so in a few hrs my cousin is gonna help me "teach/practice"..i know the basics of it now like..clutch to turn the car on, at what speeds to change gears (i listen to when the engine is stressed so ill change gear)...but my freaking problem is balancing my feet and taking off on 1st. so i my question is...when u change gears do u let off the gas and once the X gear is set then u would accelerate again?
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i need to learn MANUAL TRANSMISSION!!! quick ques
- Thread starter Alag28
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Alag28 said:
Yes, it's foot off the gas, clutch in, shift gear, then release the clutch and give it gas at the same time. I don't drive yet, but I know how to shift from driving my ATV. It's exactly the same.
It's all feel. You'll have to learn that when you get out there. Changing out of first will be like changing any other gear, you will do it by sound. The balance when changing gears and re-accelerating is also learned. It's not as hard as starting out, but you still have to balance to keep from jerking too much.
I said too much...go and learn my child.
I said too much...go and learn my child.
Biting point
You don't need the clutch to start a manual, you just put it into neutral, i.e. in the centre. If it's in a gear before you start engage the clutch, put it into neutral and then start. To pull away put the car into first gear, keep foot on clutch and then start putting the accelerator down as you lift the clutch up. If you are on a hill, you need to find the biting point before you let off the handbrake. The biting point is where the car goes neither forwards nor backwards. Once you get it manuals are great fun to drive. Change gear when you feel the car needs it 20,000-30,000 rpm (not sure I got the 000s right there, but you know what I mean) is a good rate to keep the engine turning at, so change up as and when to keep it at this. At speeds of thirty and above you can cruise in forth gear, fifty plus fifth gear.
Alag28 said:
You don't need the clutch to start a manual, you just put it into neutral, i.e. in the centre. If it's in a gear before you start engage the clutch, put it into neutral and then start. To pull away put the car into first gear, keep foot on clutch and then start putting the accelerator down as you lift the clutch up. If you are on a hill, you need to find the biting point before you let off the handbrake. The biting point is where the car goes neither forwards nor backwards. Once you get it manuals are great fun to drive. Change gear when you feel the car needs it 20,000-30,000 rpm (not sure I got the 000s right there, but you know what I mean) is a good rate to keep the engine turning at, so change up as and when to keep it at this. At speeds of thirty and above you can cruise in forth gear, fifty plus fifth gear.
Alag28 said:
Yes. Unless it's not synchromesh, in which case you'll have to double clutch. But I doubt you'll be learning on a tractor-trailer or an automobile from the 1920s.
a456 said:
Unless you're learning on an MP4-21, 20,000 rpm might be a little high.
Depending on the vehicle, most modern cars should be upshifted from between 2200-8000 rpm to stay close to the powerband. It depends on the transmission and engine.
Alag28 said:are u sure?
It can't hurt to put your foot on the clutch when starting, even when in neutral.
UberMac said:
My last Volkswagen would engage the starter without a foot on any pedal (and in any gear [*lurch*]) but my new VW has a lockout sensor that requires the clutch to be engaged.
I used to drive a 5-speed manual chevy (now the auto for a company car and my personal car).
The best place to practice for the first session would be in the big parking lot, followed by a some slight incline so that you can practice starting from the dead stop on the incline (going up, that is).
Break & clutch in, put the gear in the first, get off the break and immediately to the gas, rev up a little bit of gas as the clutch grabs the gear (like 1000 to 1500 rpm), off the clutch
For the second , third, and so on, just the repeat of the above (except for the first "break" part).
If the car does not have a tach, you have to go with the noise of the engine and feel of the car.
Once you get a hang of it, it's like right foot (gas) in, left foot (clutch) out and back and forth.
Don't ride on the clutch as it will wear out the clutch prematurely. When you stop, put the gear in neutral and off your clutch.
The most of the passenger cars do not need "double clutching" as their first 3 gears have synchros.
I recommend not to practice the manual on your own car as it will surely hurt your clutch. When I did this with my first manual car, I burned the clutch in less than 10,000 miles. I was lucky the dealer replaced the clutch under warranty.
It may fun for a while. But, once you start commuting for work (or driving as part of the job necessity), it gets tiring. I don't go back to manual anymore. I would rather be on the phone and checking email to be ultra-productive while driving instead of focusing on changing gears.
The best place to practice for the first session would be in the big parking lot, followed by a some slight incline so that you can practice starting from the dead stop on the incline (going up, that is).
Break & clutch in, put the gear in the first, get off the break and immediately to the gas, rev up a little bit of gas as the clutch grabs the gear (like 1000 to 1500 rpm), off the clutch
For the second , third, and so on, just the repeat of the above (except for the first "break" part).
If the car does not have a tach, you have to go with the noise of the engine and feel of the car.
Once you get a hang of it, it's like right foot (gas) in, left foot (clutch) out and back and forth.
Don't ride on the clutch as it will wear out the clutch prematurely. When you stop, put the gear in neutral and off your clutch.
The most of the passenger cars do not need "double clutching" as their first 3 gears have synchros.
I recommend not to practice the manual on your own car as it will surely hurt your clutch. When I did this with my first manual car, I burned the clutch in less than 10,000 miles. I was lucky the dealer replaced the clutch under warranty.
It may fun for a while. But, once you start commuting for work (or driving as part of the job necessity), it gets tiring. I don't go back to manual anymore. I would rather be on the phone and checking email to be ultra-productive while driving instead of focusing on changing gears.
UberMac said:
My dad's '99 suburu outback needs to have the clutch in to start, even in neutral.
As for driving, it is quite easy to shift once you are going- 2nd-3rd, 3rd-4th and so on require very little clutch/gas balancing. First is the toughie, and the only way you will learn it is practice. As for when to shift... you can hear it, but also try to shift around 3.5-4000 rpms, unless you driving a car that redlines at 8.5, like a porche or a ferrari, then you can push it a bit more
.®îçhå®? said:
yea he tried to teach me but his patience level is -9999 and he getts reallllllly heated when the car stalls very violently..its hard to learn with a teacher like that...dats why my cousin stepped up for the job..lol its not his car anyway
Slightly off subject, one advantage of a manual is being able to turn over the engine if your battery is dead. I've had do to this. Get it rolling in first with the clutch in (friends and/or hills are good for this) and then pop the clutch quickly and turn the ignition. Back in business.
Happened to me last week. I was alone so I backed the car out by hand, pushed it down the drive about 40ft and hopped in. I love having a stick.Jay42 said:
And just to note, my car ('94 Stealth) requires the clutch to start the engine. Turning the key forward without the clutch in does nothing, regardless of whether or not it's in gear.
A little OT, but I'd never buy an automatic, I love having a 5-speed. Sometimes I wish it were a 6-speed though.