gpjli2

Re: Rev matching. I find this most difficult to do in this car(06 C2S). The engagement point of the clutch seems too high. The throttle responds sluggishly to a "tap" in standard mode and sport mode creates a dead spot from 3/4 to full throttle that is just wrong so I don't use it. As for heel/toe, unless the brake is down near the floor the pedals seem poorly positioned. I find I slip the clutch more during attempts to rev match and just downshift by coming off the throttle unless I am in a turn at speed. Am I missing something here or do others have these issues?

MJones

Pedal placement is just fine on any 997 that I've driven. When you are "hard" on the brakes it is just fine. On the street it is most difficult.

Heel & Toe (rev matching) is an acquired skill.
Brake
Clutch In
Downshift to the lower gear
"Blip"
Release the clutch.
Finish braking.
All in a straight line before turn-in

You do not want the rear wheels to screech "lock up" revs went up and back down, clutch out too late, nor do you want the car to learch ahead, clutch out too early. Timing is everything.

Was with David Donohue (driver of the Brumos #58) at PDE doing the downshift exercise/drill...We were chatting and he did a 4-3, 3-2, 2-1....simply amazing how easy and smooth it can be in capable hands.

It's just rev matching...fact is once you are rolling you can up and downshift the 997 or any manual trans car for that matter without using the clutch if you do everything right. (not recommended tho). Use to do it in my old '72 Bug..

gpjli2

I did manage to get around Barber without incident for the better part of the day Thanks for the encouragement

ronmart

Can you describe "everything right" for this scenario?

Any info on how much life they get out of the clutches at PDE?

I can't seem to do heel toe with my big size 13's in the 997 to save my life. Part of it is probably because I'm a nerd with no coordination to save my life, and the other is probably my shoe choice (I wear hiking boots to support my bad ankles).

dstrimbu

Ron - get a set of Piloti driving shoes... they're great, and the rounded heel helps me a lot...

$80 online.

-don

MJones

Everything right means that you can upshift or downshift without the clutch by rev-matching.

Clutch life at PDE...I speculate that the cars go thru their year of service without replacement, since the cars accumulate less than 8-9,000mi.

There is no one "right technique" for heel toe... tho a majority in Porsches will roll the foot right to "blip" using the outer side of the shoe.

Sit in your driveway, place the brake pedal under the ball of your foot, depressing the pedal. Roll your foot to the right and give the gas pedal a "blip".
It's OK to move your whole leg if that feels better.

Watch this video and see and listen how easy it can be: I love the 6-5-4-3-2-1 segment, turn 7 Sebring CLICK HERE!

himichael

To be more specific about doing everything right and shifting without use of the clutch--

when upshifting you must let off the gas and pull the shifter into neutral at the very brief moment when the engine is neither pulling nor dragging. Then, when the engine speed naturally drops to exactly where it would be if you were engaged in the next gear, you putt the shifter into the next higher gear. it takes a little tug and it can be really scary without the clutch in.

when downshifting (sounds harder but it's not) you must give a tiny bit of gas to keep the engine from dragging (engine braking) for a brief instant and in that instant pull the shifter into neutral. then blip the throttle, matching the engine speed to the next lower gear perfectly and pull the shifter into the next lower gear. I have done this hundreds of times in my old Datsun 240Z and a few times in my 2000 996. never in my GT3. gotta try it.

ronmart

Great stuff guys, but I'm scared ****less about doing that.

Is that why heel toe is so important for faster driving, because you never use the clutch pedal?

MJones

NO NO...always use the clutch!!!

examples were to say that it is possible to shift without the use of the clutch...not recomended.

Old VW's would have clutch cables that break...were you stranded...no....start the car in gear and off you go

Edgy01

...but you can get away without the cluth,--if you're good! (But don't if it is there to use). A buddy of mine who is a serious racer once was about 40 miles from town when his friend's Jeep's (mit 5-gang getrebe) clutch failed (kupplung kaputt). Wayne got at all the way home just matching engine speeds,--no clutch pedal. The friend was totally amazed that that could be done. Of course it is,--but for regular Porsche driving learn about matching your revs.

himichael

That's right. even when you are matching gears perfectly, the clutch provides insurance. valuable insurance. and using the clutch properly does not make for a slower shift (you have two feet).

uzj100

Used to shift my old VW Beetle without the clutch all the time--won't try it on the Porsche however! And as Brian noted, the broken clutch cable is exactly why I had to do it. Tho I do remember "double cltuching" military pickups when I was in the service, but that's a whole other story.

Riad

I do it all the time. What's the point of owning a 911 if you don't drive it the way it was engineered to be driven?

ronmart

Call me Mr. Clueless, because I never had any idea you could do this with a stock shifter.

Edgy01

The Porsche was designed to be driven 'hard.' The vast majority of Porsche owners are a bit timid about pushing their cars. When in a controlled environment (like an autocross or club track day) go see what that thing can do, but work your way up.