1st time Manual Driver
 

Hey everyone! So I've been driving my FRS for 7 months already and I have enjoyed every bit of it! I've learned how to shift smoothly but I'm still a little bit rough at times especially from 1st to 2nd but most of the time its pretty smooth.

So i've been learning how to rev match lately and I've noticed that when trying to blip the throttle, it does take a while for the car to respond to the throttle. Most times I just hold the throttle midway for 1-2 seconds max to get the right rpm then I let go of the clutch. Am I doing this correctly? When I looked up rev matching people say you have to "quickly" tap the acceleration. I can't just tap it fast because the car doesn't register it fast enough for it to get to the right rpm.

Another thing I'm trying to learn is how to pick up speed fast. Meaning some people say rev match first but I feel like rev matching first then gassing it takes up to much time. Any other recommendations for picking up speed to pass someone up that still saves the clutch? Thanks everyone!

You don't sound like you know where your engine rpm should be at varying speeds. Holding it at 4000 rpm isn't rev matching. What I do: after blipping the throttle, I release the clutch right as the engine rpm gets to where it would be at the speed I'm traveling. All it takes is a quick jab on the throttle.

As far as "picking up speed", what else could be faster than putting it in it's power band? You downshift revmatch to put your engine where you know it will make the power you want/need.

I don't mean to be rude, but you just aren't as familiar with the car as much as you think you are.

Also revmatching probably puts far less abuse on your clutch then most other actions (taking off, clutch kick, clutch drop...etc).

Rev matching is actually simple. The point is to stab the throttle, just enough so your RPM climbs to about what your RPM should be at that speed in the lower gear you are trying to engage.

If you go from 3000 RPM to a lower gear, your lower gear should be around 3500-3700, give or take, depending on the gear. Give a jab of throttle just after you have engaged the clutch, BEFORE THE ENGINE STARTS DROPPING RPM.

I put it in caps because I think that's where your problem lies. As soon as the clutch is engaged, you must jab the throttle. If you let your RPM drop close to idle, then you will have to hold the throttle to get the RPM back up.

You need to practice this. It's a question of footwork and it ain't easy. I had the same problem when I started driving the car in July. I'm a first time manual user too, but I learned to quickly rev match as this car lurches forward otherwise.

Remember: As soon as you feel the clutch engaging (RPM drops ever so slightly), jab the throttle. Timing will come naturally at some point and your downshifting will be very natural and smooth with a bit of practice.

+1 and +1 to the previous two posts.

You'll get the hang of rev-match downshifting, i'm still not always releasing the clutch at the correct RPM a year later (also my first manual), but keep practicing and you will get it. BONUS: it feels awesome when you get it right :)

Key point. You should, IMO, be using the throttle to get slightly more than the desired RPM, so you get that half a second to let out the clutch, meanwhile the RPM will drop to desired point, and stop dropping once the clutch reaches biting point. Which is pretty much what this dude said,

I agree with that point under relaxed driving conditions where you allow time to drop. If you are doing it fast, then you would want to be in gear as soon as possible. If you want 4000 rpm and see it climbing rapidly past 3800, then start releasing so that when it reaches 4000, you are already off of the clutch and accelerating.

Just dont use the clutch at all. That stuffs for newbs anyways.

The idea of rev-matching is to have the rpm's where they will want to be when you release the clutch in your lower gear. Admittedly this comes from many years of driving a manual but here's how I do it. I will push in the clutch, downshift to the next lower gear and as I'm releasing the clutch my right foot has brought the rpm's up to where (or damn near where) they will want to be when I'm in the next gear. It certainly makes changing gears a much smoother maneuver than just stabbing or blipping the throttle which is certainly better than doing nothing at all.

My understanding of automated revmatching is for downshifting in conditions that would normally require heel and toeing for people who don't have that skill. It has nothing to do with accelerating. That comes with practice and knowing your car. My last car, I knew by the sound of the engine if I had the right rpm to let the clutch out.

There should be zero delay from your car increasing in rpm's when the car is in neutral either due to the clutch pedal being fully pressed down, or from the gear shifter being in neutral. If there is a delay between blipping the throttle (a quick tap) and the engine revving while it's essentially in "neutral," you may want to have the dealer take a look at that.

I think you guys are misunderstanding the post. I have plenty of rev matching experience and I have noticed something similar. I think the problem is the stock drive by wire throttle mapping gives very little rev increase for the first bit of pedal travel. This makes it seem like there is a bit of lag from when you hit the gas in neutral to when the revs rise. One way to improve this would be to get a tune. I think they all remap the drive by wire throttle.

...or get used to the car...

Meh, there is a reason every single tune by every single tuner remaps the drive by wire throttle mapping.

There is a difference between desired and required.

Watch and learn.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl5cFzcZ8YY"]S2000 Prototype in Nurburgring - YouTube[/ame]