Suzuki Samurai was Re: [geeks] SPARC proprietary (MAJOR RANT)

[Mike F]

On Wed, 15 Oct 2003 10:34:41 -0500
"Joshua D. Boyd" <jdboyd at celestrion.celestrion.net> wrote:

> On Wed, Oct 15, 2003 at 11:21:21AM -0400, William Enestvedt wrote:
> 
> >    This reminds me: what's double-clutching?
> 
> That for once is something I know about.
> 
> It is only usefully on vehicles without a syncro in the tranny.  This
> includes big rig trucks, but I don't believe it includes any car using
> a factory standard tranny.

I've owned 3 Hondas, and all of them have had finicky synchros, but my
current Honda - a 1996 Prelude Si, is the worst. In cold weather,
sometimes the synchros just "don't work" - I'm not a mechanic so
that's what I perceive, at least. When this happens, I have to
double-clutch just to get the car to shift. The other 2 Hondas,
a Civic and an Acura Integra (yes, it's basically a Honda) only
had synchro issues when coming to a stop and changing into first
gear. They simply wouldn't change into first gear unless I did
a double-clutch first (while stationary, mind you.)

> Alternatively, you can speed shift, but that isn't recommended in cars
> because that will wear things out faster.  Truckers do it all the time
> though (or so my trucker friend tells me).

My brother-in-law does this with his Vette, and before that in his Ford
Explorer, which had a stick. I've always been too chicken to do it.
Apparently it's as much an art as heel-toeing and double-clutching :)