Downshifting help..

R

Rookie

Guest
Hi guys, I just started driving a stick shift (Nissan 200sx) like a month back and was experimenting with some techniques like down shifting to accelerate quickly.
So, I'm going at 40mph in third gear at about 3500 rpm and downshift to second. The car kicks back and shoots off but when I stop I get a burning smell from the AC vents? Any ideas about what's going or what I was doing wrong? I dont know if the smell was of the tires or the transmission/engine... Should I be trying a "heel and toe" manuever?
:eek:
 
Hi and welcome, Rookie :)

Since your question is auto related, I'm going to move your post over to our autos board, where it should get more attention.
 
Should I get my transmission checked out by a mechanic?
A little more feedback on what the hell happened to my car will be appreciated..
 
First off it is not that good of an idea to town shift like that in the first place.
But you either fryed your Transmission or the pressure plate on your clutch or the clutch itself, If it has a hard time going into gear it might be the pressure plate or clutch.
I was downshifting once on one of me old cars and was going about 50 and was going to downshift into 3rd, but I was in a bad mode and wasn't paying close enough attention and missed 3rd and hit first going 50, the mechanic said that I pretty much ripped the pressure plate right of the clutch.
 
ouch LTR:eek: and yeah going into first like that would cause excessive stresses on the capabilities of a clutch system like that

but yeah you are probally burning up the plate of clutch like LTR said, racing tannys are designed for uses like that, the tranny in your 200sx isn't:( , Unless it really makes you smile:D and you don't mind replacing parts ever so often, I would say don't do it too often. :)
 
That wasn't the 1st clutch I went through on that car, I went through 3, first one was because it was going bad when I got the car, second was from dumping the clutch doing burnouts ( I was young) and the last one was for doing what I posted earlier.
 
LTR, what's "dumping the clutch"? And how much did it cost ya to replace the clutch?
Since I'm a student, cant really afford much...;)
 
Down shifting is all about one thing.....Matching revs. What you need to do is learn what RPM the engine will be at when you downshift. Once you learn that you can blip the throttle as you downshift and you won't fry the clutch. This is also known as heel-toe. I do it on a daily basis and have 0 problems or burning smells, it just takes practice;)

Oh and dumping the clutch means you rev the car up high, put it in gear and pop your foot off the clutch pedal....good for doing burnouts and breaking parts:rolleyes:
 
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