How to Drive a Manual?

[BriLam]

I know a lot of people here drive stick and everyone is pretty friendly, so I thought I'd pop a question.

I am 21 and currently drive an automatic. When I was 16, I messed around with a friend's manual and was doing pretty decent with it. I was impressed for 16. Last year, I tried driving it again and stalled twice. I haven't touched it since. hehe.

I have read a lot online about the techniques and understand it for the most part. I also understand that stalling is normal at first and it will happen. I have a cousin with a manual so I think I'll see if he can take me out. But I have a few questions I was wondering someone could answer.

- Alright, so you start the car while depressing the clutch. Once it is started, can you release the clutch? Then when you want to back out of a parking spot in reverse, let's say, do you need to do utilize the clutch and gas as if you were driving normally out of first? Also, do I need to hold down the clutch when putting the tranny into reverse or is that not necessary? All the while, I have my foot on the brake, correct? So, the sequence would be clutch in with foot on brake, start car, clutch in and move shifter to reverse, foot off brake and hit gas while clutching out. Once out of spot, clutch in, move shifter to 1st, clutch out while giving gas. Is that correct or am I making stuff up?

- Let's say I'm driving on a highway in fifth gear. I see a stoplight ahead and will need to come to a stop. What do I do? Do I clutch in, pop it in neutral, then clutch out with gas and then coast to a stop? I can also stay in any gear until around 1,500 RPMs, then pop it into neutral, right?

- The same technique is used for downshifting and putting it into neutral, in terms of clutch in and gas while clutching out (as I mentioned above)?

- Let's say in the above situation the light turns green before I come to a stop. I'm already in neutral. How do I know what gear I need to go back in since I was previously in fifth? Does it depend on how much I slowed down?

- I come to a stoplight and am stopping. After stopping (clutch in and then to neutral while giving gas, right?) do I take my foot off the clutch and keep it only on the brake, as if I was in an automatic?

- How do you know when to downshift? I know when on a highway and you need more power, but what about when making turns? It seems so confusing to me that I may be in a gear, make a turn while braking, then may need to downshift because the RPMs are getting too low for that gear.

- What happens when you stall? Do you clutch in, put the car in 1st, and clutch out while gassing?

When I park, I understand you need to put the car in gear. So I put it in 1st or reverse if I am facing uphill or downhill, respectively? What about if on flat land?

I know the questions are confusing and jump everywhere (and my assumptions could be completely wrong), so I apoligize in advance.

Also, if anyone has any great sites to visit for more help or videos (that would be a help, too, actually seeing it in action as opposed to reading it) please pass them on.

How did everyone else learn? Are there driving schools which give courses in driving a manual transmission? I know how to drive, just not a manual.

Thanks again.

[tgfhatch]

First off, you aren't going to learn how to drive a 5 speed by watching videos, reading Internet how-tos, and posting on forums (but this is a good forum to post to).

the only way your going to learn to drive a 5 speed is to get in the car, and drive. find some back roads and practice. the best way to begin learning is by practicing on a HILL (make sure nothing is behind you). I learned to drive a 5 speed by getting a new car and driving, and driving some more, and driving some more. Practice makes perfect. This is one of those times when that is very true.

Here I'll give it my best shot to reply to your posts. Some of them are sort of confusing.

Bullet 1 - one problem i see with your descirption, if you have the clutch depressed, and you start the car, if the car is still in gear, and you release the clutch, you will stall. any time the car is in gear, and you release the clutch, and don't give it any gas, you'll stall. also, yes you will go from reverse, the same way as if you were going forward in 1st gear. Your last setence in the first paragraph is coorect.

bullet 2 - I don't know why yo uwould do this especially if you are in 5th gear, going 65 mph. i would never pop it in neutral to coast to the stop light. why not down shift through the gears? That way you can also shift up if you don't have to come to a complete stop.

bullet 4 - shiftign depends on how fast you are going and what rmp you are. when i learned, i didn't have a tach. so i learned by watching the MPH, and also you can tell when the car needs to be shift. it will sort of bog down which means its time to shift to the next gear. however, now I have a tach in my civic, so the shift light flashes when its time to shift. again, this will be determine by the kind of car that you have.

bullet 5 - if you coem to a stop light, yes, you can push the clutch in, move the car to neutral and remove your foot from the clutch. if you want, you can come to a stop, keep the clutch pushed in, and a foot on the brake. doesn't really matter. when the light turns green, if the car is in neatural, you have to go to first, if the car is still in first, with a foot on the clutch and brake, all you have to do is release the clutch and give it gas, as its already in first gear.

bullet 7 - when you stall, you start the same way as if you are starting the car up. clutch it, turn key, put it in first, release brake, give it gas and go away.

dont waste your money on a class. get a 5 speed car, a few free hours, some back roads, and start driving. it's not really all that hard. i drove a automatic for 18 years, and now my Civic is a 5 speed, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

[BriLam]

I appreciate the reply. I defintiely understand driving one is the best way to learn, but I definitely want to get a grasp in my head before actually getting out there. I think it'll calm me a bit and make things easier. I did the same thing when learning how to drive, asking questions to drivers and all.

