Pros & Cons of F1 transmission and lessons learned stuff

I totally agree on letting the clutch fully engage before accelerating off.. I can totally see how clutches are burned up. Here are some of my conclusion:

F1 trans grabs better once warm. When she is cold she will slip more. This is when you really need to pay attention as to how you are taking off.

When cold and I take off.. taking it easy but going from 1st to 2nd and then 3rd to get the juices going in the trans.

I do avoid hills when cold. If I have to hit a hill when cold I usually work my way up the hill in 1st - riding her up a bit.. I mean a bit.. and just let her go up.. If I know I have to stop I try to get her to the top of the hill where it starts to flatten.. Then she engages much better.. Remember this is when cold. If I see cars stopped at the top of the hill.. I just take her slow in first and hope by the time I reach the top it will be clear.. When you take off and driving in 1st the clutch is fully disengaged.. So she will not slip.. I think its all about the warm up..

Once warm - she grabs much better off the line.. Keep in mind fellas I have a 2000 Coupe with standard TCU - its is not adjustable. No PIS adjusting..

I also try keep her in the right gear.. Lets say your driving along.. 3rd gear and approaching a right turn and your slowing down.. ok.. drop her to 2nd.. and clutch will not disengage around the turn.. If you let the rpms drop to a certain level you can feel car slipping into neutral..

Manual says not to modulate gas on take off.. but you have to a little when cold. When up to temp.. clutch really engages nicely..

All that off the line slipping can really roast the clutch.. To me.. thats where all the wear is taking place.. or should I say majority..

Stop light.. Blip throttle.. youll feel her start to engage, gently feather gas and then she'll give you a little jiggle (meaning you can feel car fully engage).. your off..

I agree with hold gas down especially when your blasting thru the gears.. She loves it and the shifts are fantastic..

Downshifting.. I always assist the auto rev match with the gas pedal.. Almost like I am holding her hand.. Makes for a smoother downshift.. but sometimes I dont

If I am blasting thru the gears and flying and I approach the exit quickly and I downshift at a higher rpm band the car will rev match perfectly and no need for gas pedal assistance..

but.. lets say your traving on the highway doing 60 in 5th gear.. nice and smooth and you decide you want to dust someone.. When I kick down to 4th.. I assist with gas pedal on the downshift.. If I plan on taking her to 3rd... I assist again.. I dont go from 5th down to 3rd.. I would step her down... and assist.. Difficult to explain and I hope I am making sense.. I guess when you driving calm and want to get to blasting off.. I assist with gas.. If I am already blazing and downshift I do not because TCU will sense that we are in blazing mode..

Always keeping in sport mode..

Hope this info helps.. Never smell the clutch.. If I am parking downhill.. I go the otherway so I am moving forward when I leave.. So down hill drive way.. Reverse down the driveway to when it goes flat.. If my driveway or persons drveway where I am visiting does not go flat at some point.. I dont park in it.. because when she is cold she will slip more.. I avoid it completely..

You do have to do some planning when taking the car out.. I'm a driver..

Going to restaurant I always make sure before hand I can get in and out without bottoming out the front - remember I came out of a TR before the 360.

I always have some idea what my parking options are.. If not I roll the dice and I can always find a flat place to park.. Its not too time consuming and it pays off..

Hope this info helps and more importantly hope I make sense.

R