Smoother Gear Change

[bascule]

Let them out at a bus stop.
Then drive it how you want!

[Johnny225]

Read BobBondurant's bookon High Perforprmance Driving. His school's located in arizona, but that book is very informative. Basically, it's all about weight transfer and being SMOOTH. He said if you wan't to win, you have to be smooth. He also encouraged hell to toe downshifting, double de-clutching, and four wheel drifts. THat book rocks, and it can be bought atany book store.

[Theo]

Pappillon --

Don't beat yourself up about this. After owning and racing sports cars over the last thrity-some odd years, I always considered myself fairly adept at shifting. However, I do admit to having to make some adjustment to the MCS gearbox prior to it being run-in. After 3,000 miles, the gearbox has become much smoother, and so have I.

No doubt there is a human element to this equation, but you will soon find the "groove". You now have an official excuse to drive the MINI at all times of the day and night in order to "practice".

[OregonCooper]

Quote: Originally Posted by badboyzbadboyz

But a MC gearbox is VERY different to a MCS box. The MCS box is alot stiffer and the clutch is heavier too, so its so much harder to drive smoothly. The two cars feel very different. I personally much prefer the gearbox in the MC because its so much easier to change and is by far the smoother.

I tried them both & also thought the MC gearbox was easier to shift. It also seemed easier to accidentally end up two gears off when shifting the MCS.

[Johnny225]

Quote: Originally Posted by pappillon

Thanks Johnny. Just placed an order with Amazon.

No prob!

[10 Pence Short]

Hi,

When your passengers head lurches forward as you upchange, it's because you've suddenly stopped accelerating as you've put in the clutch- it's literally their head braking!

To avoid this happening, make sure that when you clutch in you're neither accelerating or decelerating, just on a static throttle position. Get to a set speed, clutch, change, clutch out (whilst 'biting' the clutch upwards, try to match engine speed with road speed to avoid any jolt) then add throttle to accelerate further.

This way you are not interrupting any acceleration whilst changing gear.

[stellablade]

Confused I was taught (and thought everyone did this) that when changin up the gears you gently lift off the accelerator whilst simultaneously pushing the clutch in. Then gently release the clutch and apply accelerator.

Quote: Originally Posted by 10 Pence Short

Hi,



To avoid this happening, make sure that when you clutch in you're neither accelerating or decelerating, just on a static throttle position. Get to a set speed, clutch, change, clutch out (whilst 'biting' the clutch upwards, try to match engine speed with road speed to avoid any jolt) then add throttle to accelerate further.

This way you are not interrupting any acceleration whilst changing gear.

[badboyzbadboyz]

I didn't realise that when you get a MINI you have to learn how to drive again

[painterjane]

Quote: Originally Posted by stellablade

Confused I was taught (and thought everyone did this) that when changin up the gears you gently lift off the accelerator whilst simultaneously pushing the clutch in. Then gently release the clutch and apply accelerator.

I thought this also. But then again, I'm having the same issues with my MCS! (have had it about 2 weeks now)

[kapps]

For upshifts, as was said earlier, it's just the passenger's momentum going foreward after acceleration. There's not really anything you can do about this except accelerate slower. The only real thing you can do is make sure th clutch engagement is clean without jerks. For downshifts, double-clutch! It's not very hard to learn and it saves the syncros. It's nice to know how to do when you need to get down into a lower gear to pass too. Heal and toeing is very hard in the MINI as the accelerator and brake petals are not close enough to each other.

When you upshift, you are supposed to simultaneously lift up on the throttle and push in the clutch. What he's saying is to try and speed up/slow down your shift so your engine speed will match the vehicle speed when going into the next gear. It's what double clutching does, but then you rev the engine to match the gear down.

[Fat Bloke]

Did you say you get 18mpg......