Ideal clutch timing (i.e., gear ratios?)

[msanford]

My Matrix is my first full-time manual transmission ride (I'm competent but could always use improvement since I've sadly been driving automatic for the last few years).

I want to get into the habit of timing my clutching perfectly (rev matching correctly when engaging and disengaging the clutch).

To that end, I'm looking for some information regarding gear ratios so I can figure out both how low to let my revs dip when up-shifting and how high to blip when down-shifting. This is also useful (necessary) for eventual clutch-less shifting.

I found this article on the C-series transmissions, but the 04 Matrix (base!) isn't listed, so I don't know which tranny it has. If anyone knows which transmission I have, I can figure the rest out. Any extra advice is appreciated.

[Smar969905]

the easiest way is to just drive your car and find where your RPMs are at particular speeds for certain gears.

in my last car, 1990 camry with 5 speed manual, i often shifted without the clutch. the sync rows were already shot in that transmission, so it didnt really hurt what was already going or gone. your car is new. dont shift without the clutch now, because that will really work your sync rows a hell of a lot harder than they should have to this early in their life and will decrease the life of your transmission. also, because of how the gears line up (the angle that they are cut) it can snap the teeth of the gears if you misshift.

[mistamatrix]

Tranny code for the 5spd is C59 but the gear ratios for 4th and 5th gear are different than what's in the Matrix manual vs what's listed in wikipedia.

The gear ratios for the C59 in the Matrix manual:

1 3.166
2 1.904
3 1.310
4 0.885
5 0.725

[msanford]

Smar969905, thanks for the advice. I had been thinking about clutch-less shifting today while driving around, and I just didn't think it was such a great idea to try after all. The idea of possibly grinding the hell out of every moving part in my transmission was not that appealing.

mistamatrix, thank you!

[Smar969905]

when you have around 200k miles and your tranny is finally broken in, then clutchless shifting would be more fun for you. i have talked to other people, and one guy told me that he would go for clutchless shifting on his bike because the gears are cut straight instead of angled like in cars. also semi drivers often shift without the clutch, but their trannies are built without sync rows, so they already have to match up their rpms to speed for gearing.

it would be ok though to get a honda to practice clutchless shifting on. they are great for that...get them cheap and throw them away when you break them, and get another one.

[msanford]

Again, thanks for the advice!