change into 4th now without the clutch it will be VERY difficult because you have to try and rev the engine all the way up to match the sound, (and revs) to what you had before. So change into 4th normally with the clutch, and then without the clutch slip the car out of 4th, and letting the revs drop only very slowly, try to change reasonably smartly into 5th, but gently, without forcing the change. The gearstick will probably feel very 'rubbery', because the synchromesh cones will be working overtime. If it doesnt work then use the clutch to go back into 4th, and try again. You may have to try a few times, but then one time it will just almost fall into gear.
If it doesnt work properly, remember that it is the 'gentle art of clutchless gearchanges' that you are striving for. No force, only persuasion. By doing this only using 4th and 5th gear, it will be much easier, and by carefully 'feeling' the stick, you should hopefully make a few good changes.
Once you've managed that a couple of dozen times, then you could try changing from 5th to 4th, but remember - when going DOWN the box, you have to <increase> the revs to suit the lower gear.
This is why it is best done with a very strong gearbox. Land Rovers are good for this.
Hope this helps. If you manage to do some good changes you'll be very pleased with yourself indeed, and rightly so. But don't forget if you try to force anything, you can do some damage, so be very sensitive to the feel of the whole process.
Let me know how you get on.
Tosh
**Men don't stop playing because they grow old; they grow old because they stop playing.**