Flat Changing In A Manual

[junior]

I was having a bit of fun yesterday afternoon and noticed that if you do flat changes there is a cut out of the engine.

I know this is probably to save the gearbox but has anyone else noticed this.

Its is only for a split second but is enough to loose some boost between gear changes

[richdave]

Huh? whats a flat change? Some thing to do with tyres....

BTW I have an auto......LOL

[Adam]

I was having a bit of fun yesterday afternoon and noticed that if you do flat changes there is a cut out of the engine.

I know this is probably to save the gearbox but has anyone else noticed this.

Its is only for a split second but is enough to loose some boost between gear changes

Someone was looking for people who have killed the T5.

Keep an eye on junior here, I think he might if he keeps that up!

[edo]

A flat change is when you dont use the clutch....interesting that it has a rev cut. That is how you make it (flat changing) easier in a race car, cutting ignition to take the load off the box while you swap cogs. A sequential box such as those in an M3, 360 Ferrari etc does exactly that.

Oh, I wouldnt reccommend this as a daily (or ever, really) practice, its really not designed with that in mind...& given the doubts about the T5s strength Id probably take a dab at the clutch pedal just in case.

[Trumpy]

I thought a flat change was keeping your foot flat on the accelerator, while dipping the clutch for your gear change......

[junior]

Trumpy was right except I was not using full throttle when changing, it was more like 1/3 throttle .

I read it in an article somewhere that it happens and thought I would find out for myself.

Full throttle changes would be quite severe on the T5 and besides that it seems to be very hard to do quick gear changes in my T, especially 2nd to 3rd.

It was just a bit of spirited driving, very late afternoon.

[edo]

Nah, that's just a bad change!

The idea with a flat change is to save time. You usually wouldnt lift off either, just slam that lever through...eeekkk! If you time it correctly you will change just as the ignition cuts with the rev limiter (relieving that pressure)...its still harsh though.

You will see in the in car shots of V8 Supercars where you are looking at their feet, in the sprint races they will do flat changes wheras at Sandown/Bathurst etc they will generally just dip the clutch a touch to relieve the pressure off the gears, right floot still buried.(which is what youre saying I think)

[junior]

Edo I know it should be flat but I recon if I did a few of these in my T I would be walking home and I could not bring myself to do it anyway.

I used to do them flat out in my old V6 capri , but it didn't matter what happened to that because the car was worth sweet FA

[Turbo6man]

edo> a flat change is a gearchange with the throttle flat to the floor. You will be hard-pressed to do it in a street car without using the clutch - the syncros simply won't work and you'll be sitting in the middle of the road with a whole lot of mashed up gears and lots of time to watch the traffic going past. The V8 supercars use a Holinger non-syncro close-ratio gearbox and are designed to withstand the clutchless up-changes that you see the drivers doing.

[sixfan]

Trumpy was right except I was not using full throttle when changing, it was more like 1/3 throttle .

I read it in an article somewhere that it happens and thought I would find out for myself.

Full throttle changes would be quite severe on the T5 and besides that it seems to be very hard to do quick gear changes in my T, especially 2nd to 3rd.

It was just a bit of spirited driving, very late afternoon.

you're a brave man junior, still, that's what a warranty is for I suppose...

I can't get the shifter to move quick enough to try this and the grindy crunch I get going ito fith is off putting.....