Anyone else having trouble being smooth with the DBW and Shifting?
09-06-2005 | 10:15 AM
#1
Thread Starter
INDY RX8 CLUB - Officer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 321
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From: Nashville,IN
Anyone else having trouble being smooth with the DBW and Shifting?
I went on another spirited drive the other day, and even though I have had the car for 18k, I am still having a hard time getting good smooth rev-matched downshifts. I know I am no Colin McRea, but I never had this type of issue in my miata. I even mismatched revs a couple of times which resulted in nasty lurching and tires chirping from backpressure 
I hope I did not damage anything, as the engine and transmission are really loaded when that happens :o It seemed to do this at a RPM where my miata would have simply engaged, although a little lurchy, without the whole tire chirp lock-up (I hope this makes sense to you guys) Is the DBW making it in some way more important to perfectly match revs-or maybe the clutch? I know, I will probably get flamed about being just a crappy driver, but honestly guys, I am very, very smooth and quick with other manuals-this one just seems different. Any thoughts, tips? Damage?
I hope I did not damage anything, as the engine and transmission are really loaded when that happens :o It seemed to do this at a RPM where my miata would have simply engaged, although a little lurchy, without the whole tire chirp lock-up (I hope this makes sense to you guys) Is the DBW making it in some way more important to perfectly match revs-or maybe the clutch? I know, I will probably get flamed about being just a crappy driver, but honestly guys, I am very, very smooth and quick with other manuals-this one just seems different. Any thoughts, tips? Damage?
09-06-2005 | 10:23 AM
#2
i hope this is a repost
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 320
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From: plainsboro, NJ
i had tons of problems shifting from first to second. it was very jerky. then a bearing in my tranny was cracked and when they rebuilt it, the shifting was perfect. i didnt change my style and it was only from first to second that was a problem(although sometimes when getting into gears, say from neutral to first or neutral to reverse it would catch and make a grinding sound, even with the clutch full pressed. after i got my tranny rebuilt i never had a problem since
09-28-2005 | 07:05 PM
#8
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Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Liberty Hill, TX (Austin)
On downshifts, I usually give the gas a quick mash (it takes more than a blip) and then ease in the gas while bringing out the clutch. Seems to do OK. Into a hard 90degree turn you will get some DSC taking over though.
09-28-2005 | 11:12 PM
#9
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I'm smoother on track than on the road for heal-toe downshifts. I think it's because I'm not reving as high on the road in combination with braking lighter which makes the brake pedal alot higher than the accelerator pedal. With that said, I find that if a blip the throttle a little harder than necessary I can usually release the clutch at the right time as the RPM drop into the right range. Seems to work for me.
09-28-2005 | 11:44 PM
#10
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: Florida
This may or may not apply to your case but I have found that while downshifting and heel and toeing that the revs drop faster than my previous car. This means that I just have to follow through quickly. I realized that sometimes I would pause for half a second without thinking, and when I did this the revs would drop down too soon.
After 18000 miles on the RX-8, I have adjusted.
After 18000 miles on the RX-8, I have adjusted.
09-29-2005 | 10:10 AM
#14
Thread Starter
INDY RX8 CLUB - Officer
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 321
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From: Nashville,IN
Perhaps my problem is just that; I am used to my miata which has a 7# flywheel. I tried simply being extra aggressive with the gas at the point of engagement and it is smoother. I am going to get a lighter flywheel soon!!!
09-30-2005 | 03:59 AM
#15
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Joined: May 2005
Posts: 76
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From: Berkeley, CA
even though i've been driving a stick for 9 years, i had the same problem at first with my 8 for almost a month. then i figured out the way to make it smooth for upshift or downshift. simply just press the accelerator about 1 cm (decelarating) or 1.5 cm (accelarating) or almost 2 cm (at high rpm) before enganging the cluth. most of the time i press 1 cm before enganging the clutch at any gear.
10-17-2005 | 12:59 AM
#16
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i tried learning what you guys' are talking about here so i can solve my small disappointment but with my 8, every time i shift from first to second gear, i never make a good and smooth gear-change. there's some sort of clunking sound and sometimes a thud (i can't think for a better word to describe it) when i change gears. i am no expert in driving a gear stick but rx8 is different. it's gear box does not seem to be proper at all. do you think there is a damage in my transmission. i got a 6speed MT, 1200+ miles.
10-17-2005 | 11:21 AM
#17
the giant tastetickles
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,758
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From: in the basement
This transmission is behaving quite similarly like the one in s2000 (1st gear and 2nd gear), I noticed you have to let the synchro work better by giving it a moment before letting the clutch up while shifting into 2nd. As for other upshifts, I find doing it as fast as possible is actually smoother. Downshift from 6 to 5 to 4 requires a blip like most other cars, however going from 4 to 3 requires more blip than 6 to 5 to 4. Sometimes a hard press on the throttle for blipping is not enough to bring the rpm up, you can try holding the throttle instead of just blip. Using the higher rpm range actually makes it easier to rev match so I seldom get a chance to do it when I'm on the streets.
10-17-2005 | 11:42 AM
#18
Totally confuzzled...
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 690
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From: Indianapolis, IN
Yeah, I've been the same way... I still struggle with making the 1-2 shifts smooth. Kinda funny you mentioned the Miata, though... I took the 8 in for recall work a few weeks back, and the dealer lent us a Mazdaspeed Miata for the day. Even my gf, who I'd been teaching manual driving to for maybe a month, never made less than a perfect shift. It was almost like having an automatic after driving the 8... I have to agree with it being the throttle. It's easier to glide the engine into the next gear with the cable than the electronic input. Seems like it never does exactly what you're wanting it to do. Close, but not quite. 
10-17-2005 | 12:06 PM
#19
www.TeamWTF.org
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I agree on the DBW system in this car compared to most others that I've driven. I think the difficulties that most people are secribing here are a matter of inputs and timing. With a meaningful blip of the gas during a rapid heel and toe downshift, it's as smooth as butter if your timing is right. If the timing isn't right and/or you miss the target RPM (usually not giving it quite enough), it's not so nice and feel a little icky. It's pretty easy to get right consistently if you spend a little time working at it. If you've been doing it wrong for a while, add some more time to unlearn the bad habits.
10-17-2005 | 12:58 PM
#20
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I think the clutch on our cars arent as forgiving as they are on other cars. The key to mastering a good 1->2 is the Rev the engine past where 2nd should be. Its hard to explain, but when I shift from 1->2, i barely have to touch the gas for the tranny to slide into 2nd with little to no jerking because when I let the clutch out, its in the rev area where second should be. Its a different story on hard acceleration, but for everday driving, I can shift up and down with little problems or jerking. I've only been driving a stick for about year, but I learned a manual tranny on a motorcycle with extensive track time, so maybe I am better at feeling out where the engine needs to be..who knows..but I know the clutch on our 8 takes time to get used to. Damn near everyone who has driven my car, regardless of how long they have been driving a stick, has stalled it several times. The only one who hasnt learned to drive stick on his dads M3. After driving the stick in my 8, I can drive anyone elses car in my sleep..they all seem so incredibly easy compared to the 8, but I like the 8's clutch, its fast and short.
Last edited by djseto; 10-17-2005 at 01:02 PM.
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