[DARISC]

I've read many comments that one must "pause" before shifting into the next gear, be it up or down, when operating a 915 transmission.

Well, that's true in a sense, but I believe it's better said that one must not abuse the synchro mechanisim by forcing one's way through its action.

Is this a trivial distinction to make? I feel strongly that it is a very important distinction when describing how to correctly operate ANY synchronized transmission.

The synchro mechanism of the best , most modern, toughest or whatever transmission simply cannot complete its task as quickly as a driver can jam the lever into gear.

"Jam" sounds brutal and inept, but the fact is that if the operator forces the stick through the synchros before their task is completed, the mechanism is being forced (jammed), which is to say, abused.

Modern transmissions don't seem to clearly telegraph to the driver whenthey are being abused. Rather, they, in a sense, seem to allow it. But they are being abused and will wear out quicker than they will if the operator "pauses" to allow time for the trans to synchronize.

But pause is a vague term. Pause for how long? Well, pause until the synchros have done their job.

Herein lays the distinction I'm making: when shifting, move the stick at the speed of light, if you're that fast, but be hypersensitive to the feel of exactly when the tiniest bit of resistance is met that indicates you are "up against the synchros", then immediately "relent", rather than "pause", keeping just the tiniest bit of pressure on the synchros until, suweeet!, the stick moves, with now effort at all, into gear.

So easy to do, so tedious to describe.

Then, sidestep the clutch and floor it, HAHA! Right.

In a nutshell, there's nothing wrong with the 915 trans unless there's "something wrong" with the 915 trans. If there were, how on earth did Porsche win so many races using it?

So much for high school driver's ed.

I 'jus love drivin' my ole 915!