Is it ok to skip gears? What I mean is if you are in 2nd and you rev pretty high (to around 5k), can you then put it in 4th?

Going down a hill, is it ok to down shift to a lower gear - ie 4th to 3rd, then go down the hill?

I just want to make sure I don't do anything dumb, so thats why I am asking

 

Going downhill in a low gear is stupid, you don't want to be accelerating downhill. I never really skip gears, no point really. Unless you jump 30 MPH in 1 second. LOL

 

I dont see why you cant skip gears or downshift on hills, i personally put it in neutral on hills

 

it's ok to skip gears as long as the engine speed isnt too low for the next gear.
It's ok to downshift... I would prefer it too, more control.... just either release the clutch slow or match rev..... but to be safe at first, just release the clutch slowly.

so downshifting is to accelerate only?!!

 

I agree its pointless but you can do it

 

LOL, that's what I do since I have a turbo. I never downshift to stop.

 

i always downshift to slow down. thats why my pads are almost like new.

 

x2......

 

Uses more gas tho and puts more stress on the transmission.

 

You can do anything you want with your car, the real question is, "is it safe?" =D

 

or is it right....?

 

If you are going to skip gears or downshift I suggest you learn where each gear should be RPM wise in relation with your speed. Rev matching is ok and safe as long as you know what you are doing. I would suggest knowing how to downshift for slopes incase you ever loose your brakes. As far as skipping gears there is no real reason to do it.

 

I usually run through all the gears regardless. If I floor it on the highway. off the top of 3rd i go into 4th for a split second then to 5th.

i've always been taught if you're on a hill or a road in the mountains you should use lower gears to remain in better control. Always feels better and safer being in a lower gear in the mountains too.

 

Skipping gears doesn't hurt anything.

Going downhill, it's best to downshift and let the car go down in a lower gear. That way the engine does most of the braking and you won't ride the brakes the whole way down. This puts no strain on the engine or transmission.

 

i'd rather wear my brakes than my clutch/tranny

 

^ As long as you rev match while downshifting, it puts no more strain on the clutch and trans than up shifting.

 

^ true, i just rarely downshift though towards stop.

 

i skip gear occasionally, im usually in no rush and have no reason to get up to speed fast so i'll usually skip 4th..the ratio between 4th adn 5th seems almost pointless for Daily driving.... its safe......if they didn't want you to do it, then why isn't it a sequential shifter, like on a dirtbike/motorcycle.

and the manual even tells you to use the gears when going down continuous big hills. Thats why the AT's have the choice of 1,2,and D. you have better control and you won;t crystalize your brakes from overheating.

about clutch wear above....your usually gonna stay in one gear to hold a speed, so to put it in nuetral would take the same amount of clutch.

 

i believe downshifting to go down the hill actually saves gas as well as brakes too. Since the cars motion is spinning the engine and you can take your foot off the gas im pretty sure the fuel cuts off.

 

^^ it does. Was it you carbon that did that test with a Fuel Flow Guage? Someone did a test and when they let go of the gas Fuel Flow went all the way down to 0. But then Dr I did a test and it really doesn't save that much gas if you leave it in Gear or let it coast.