Gear changing question

[XA04]

Well, I asked my dad first of course but I want to hear your guys views too.

Some of you may know I've been learning to drive, but I was just wondering, I know that people who learnt to drive years and years ago in old cars had to gradually change down gears, like 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 etc, but I heard that in newer cars you can do block changes, like, 5, 3, etc.

Now, I asked my dad if you could do that and he said no because your in danger of blowing your gearbox, I know that's true for older cars, but is it still the case in newer cars?.


Thanks

[Russ]

you can go from 6 to 1 if u feel like (and going slow ) (dont try this at 120 please)

close thread

[Moby-Dick]

Personally I use both engine breaking and "normal" breaks at the same time, so that I'm in te right gear for what ever speed I'm doing ( I dont generally block change )

IIRC you are taught to drive without much in the way of engine braking on the principle of a set of brake pads cost £20 and a new clutch costing a couple of hundred !

there are many different views on it , but I'd say go with the one you feel safest.

[jon bda]

I prefer to go down 1 gear at a time unless i'm dawdling along, but i think now instructors/examiners prefer block changing?.

[Shad]

The IAM teach that block changing can be quite handy but mostly because they like you to dawdle along in a high gear anyway.

Personally I don't block change often. IMO it implies that you're not in the right gear to start with; e.g. changing from 5th to 3rd might be useful coming off a motorway, but really by the time you're low enough in 5th to make a good change to 3rd you'd have no power available should you need to make an evasive manouver.

I just prefer to be at a usable point in the rev band at all times, which means being in the right gear at all times.

And changing from 5th to 4th on the brakes with a blip of throttle is a LOT more satisfying than block changing

With a bit of practise you should be able to balance the car on the clutch (i.e. engine braking) and the brakes when slowing down and coming down the box. Nice and smooth

[TiG]

Well i think it depends on the car too, block changing for a VTEC engine is never going to happen (you'd lose your beloved power band) but for me with power from 2000-5500 i quite often change up from 3rd to 5th, when accelerating. Car will easily do 80mph in 3rd.... so when in a NSL, maybe stopped at a junction accelerating up i'd probably go 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th...

Coming down the gears i.e at a roundabout i'll change from 5th to the suitible gear, be that 2nd (extreme cases) 3rd, or 4th.

Depends on the situation but as my gears happily suit a much wider speed than vtec cars i'm much more able to be flexible with my changes as i've always got power available to me...

TiG

[Moby-Dick]

TiG you still have a powerband - turbocharged cars can be even laggier than V-Tec once you play with the boost

The only time I'd do 3rd to 5th is if I were to be accellerating hard down a sliproad to join a motorway , then cruising once I'd matched traffic speed. The rest of the time I take my gears as they come

[XA04]

Thanks for the reply guys, pretty much answered the question .

Does anyone know how to tell which cars can block change and which can't?

[Moby-Dick]

not really - I dont think its down to the car and width of the powerband and the way your drive.

[Shad]

If it's less than 20 years old you shouldn't have any trouble at all. In fact I should think cars older than that would be ok for the most part. Pretty sure it comes down to having synchro rings on all the gears (which modern cars have).

[XA04]

not really - I dont think its down to the car and width of the powerband and the way your drive.

What do you mean by 'powerband'?

[XA04]

If it's less than 20 years old you shouldn't have any trouble at all. In fact I should think cars older than that would be ok for the most part. Pretty sure it comes down to having synchro rings on all the gears (which modern cars have).

OK cool. Also... what's 'synchro rings'?

Thanks

[Shad]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standar...d_transmission

[Zak33]

any and all cars can block change, but it is to the drivers credit to do it smoothly and with no extra stress on the box bearings. Even cars with no syncro mesh..it just takes practice and a good feel for the car, revs and road speed.

Under hard braking for a tight corner,say a 4th to 2nd, is normal and lets face it in the time it takes a good set of brakes to bring a car from 60 to 30 you cant have changed down the gear box fast enough to have benefited from using 3rd at all.

Different scenario IF you don't know what is gonna happen and its a tentative downchange to benefit from the lower gear.

However....ALL that having been said...I still stop in on 3rd on the way down often as not! Can't help it...just do it

[XA04]

thanks guys.

[Konan555]

2L: 5th, 4th then 2nd if I can move strigh off the junction or 1st if I have to stop.
V6: Slow down in 5th then 3rd if I can keep moving or 1st if I have to stop.

Whatever feels comfortable. I just tend to shift to whatever gear feels right for the car.