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RPM/shifting/breaking

Hey everyone again, im driving a 92 golf 5spd and just wondering if anyone has any insight in to shifting? im new to manual so wondering what experience has taught you about the art? i've heard about the sweet spot and currently am not sure if i found it in mine. how about breaking? i hold down the clutch sometimes when im turning and breaking, my friend says i should gear down then gear up afterwards? not that i don't if i slow down too much. but anyway, tell me how you shift.

Reply to
wolfy
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Don't break your car. Brake your car :)

For such short periods of time, it probably doesn't matter much. Gearing down instead of clutch-in gives a little better instantaneous control IMHO. Any time your clutch is in and the car is in gear your throwout bearing is spinning. For such short periods of time it's probably no big deal but technically it's more wear that way.

As far as shifting, the sweet spot on the 8V engine is usually between 3K and 4K. Get far past 4K and it starts becoming more noise than power. So I recommend shifting when accelerating at 4K or a little after which will probably put your in the next gear at 3K or slightly below so you can climb into the sweet spot range of 3K-4K again. In other words, given that the

1.8 8V's sweet spot is 3-4K, for power it's futile if the revs are too low below that or too high above it. Make sense?
Reply to
Matt B.

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