How to downshift in a car?

Question

Hey, I dirve a '94 Integra gsr and I just taught myself how to drive stick, it took me about 30 mins. and I've got it down pretty good but I have no clue how to downshift. When I'm going down a 45 mph street and when I have to make a right turn which I don't have to yield out how would I downshift?? Everytime I try to downshift the car lurches... basically what are you supposed to do?

Answer 1

down shifting basically speeds up the engine rapidly by matching the wheel speed to a lower gear. It's lurching because you are letting the clutch out too fast, you need to gradually let the clutch out to let the engine accelerate to wheel speed. Hold the clutch in the center of the friction zone till your tac. (tachometer) stops going up, then slowly let the rest out. Clutch control comes with time, be patient and most of all practice advanced technique such as down shifting and you will be a pro at it in no time.

Answer 2

Just slow down in the gear that you are in by simply taking the foot off the gas. The engine will slow you down (or you can brake). Do NOT downshift in order to slow down.

Do NOT downshift until you are either: (i) ready to speed up again (downshifting gives you more traction to speed up); or, (ii) you are going so slow that the car starts to skip & lurch (probably not going to happen).

===edit==
I don't see why someone didn't like this idea. It is called "engine braking" and it works for truck drivers, and me.

Answer 3

push the clutch in and put it into a lower gear. What i did when i drove a stick is just put it in neutral until you are ready to accelerate and you do not have to worry about downshifting.

Answer 4

You could put it into neutral as your stopping, and then just as your about to turn, pop it into 2nd gear since you didn't come to a complete stop, and it should work.