Civic Si... Rev hang? Is it that big of a deal?

[CTRx]

Hi all,

I was in the market for a new car and comparing between the Type R which I have started a thread on last week, I also wanted to check out if I was more practical with my decision, how bad the Si's rev hang actually is. Seems a lot of people are talking about it and flashing it but I do not plan to modify my car at all from factory settings and may just go with a HB Sport Touring if it is that bad.

Also, having never driven a manual and living in Toronto, after creating my Type R thread, I wonder if there is any actual benefit/fun from having a stick shift if sitting in traffic for the entire commute anyway...

A few of my friends who have driven both have agreed having the control of their car via stick shift is a lot of fun but also do not miss the luxuries of being able to just relax in your drive with all the assistance the car provides (re: safety/semi-autonomous driving).

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[REBELXSi]

I don't even notice it in my Si but if you look around on here, people make it sound like they regret buying a Civic at all because the problem is so horrible. Basically, I think you'll get bad info on here because people complain about everything and love blowing things out of proportion.

 

[CTRx]

Well, considering I don't even know how to drive a manual yet, it definitely would not be something I would notice for awhile and maybe even help me get accustomed to it..! One thing that was undisputed in the Type R thread was the low-profile tires and potholes which still gives me nightmares and I do not even own the car.

Overall the Si seems like a better package, take away the HB body and Honda sensing, it would appear the Si is an overall better car to drive but not sure by a factor of how much!

 

[MattyNice]

The rev hang is annoying but that’s about it for me. People say they can’t shift smooth and blah blah...they just can’t ahift well.

My commute is highly congested for 20 miles each way. Some days I think I trade the car just not to have to have shift anymore. But overall, I still love the control and the fun of it even if autos are faster and get better mpg nowadays.

 

[REBELXSi]

The rev hang is annoying but that’s about it for me. People say they can’t shift smooth and blah blah...they just can’t ahift well.
.

Damn right. I literally never have trouble shifting yet I'm always hearing people complain. Maybe I got the ONE good Si transmission?

 

[REBELXSi]

Well, considering I don't even know how to drive a manual yet, it definitely would not be something I would notice for awhile and maybe even help me get accustomed to it..!

It's a shame you've even heard about it because now I feel you've been tainted and now you'll be hyper sensitive to any rev hang that there might be. I'm convinced most people who complain about it are only doing it because they've heard someone else complain about it.

 

[Turn10Photos]

If you've never driven a manual you're not going to notice something like that. All cars with DBW (drive by wire) do this as it's programmed through the ECU and it has nothing to do with the transmission as someone else stated.

Without rev hang, it makes shifting jerky,especially if you're unfamiliar with driving a manual. It's something that will greatly benefit a new driver.

Older cars dont do this as they utilized a wire cable to open the throttle.

The Si drives incredibly well as it is.

 

[MarkR171]

I have no idea how people don't notice it.

That being said, it's not enough of an issue for me. I don't drive it any differently because of the rev hang.

 

[MarkR171]

If you've never driven a manual you're not going to notice something like that. All cars with DBW (drive by wire) do this as it's programmed through the ECU and it has nothing to do with the transmission as someone else stated.

Without rev hang, it makes shifting jerky,especially if you're unfamiliar with driving a manual. It's something that will greatly benefit a new driver.

None of this is true.

First part - not all DBW cars have rev hang. The Civic is actually the first that I've really experienced rev-hang right away.

Second part - rev hang actually makes it worse because it's artificially stopping the engine from slowing revs when you lift off the throttle. It's not doing what you expect it to do. If you shift quickly (or at a normal pace for someone used to driving a manual without thinking about it), the revs may not drop enough for a smooth shift and you get a jerk because the revs are too high. Also when downshifting, if you're used to blipping the throttle, you end up giving too much throttle because the revs haven't dropped and you're adding the same amount of revs you're used to in other cars. To say rev hang makes it less jerky and easier is incorrect. It simply makes it less intuitive. The only thing it can help is if you shift slowly, but proper technique makes that smooth without rev hang anyway.

 

[racer]

Rev hang is emissions driven. Its done to prevent raw fuel dumping into the motor.. the hang provides a cleaner burn and therefore cleaner emissions.

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/rev-hang-explained-and-why-petrolheads-hate-it/

I first noticed "rev hang" back in 2002 on my wife's Audi A4 with stick. Could have come around sooner, but my previous cars were a 1996 GTi that I bought new. Pre OBDII and likely OBDI it was never a thing.

The annoyance of the rev hang is most apparent when trying to upshift quickly. When you have made the gear change and are letting out the clutch, the engine revs haven't dropped down to where they need to be for the new gear. Its not an issue (or as great an issue) when downshifting. That said, steady smooth gear changes are possible in either scenario if you pay attention.

 

[NHCivicGuy]

I have only put 300 miles so far on my Si since I picked it up 2 weeks ago, but I have not really noticed the rev hang really. This is my first manual car (had a motorcycle before that I learned on). If anything the problem I have so far is with the notchy and plastic-feeling shifter. I have the Type-R shifter assembly, Acuity base bushings, centering spring, rocker arm, cable bushings and Shift Solutions Co Hybrid Weighted BK-H knob on the way to solve all of that.

 

[Blitted_Master]

The rev hang was brutal to deal with after driving many older manual Hondas. Nothing KTuner can't fix though.

 

[b4gel]

I still notice the rev hang nearly every time I drive the car in traffic. It's most apparent between 1st and 2nd. I wish the car didn't have it, but it's a minor nitpick for an otherwise brilliant drivetrain. You can easily adjust your driving style to make it disappear. It doesn't bother me nearly enough to reflash my ECU over.

 

[bwandan]

Rev hang isn't too bad on the car, but it is annoying. I ended up just tuning the car with Ktuner and no more rev hang . World's of a difference if you try it, but since you are starting it really won't be bad for you. This is a great car to learn with too! Not sure if i'd even recommend getting a Type R for someone new to manual, anyone starting would probably eat that clutch.

 

[Verdingo]

I've been driving manuals both street and track for 35+ years. To me, the rev hang was barely noticeable. When I first started driving this vehicle I noticed it but quickly adapted how I shift and now think about it. I traded my SLK 350 for the Si because it honestly is more fun to drive. The SLK was a very nice car but it was kind of boring; even using manual mode all the time (and it was $$$ to repair). The Si is not what I would ever use for a dedicated track car. It is a great daily driver; especially for the purchase price and very low cost for upkeep. I will eventually tune the car and remove rev-hang but only because it is an option that comes with the tune; not because I dislike how it shifts stock.

I will say that there are lots of better cars out there to learn to drive a stick. My son has an automatic Civic and wanted to learn a manual and I was shamed in teaching him on my Si by my wife. He did well, but with the turbo and the very early clutch engagement this car is was more difficult than others to learn on.

Don't know if you'd enjoy owning a manual car? Buying one is kind of an expensive way to find that out. They are very different than an automatic car and not necessarily better (depending on one's habits and preferences). It really depends on what you want, not what the masses (or friends) say. I'd recommend renting a manual (if you can find one) for a week and drive it in stop-n-go traffic. Be honest with yourself, if you enjoying zipping in traffic but never really cared about shifting then there's a lot of other cars out there that will do that. It's be a shame to buy a car and not like it; recommend taking your time and learn how to drive a manual first. Also, there's a big difference between knowing how to shift and how to actually drive a manual car. There are many more things to learn than just shifting.

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