it takes forever for my 04 rex to shift gears!! specially 1st to 2nd ... i mean like rev dropping..could it be cause of the heavy stock flywheel...

i just got an 87 crx si and that thing shifts lightning quick even with a stock flywheel...is it cause the 1.5 liter monster of an engine =D on the crx has a much lighter flywheel (guessing) that it allows the revs to drop faster and thus shift faster...

or is this cause of the tranny design or cause of the AWD ...im lost ...i want to shift like a honda ! yell at me for being stupid if u have to =D ...i was watching some best motoring videos (the impreza vs lancer episode and they were shifting like mad)

 

these two cars are like night and day.... and the trannys are the same way. i think the flywheel and the AWD could have somethin to do with it but then again im a noobie so what do i kno. plus i've never driven a honda so i have no idea what they are like.

 

no one else has any ideas?

 

I don't think you know how to shift.

 

might be awd system.. if anything its the flywheel/clutch combination. i know hondas dont have much torque so nothing really has to be beefed up in the tranny or clutch

i was used to slamming gears in my boosted integra.. with awd if you try that you could break your tranny.... haha

 

First off, it will never shift like a Honda. Honda transmissions use multiple cone syncro's in their low gears whereas a WRX transmission uses a single collar. Honda trannys don't have to deal with the added stresses of awd and are coupled to motors which typically have very little torque.

One reason it takes so long is the relatively heavy flywheel, as you mentioned. Another reason is that 2nd gear was designed very tall in the WRX so that magazine testers could hit 100km/h (62 mph) without a shift to third. A third reason is that on USDM turbo charged cars, the engine is programmed to burn any fuel between shifts rather than allow the unburnt fuel to exit the exhaust pipe. Depending on driving technique, this can cause revs to actually rise during the shift. Working on this technique by lifting the throttle a split second before pushing in the clutch will help you get quicker, smoother shifts.

Also, you can shift much faster with the AC on...

Finally, is it so difficult to type "Why" instead of "Y"? lol

 

y write Why when i can write Y =D

i did notice that the revs do rise on shifts...so i trained my gas foot to raise first ..then clutch and revs drop straight down...although still slowly..its that killer first to second shift...could it be cause of the gearing also? Would a different gearset with closer match ratios make a difference? My cousin's type s 6 speed has really close ratios and i love driving his car...same with s2k's..shifting a honda transmission is great.

i also noticed that with a/c on the revs drop really fast ...but don't u lose power with a/c (parasitic loss)?

maybe i should just accept slow shifts...or maybe im doing something wrong

Imprezer "I don't think you know how to shift."
lol

 

I said that because I think that Subaru's are one of the easiest cars to shift.

 

I don't understand what you all mean by 'slow shifting.' Does the shift **** itself move slower to you? Or the revs don't match as fast? Or the actual gears move onto each other different? Or the clutch's engagement is closer to the floor?
I would imagine that all of the reasons could be addressed by some aftermarket part.

To be honest, I think if you timed your shifts in the two cars with a very good system they'd be the same but would feel very different.


I was under the impression that shift speed was a driver skill that can be worked on, like heel-toe driving or rev matching.

 

the revs drop really fast with the a/c on..but it also feels like the car loses a lot of low end... my a/c is usually off...

 

I've had 6 manual transmission cars including the WRX and can assure you you that there is nothing inherently slow about the way my '03 WRX shifts. The only idiosyncrasy I've noticed is the occaisional balkiness in downshifting to first at a very low speed, but I've learn to work around that using rev matching with complete success. In fact the WRX 5-speed with the SPT short throw is nicest shifting car I've had. Nothing but total shift happiness, here.

 

speed shifting + WRX = no bueno

Because there is little or no wheel spin, most of the stress of a rapid shift is on the tranny.

Cars that are not awd will just loose traction and chirp.

 

Double clutching usually produces smoother (not neccisarily quicker) downshifts for me, as I'd imagine it would for almost any car. Upshifts are usually a pain, I grind gears every once in awhile because it only travels halfway into gear and gets 'caught', and not noticing right away I instinctively start to release the clutch. Grind.. ouch.. slam it back into gear. It always feels like I'm forcing it into gear even when I'm being gentile, and occassionally when I'm stopped or running at low speeds it decides to not let me engage any of the top(1,3,5) or bottom (2,4,R) gears, never both, until I either let the car roll slightly, or push in the brake. It definately has an odd personality, but this is the first car I've driven that was stick (don't take that as meaning I don't know how to drive manual though ), so I really can't compare it to anything else.

 

Quick on the clutch, slow on the gas

 

Not to flame on you but shifting time is entirely driver dependent in a standard vehicle. If it's that bad get a short throw which will help a little bit.