One quick question though. You mentioned at a stop light you can hold down the clutch and the brake. I read that holding the clutch down is a good way to end it's life early. Did I read wrong or am I mixing facts?

I know everything is perceived as really easy, but it's sent me for a loop just thinking about it. But I would really like to learn. I am really into cars and driving and think I would enjoy manual a lot, it's just I need to LEARN.

[tgfhatch]

You could be right about the stop light issue. I usually just keep the clutch pushed in, and barely ever move the car to neutral. maybe somebody else will chime in and say if you are correct. if so, then i learned something new.

as far as learning. trust me, i did NO research or anything. my dad brought a car home for me to look at, and said do you like it? I tried to learn how to drive with him and that didn't work out (we didn't work to well to learn together). so i took him home, dropped him off, and went back out. had it down in 1 hour.

[gbackus]

Holding the the clutch in at the stop light puts a strain on your throw out bearings. I always put it in neutral at a stop light.

[MattN03]

I'd recommend practicing in a flat parking lot if possible. I think attempting to learn to drive a manual on a hill would be frustrating and very hard on the clutch. I'm a firm believer in putting the vehicle in neutral when starting also-just incase your foot slips off the clutch at least you won't drive into something. Put the vehicle in neutral at stop lights also-your throw out bearing will appreciate it. Most importantly, find someone (or rent a car at Hertz, Enterprise, etc if you can find a manual tranny) and just practice! Practice somewhere away from objects and traffic and get the feel of things. Good luck! It's not that hard after a little practice.

[gb387]

Originally posted by tgfhatch
dont waste your money on a class. get a 5 speed car, a few free hours, some back roads, and start driving. it's not really all that hard. i drove a automatic for 18 years, and now my Civic is a 5 speed, and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Practice is what you really need to learn to drive a manual... Shouldn't take all that long to get the hang of it, if you have never been in a 5 speed ride along and just watch the driver and see what they are doing and when, should give you a very good idea. Its already been mentioned but hills are going to be your biggest problem. You do not want to roll back into another vehicle, when I learned I avoided up hill shots until I felt I was comfortable enough to tackle hills.

[AccessDEANied]

I'd say play some Gran Turismo, so you can see the relation between speed, RPMs, and the gears.

But yeah, other than that, practice. And practice on a car that will play fairly nice. When I took behind the wheel training, I drove in a Ford Festiva I think (some 90's car that looks like an egg). Then the rest of my practice consisted of driving my dad's B2300 truck. I couldn't get the hang of it, because he's an evil teacher. So instead of getting another car, he converted it to an automatic, which I drove for a couple of years. I asked if we could change it back to manual, and I did my practicing without him. I was able to pick it up within the week. =P

When I was finally able to get my own car, a Neon Sport Coupe, that car was fun, and also easier to drive. The truck would roll back really fast on hills, but the Neon I could take like three seconds before taking off. And practicing on flat areas, you can also try taking off with just the clutch, slowly, so that you can find the spot where it will engage. That leads to doing it on hills when you're at a stop. I like rolling back and forth on hills and while I'm waiting at drive thru's, but I heard that's probably not too good for the TO bearing too. I couldn't do that in the truck.

But yeah, practice. =P

[the other pc]

Everybody's a little different but I always find learning how to do something is a lot easier if I understand how it works.

You probably already know how disk brakes work. You have a metal disk connected to the wheels a set of friction pads around it that are connected to the car. When you press on the pedal you squeeze the pads on the disk. Friction between the pads and the disk resists motion between them and slows you down. You can press hard for a lot of friction to slow down hard, press just little for a little friction to slow down a bit or not press at all for no friction and no slowing.

A clutch is much the same but inside out. A clutch is a disk of friction material that is connected to the gearbox which is connected to the wheels. It's sandwiched between metal faces (the flywheel and pressure plate) that are connected to the engine. When the pedal is raised the clutch disk is squeezed its hardest, grabbing onto the moving engine. When you press the pedal the clutch disk is disengaged. By partially raising the pedal you can engage the clutch to the engine progressively, form lightly to full grab. When the clutch is dragging the engine but not fully grabbing we say you are slipping the clutch.

The key to using a clutch is getting the feel for how much you need to slip and when to just let it grab or completely disengage it. I say "get the feel" because there aren't hard and fast rules for just how much slip to use, when to shift up, shift down or put it in neutral. There's a lot of room for variation for any given vehicle and for personal style.

The clutch's job is to match the speed of the drivetrain to the engine. Unlike brakes where the car and the wheels can both be sitting still the engine has to idle. The clutch is used to release the drivetrain and car from the engine for idling when the car isn't moving, connecting the engine and drivetrain for accelerating, cruising and decelerating under engine load and to disconnect the engine and drivetrain to allow shifting of gears. (There are other tricks and techniques but those are the basics.)

