i am thinking i have a bad mount because when i down shift there seems to be some "play" and its not smoth no matter how slow i let hte clutch out....and if i rev match its fine.

on the same not if i am in 3rd and i'm just going around town....i let off and it feels like there's "play" and its hard to explain short of i feel the shift move as well.

i just test drove a 04' gli jetta (for fun) and it was smooth as can be...down shif...no play...it was kinda a dog though...no umf cept up top.

so am i doing something wrong...of does it sound like i have a bad mount?

 

since the throttle is "drive by wire" vs throttle cable, the RPMs drop quicker when you let off the gas to shift.

two ways to improve down shifts...
quicker shifts
and my favorite...heel and toe!!
right foot on the right edge of the brake pedal. push in clutch. down shift. right before the let the clutch out, roll the right edge of your foot to blip the gas pedal. let out clutch. by doing this, you are rev matching so the down shift improves.
it will take some practice to get it right. its obviously best when entering a corner (so you carry speed for a better exit) but its become second nature to me so i do it every time i down shift...even at lights.

 

You're always supposed to match revs on a downshift or you're just using you're clutch as a brake and wearing out the engine mounts.

 

Actually i have driven alot of manual cars and the maxima is the worst i've driven so far (downshifting) but other than that its awesome

 

a maxima makes the driver actually drive the car properly...there is plenty of feedback. you control everything...the car doesnt do everything for you.

when i first bought my car i was convinced that i had forgotten how to drive a manual. i just had to learn to shift properly. i actually like it better than other cars i have driven now.

 

I have similar play as you explained MyBlue02 when letting off of the throttle. I have no problem driving anything standard, but a good friend and I have both agreed the Maxima is tricky to drive.
So we have the same problem MyBlue or the electronic throttle is the issue.

 

what "play" are you guys talking about? the actual shift ****/linkage? if so, thats normal since it isnt the best designed linkage.

 

I notice it at lower speeds, lower RPM's when rollin around and left of throttle. It is play in the shifter but feels almost like engine/tranny is rockin slightly. It is most likely normal, but just odd.

 

i see what you are saying....when you give it gas, the shift **** moves.

thats normal and happens with every manual...the maxima is just more noticeable since there is play in the linkage

 

wow the above message halped the hell outta me cuz i was freakin out with mine ... i didnt even have to past anything ... amazing

 

the play i am trying to explain is more like there is an excesive amount of play in the motor mounts and the actual drive train is "rocking" and then trans mitted to the shifer via the linkage.

thats why i was questioning hte motor mounts, i'll update the thread when i get around to doing the motor mounts because it feels like there is alot of play (front to back) in hte drive train. and i do get some wheel hop if i "blip" the gas in the rain from a stop.

sad since my car doesn't even have 50,000 miles on it.

 

Ah it's normal to feel a little rocking in the shifter, mine does it the most in 1st gear though. It took me a little while to be smooth at driving the max, it gives a lot more feedback than most other cars I've driven. On the heel/toe braking, I've always seen good drivers use their toes on the brake pedal, then kick their heel out to the gas pedal, kind of pigeon toed, to blip the throttle, hence the name heel/toe braking. But I'm no pro road racer so I could be wrong. I always rev match my downshifts, but I have never taken the time to perfect the heel/toe brake.

 

You just have to get used to the clutch.

 

Yes, that play is normal but definitely more noticeable in the maxima's.
Heel/Toe .. not for me but I can still match the R's in turns and what-not just by the trademark toe/toe technique. hahah

 

it might work...but not correctly
to drive efficiently in a turn, there needs to be a seamless transition between braking and acceleration. in your method, you have to brake sooner and then over brake so that when you take your foot off the brake to rev match, you are already slowed down. with heal and toe, you can continue to brake while you rev match. by doing this, you can brake later and you dont have to over break since you can hold the brake until you need to accelerate again.

 

Rev match only way to go....downshifting excelerating say at 30 mph in 3rd at 3k. Here you would rev match 4100 or so to second gear. You have press clutch in leave in neutral for .01 and the rev gas and down shift excelerating. Now to brake. If you were going to excelerate and cannot for whatever reason (someone pulls out infront of you red light etc) you would start the downshift in 3rd at 30 clutch, neutral, brake shift back into 3rd and ease off clutch. brake more.

Hope this makes sence...only variables are your speed, matching the rev, braking or excelerating.

Cheers

p.s there are other ways to drive this is just how I drive.

 

I had a 95 stick maxima and I didn't experience such an issue. Is that specific to the 3.5 liter engine?

 

rev matching the 6speed isnt too hard, but heel toe is a necessity for quick driving and everyday driving for some people

 

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....78#post5723278

got rid of the play i had

 

The RPMs drop too slow for me. I end up waiting (forever haha) to rpm match. It's really annoying, even for regular driving and especially during hard acceleration. I know I'm tearing the **** out of the tranny.