How to Drive a Manual?

[jchetty]

ive been driving manual for over 5 years and trust me u will love it..it will be hard at first but dont get discouraged...think of when you 1st started detailing and how much u have picked up since ...i agree with the others i dont leave the clutch depressed for more than a few seconds..i also do the following

1. when on a hill, its ok to use the parking brake...this will stop you from rolling, feel the car catching then release the brake, this is very clutch friendly ( i know, my last car was an integra with 180+ miles on the original clutch which slipped a lil bit but not much)

2. watch the left turn..when u first learn, u will stall in traffic, be very careful because when u make left turns you usually are stopped then if you stall you will be in traffics way

3. **golden rule** brake in, clutch in..basically any time you want to apply brake or change gear (even in neutral) push the clutch in ****1st****...some ppl dont to save the clutch but the main reason is to build ur response time, soon it wont be a step but a habit..a good one

4. practice practice practice and practice....i picked up stick in my integra in 1/2 hour. i already knew how to drive a motorcyle (all manuals i believe), the one thing that will help u learn it quicker is understanding how it works...when to put in the clutch, what to do when ur on the highway crusing at 60 and some guy jumps in front and applies brakes, and so on

5. one of the worst habits i see is people changing gears mid turn..this is a big no no...same as applying brakes midturn...dont ever ever do this on a motorcycle and i dont on a car...there are a few exceptions..like going from 1st gear to 2nd gear and if you must shift do it slowly and let the clutch out easily do not ever ever try to speed shift while turning (cornering), but gear entries and braking should be done prior to entering a turn(corner)

6. keep both hands on the wheels...pref 9 and 3(not 10and2)..trust me i avoided an accident today and luckily didnt have to resort to jumping a curb when a driver swerved into my lane to avoid a pothole

have fun...drive responsibly, it will make u more aware driver..you will notice your surroundings, soon you will be able to shift by engine sound and feel, and maybe one day you will ask us how to heel to toe downshift....

[BriLam]

Thanks for all the tips, everyone!

[jchetty]

Originally posted by 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.

easier way then finding your clutches friction point ( by easier, i mean easier for a less experienced driver and easier on the clutch ) is using the parking brake..
as for double clutching, its a technique used for vehicles dont dont have synchronizer in the transmission... you are matching the tranny's input shaft speed to the engine ( i believe thats right) basically its 3 steps when upshifting for example im crusing in 2nd, clutch in, neutral, clutch in 3rd gear..the extra push allows the engine to slow down to match the tranny's speed and makes the transition to the next gear alot more smooth....and when downshifting you should double clutch...example..im in 5th..ppl normally push in clutch, put in 4th, ease the clutch...however that puts strain on the tranny cuz when u push in the clutch the rpm drop to 0 then when you let go it starts picking in 4th gear so if you blip the throttle it doesnt pick up from 0 rpms but from wherever u blipped the throttle hope that isnt confusing....i always doubleshift up gear, i always double shift down gear, and i try to heel to toe downshift as much as possible

[SiriusRIMZ]

My cousin let me 'borrow' his RX-8 to learn on... heh its not the best car to learn on, but its sure fun to drive. It took me about 2 hours to get it down, then I never forgot. I'm not the best at smooth shifts, but I know how to drive one. If you put me in a muscle car though, I dont know if I could take the heavy clutch.

[Aurora40]

Re: How to Drive a Manual?

Originally posted by BriLam
- 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?

Think about what the clutch does. Once the car is in a gear, if the engine is spinning it will try to turn the wheels the same speed as the gearing. The only thing stopping it is that the clutch is not engaged. So if you let it out and the car is stopped, the wheels will try to speed up or the engine will slow down. In this case the engine will lose and stall.

When you want to get the car moving, the easiest way until you get familiar is to give the motor about 2,500 rpm for a car with some motor, and maybe 3,000-3,500 for an econo motor. Then let the clutch out slowly. Use the clutch to moderate the acceleration of the car while holding the gas steady. If you only want to back out of a spot, you will probably not let the clutch all the way out.

- 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?

You can do that, either keep it in gear until you get down near idle then shift to neutral, or shift it to neutral right away if you want. Shifting right away leads to an odd braking sensation though, and if you end up not having to stop you are already out of gear.

- 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)?

I don't know what you mean? Generally downshifting while moving at a decent clip is no different than upshifting. You put the clutch in, change gear, and let it out reasonably quickly. You'll need to give it gas though as the engine will need to spin faster than before to go the same speed. If I downshift for acceleration, not because I slowed down, I take a stab at doubleclutching to keep my synchros from needing replacement sooner, but you wouldn't need to worry about that. I'm no expert, but I figure a smaller speed diff is better than doing nothing.

- 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?

You just need to be familiar with the car and what speed ranges each gear is useful for. Pay attention at what speeds you upshift each gear to give you an idea.

- 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?

[b]If you are stopped, stopping, you shouldn't be giving it gas. Your right foot should be on the brake. If the car is in neutral you can let the clutch out. No need to strain your leg holding it in.

- 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.

This is basically the same as you asked before. If you slow in a turn, you may need to downshift. The same as if you slow in a straight. Turning doesn't change anything. And it will generally take power to maintain speed in a turn, so you may need to downshift for acceleration, though I doubt it.

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

The engine dies. So you restart it. Presumably you are stopped when you stall the car, so it's no different than starting the car and driving off from a parking space.

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?

You can check the owners manual. Some cars only let you put the car in a certain gear. I seem to recall my '87 vette you couldn't take the key out unless the car was in reverse.