Sorry that none of that actually tells you how to do any thing but I hope it gives some insight.

Every car is different. Some won't start unless you have the clutch pedal pressed and others will. Some need a lot of slip combined with a fair amount of gas to get started. Others can get rolling from idle with just a little clutch slip and no extra gas. For most cars I'd recommend getting the feel for the clutch by keeping the revs low, just a little over idle and slipping the clutch lightly to get rolling. After you get the feel you'll be able to give it more gas while engaging the clutch (raising the pedal) more quickly.

When you're holding the pedal down the clutch isn't dragging on the engine. There's no slip, no friction and no wear so it doesn't reduce clutch life. It does put a load on the throwout and pilot bearings (that support clutch and transmission output shaft). That's OK, it's what they're made for so it's not like you're abusing them but the way to maximize the life of any part is to go easy on it. I have seen pilot bearings seize so I do make it a habit to put the gearbox in neutral when I'm stopped for more than a few seconds. Plus, it's easier on your legs.


PC.

[Accumulator]

The Other PC- Good explanation

BriLam- I'd get a good book on the subject and study up before and after your practice sessions. As mentioned, it can be easier to do something when you understand what's going on. See if you can find a used copy of Bob Bondurant's book on high performance driving.

A *good* class can be helpful too, as can practice in a controlled environment. E.g., my wife never really got the hang of double clutching until she attended some driving schools and she'd driven a stick for ages.

I agree to not keep the clutch in, it really *is* hard on the throwout/pilot bearings. Likewise, don't rest your hand on the shifter.

Downshifting through the gears as you approach a stop can be good practice. "Matching the spread" i.e., blipping the gas so the car doesn't jerk when you engage a lower gear, takes this kind of practice. And matching the spread is the first step towards double clutching, which is the gentle way to treat your transmission. Both techniques save your synchronizers, which is worth doing as tranny rebuilds cost real money. There's a reason why so many cars with manual transmissions are sold with worn-out second gear synchros

[tgfhatch]

what does resting your hand on the shift knob have to do with anything?

[Murr1525]

Well, I think some people with automatics may have never actualy driven very long with their left hand. With having to shift on bends and stuff in an manual, you certainly need to be comfortable with both hands.

[sneek]

any time the car is in gear, and you release the clutch, and don't give it any gas, you'll stall

not always, in my friends suzuki he can drive it with one foot but i'm not a huge fan of trying this because i think its bad for your car... i always have to give it a little gas to keep all the shifting smooth but im not at that level in driving where my shifting is as smooth as an auto

[WaspHunter]

Originally posted by tgfhatch
what does resting your hand on the shift knob have to do with anything?

Your gear stick usually rests on a polyeurethane (or similar plastic) bush. Resting your hand on the stick tends to wear this out. Also, the stick is an outlet for some of the forced vibrations in the tranny, and resting your hand on it forces those stresses back into the gearbox. Lastly, driving with a hand on the stick is usually considered a no-no since in an emergency you'll want both hands on the controls.

On slowing for a stoplight: Engine Braking is your friend. Go down through the gears. Learn how fast your car slows down with just the engine, it'll help you on long steep hills where riding the brakes can cause them to overheat. If you drive a rotary, forget what I just said as the blades act as a flywheel and you get next to no engine braking from it.

No one seems to have mentioned shift technique yet, so I'll put in my $0.02AU (rounds down to nothing here ). I'm sure I'll get disagreements on this one, but I've never missed a gear this way, and its how I was taught. Think of shifting as a series of push/pull actions and not a series of gear positions. In left-handed shifting land, to get to first I push left and then forward. I can do this with an open palm on the knob. First to Second and I keep leftward pressure and pull straight back. For the middle gears pop the stick out and then straight forward or back. 5th/6th/Reverse are usually a bit "further" away, and so you can really tell when you're getting into them. This technique will let you shift without ever having to look down, and after a while without having to think.

As everyone else has said, practice makes perfect. I'm currently re-teaching my dad to drive manual, after 15 years with autos. We just work technique, piece by piece - moving off, stopping, turns, etc etc one day at a time. Having someone ride shotgun, with experience will help you. Just make sure your instructors technique is dead perfect lest s/he pass on some bad habits. I'm sure in no time you'll be using your manual to pull off trail-braking maneuvers and scandanavian flicks (j/k! drive safely, wear a harness)

[Lydia]

What is double clutching?

Also I didn't see if anyone else mentioned this, but if you are stopped on a hill and there is someone behind you so close you are afraid you will roll into them, let out the clutch just until you feel the engine catch (the tachometer will drop and the engine will sound a little different)--don't let it out too much or you will stall--then once you feel the engine catch, let out the brake and give it some gas.

It's not half as hard as it sounds. I learned how to drive on a standard and it's really not that confusing.