Synchro shift points

[markgws6]

I have only taken it out of gear w/o the clutch when there was little or no load. I've never tried to engage a gear without the clutch. I think the clutch is comparable or easier than other muscle cars I've driven. And I've only ever taken out or 3rd or 4th gears. Since I already have excessive tranny noise I don't want to make things worse.

[Cody6.2]

Just use the damn clutch.

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by giant_g2

What RPMs/speeds can you use the synchos to shift without the clutch?

You don't want the synchros to have to do anything at all here.

Beyond that, there is no fixed answer. "As long as you can get the rev matching done" is the best I can do. It all depends on the revs you're starting from, the revs the next gear needs at that speed (minus a little for however much the car slows down while you're doing all this). The revs you need to go to here are bounded by redline and idle speed.

Is this a good idea, or does it cause extra wear?

Generally, not a good idea. The more you miss your rev matching the more brutal it gets for the synchromesh mechanism. The more you cram it into gear with brute force on the shift handle when it flat-out doesn't want to go into that gear, the worse it gets.

It seemed really smooth when the dealer did it during a test drive (regular SS). It was seriously smoother than using the clutch in my 1LE (haven't changed the fluids yet).

With practice, some people get very good at it. Others never do and never will.

I kind of would like to know if that dealer guy was good enough to downshift without using the clutch, though.


Just as a side note, anybody who isn't fully disengaging the clutch is getting into the fringes of this skill. You just don't realize it or know how close you're getting to being able to completely not use the clutch.


I left out a little bit about it not ever being a good idea - it can be a useful skill in case your clutch mechanism stops functioning (hydraulic leak, linkage self-disassembly, etc.).


Norm

[chevy 3]

I have to agree with the 5-6 shifts. I don't bother 5-6 because of the very bad outcome that can happen. This gos for down shifting also.
But I do love going threw the gears o so much. This car rocks