What RPM do you usually down shift on a stick shift?

Question

what rpm do you usually down shift at.for regular everyday driving.
I have a 1999 Honda civic ex stick shift.
the rpm on my car is 1 to 8

do you clutch then brake or brake and then clutch in when you down shift.
someone told me you don't need to brake to down shift or something

Answer 1

Depends.

The speed you're driving at will determine how much load you're putting on your engine when you downshift. So if you're at a speed that would be high for the lower gear, then you need more revs to properly match. And for lower speeds, then less revs. It just depends. Experience will be the guiding factor for you. Just go out and downshift at different speeds while revving to about 4k rpm. You can tell whether you need more or less for the next time you're shifting at that speed into that particular gear.

To downshift, just clutch, match revs, and downshift. No braking is needed unless you need the car to stop for the situation.

Answer 2

This is a general answer 'cause I don't have my Civic any more so I can't test the RPMs.

First, check the manual. Often a recommended RPM vs gear shift points are given. If it isn't given make up your own. 3000-3500 RPM is a good average shiftpoint, but slow city driving may dictate 2000 or less. and racing would be close to redline, whatever that is for your vehicle. If the car is lugging, jerking, etc it is too high a gear and it isn't smooth. If it isn't smooth shifting it isn't the "right" RPMs.
My gut feel - of course accelerating from the lowest RPM will be stressfull. If you are cruising at 1500 in 4th and want to accelerate - downshift - its a load thing.
1st - 1000 to 3000
2nd 1000 to 4000
3rd 1500 to 4000
4th 1500 to 5000
5th 2000 to whatever max speed you can get away with.

Second, braking has nothing to do with shifting. If you need to brake it is because you want/need to slow down. Of course, downshifting will also slow you down, and downshifting on hills is very wise - saves brake pads.

Normal downshift goes one gear at a time unless you slow down significantly and need to go from 5th to 3rd, 2nd or even 1st. This can be very "regular" driving.

Irregular driving:
I think you can get 60MPH out of 2nd, so you can do this without braking, but you must put the clutch in and rev up the engine to the point it matches the 2nd gear speed. -- not "regular" driving.

Two potential problems.
1. you over rev, exceed red line and blow the engine.
2. you don't rev and when you release the clutch, you find a need to extract yourself from the windshield.

HAVE FUN

Answer 3

Idiots that do not know how to drive a MT and just give you links to BS websites that don't know either!

I feel better now, Hah.

Your engine has a max RPM called redline. It would be real nice if you didn't exceed that number on your tachometer. So you can downshift to any gear as long as when you let out the clutch the RPM doesn't go past the redline. If you go past that magic number bad things will happen to your engine. maybe not today, but soon and very bad. Connecting rods through the block bad.

Performance driving doesn't mess around with downshifting. The brakes perform all the stopping/slowing and then the appropriate gear is selected for the corner exit.

Obviously you will choose a mixture of both techniques one for economy(downshift) and one for Emergency/Performance-Brakes.

Go in sequence and learn the cpapabilities of your engine trans combo(all cars are a bit different and knowledge cannot be directly transferred) and don't live near the redline in everyday driving. well If your are like me, maybe just a bit.

ASE Cert Auto Tech, SCCA Member since 1978, 92 GTI 16V 2.0L

Answer 4

What your friend is talking about is called engine braking. When you downshift without using the brakes to slow the car down the engine will naturally cause the car to slow as rpm drop.

I do this often and when I downshift I typically dwonshift aroudn 3500 rpm. I drive a 2000 Honda Civic Si.

Your gearing will ultimtely factor is in your engine brake effectiveness.

However engine braking is not the fastest way to slow down when used alone.

To effectivelt slwo the car the fastest possible way is to use the hyudraulic brakes.

Answer 5

You can down shift from any gear. Every car is different as far as what rpm to down shift at. if your car is lurching because youre in a too high of a gear then down shift. But it pretty safe to say that you can down shift whenever. Just try not to go from 5 to 2 gear or something. practice and see whats comfortable

Dont brake when you're down shifting. Just clutch and change gears. Unless you gotta stop or slow down right away then you can brake. In that case clutch then brake.

Answer 6

you DONT brake when you down shift!!!! That can really tear you honda up!!! Also, when you are driving, watch what speed you shift at. in a 99 Civic EX it should be 1st: 20-25 2nd: 35-45 etc etc. and learn those for both your racing style and your daily driving style. then when your car gets in those areas you put the car in that lower gear and SLOWLY let the clutch out..... and you dont have to let it out all the way!! for example. My Si tops 4th gear at 77 MPH so when I'm in 4th gear and I get below 65 MPH I'll put it in 3nd and let the clutch out slowly. it takes some geting used to but eventually you will get it down. I wish you luck and hope that i helped you out......

Answer 7

lets say your in third, your coming into a steep corner.

you break enough to slow your speed while your foot is on teh break you sink the clutch then shift to second. (if you feel fancy whole usingyoru heel on the break with yrou right foot you reach over with the tip of your toe and tap the gas to bring the rpms up) then you release the clutch. this is called heal and toe technique. you dont need the brake in order to down shift it all depends on how much you need to slow teh car.

Answer 8

Your question became on down shift, suitable? nicely while my speed is lowering, and the revs are drooping, I usually down shift to the subsequent lowest equipment at around 2,000 RPM's. you do no longer would desire to brake till now you down shift the two.

Answer 9

u can down shift any time to any gear as long u don't redline on yo rpm and u don't need to hold the brake when u do that