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.

I tried to understand what the gears do and what the clutch does. Then it makes a bit more sense and is a bit more intuitive. But basically I just went out and drove. I drove a few times in highschool on various peoples' cars, then years later I bought a Corvette and had to figure it out if I wanted to test-drive it or get it home! Give it a try and you'll figure it out. It's less complicated than it sounds.
Thanks again.

[Five Star]

I had a 84 Subaru hatchback

Subaru has a hill holder

you depress the clutch and it locks the brake

So basically when you come to a stop with the clutch depressed you can take your foot off the brake and the car will stay in place.

My opinion is.. its the best car to learn how to drive a manual

[sneek]

jchetty well put! unless i need to accelerate quickly i go 1st neutral 2nd

does anyone know how to shift ultra smoothly my freinds dad can shift so smooth if you didn't see him shift you wouldn't know the car changed gears at all

also does anyone know how to take the car out of gear w/o the clutch i've only heard of this but I've never seen this before

[Aurora40]

Originally posted by Accumulator
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

How does downshifting through the gears while stopping help the synchros? They only engage when you change gears, so wouldn't this be worse on them (assuming you'll always be some degree off from a perfect rev match)?

I understand (though am not great at) the double-clutching on downshifts (upshifts seem less important) saving the synchros, but I don't get that one.

[Aurora40]

Originally posted by sneek
jchetty well put! unless i need to accelerate quickly i go 1st neutral 2nd

does anyone know how to shift ultra smoothly my freinds dad can shift so smooth if you didn't see him shift you wouldn't know the car changed gears at all

also does anyone know how to take the car out of gear w/o the clutch i've only heard of this but I've never seen this before

Taking it out of gear with no clutch is easy. Putting it back in gear isn't.

I'm of the impression the best way to be smooth is to be fast. The jerk is due to a lapse in power delivery, so slow-to-moderate acceleration and very fast gear changes will have the least noticeable lapse in power. I can't do that, but I believe that's the key.

My feet and hands just don't work together that quickly...

[WaspHunter]

Re: Re: How to Drive a Manual?

Originally posted by Aurora40
- 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.

[b]This is basically the same as you asked before. If you slow in a turn, you may need to downshift. The same as if you slow in a straight. Turning doesn't change anything. And it will generally take power to maintain speed in a turn, so you may need to downshift for acceleration, though I doubt it.

As jchetty said, you shouldn't try and shift/corner at the same time. A car cornering is a lot closer to its limit than one going in a straight line, and downshifting (and thus raising the torque) can unsettle it. There are a couple of tricky corners at the end of hills in my area, and if you don't select early you get a nice little screech from the inside front as it breaks traction over the slippery concrete. Hairy if you aren't paying attention. Not so hairy in an all-wheel drive

Also, don't be too worried about stalling mid-corner if you've got speed - if the car bogs on exit downshift then otherwise you'll find a moving car can be very hard to stall, as the inertia of the car keeps the engine spinning.

Aurora - downshifting while stopping doesn't help the synchros, double clutching (throttle blip) does. Its just the way it was explained that made it a bit confusing. As for the smooth shift up, practice overlapping clutching while you release the throttle. You need to do it so that the revs don't rise, but so the clutch breaks loose just as the power to the engine dies. then overlap the throttle and clutch again as you finish your shift, so the car doesnt jump forward. I don't do this much anymore, unless my passengers are the type who get scared easily, since you're spending longer riding the clutch.

[Lydia]

Lol. I like that idea of using the parking brake but unfortunately it wouldn't work too easily for me because my parking brake release is kind of hard to reach without leaning forward and taking my eyes off the road (obviously not a good idea). Oh well. There aren't many hills in Florida anyways lol. Ok I understand about double clutching. Sounds a little confusing though....wouldn't it be hard to start off fast if you are doing that? Also, what is heel to toe downshifting?

Originally posted by jchetty
easier way then finding your clutches friction point ( by easier, i mean easier for a less experienced driver and easier on the clutch ) is using the parking brake..
as for double clutching, its a technique used for vehicles dont dont have synchronizer in the transmission... you are matching the tranny's input shaft speed to the engine ( i believe thats right) basically its 3 steps when upshifting for example im crusing in 2nd, clutch in, neutral, clutch in 3rd gear..the extra push allows the engine to slow down to match the tranny's speed and makes the transition to the next gear alot more smooth....and when downshifting you should double clutch...example..im in 5th..ppl normally push in clutch, put in 4th, ease the clutch...however that puts strain on the tranny cuz when u push in the clutch the rpm drop to 0 then when you let go it starts picking in 4th gear so if you blip the throttle it doesnt pick up from 0 rpms but from wherever u blipped the throttle hope that isnt confusing....i always doubleshift up gear, i always double shift down gear, and i try to heel to toe downshift as much as possible

[Aurora40]

Re: Re: Re: How to Drive a Manual?

Originally posted by WaspHunter
As jchetty said, you shouldn't try and shift/corner at the same time. A car cornering is a lot closer to its limit than one going in a straight line, and downshifting (and thus raising the torque) can unsettle it. There are a couple of tricky corners at the end of hills in my area, and if you don't select early you get a nice little screech from the inside front as it breaks traction over the slippery concrete. Hairy if you aren't paying attention. Not so hairy in an all-wheel drive

Hmm, I have to say I think this would depend. Just because you downshift, you don't have to gun it. I upshift through left-hand turns from a traffic light all the time, it's that or accelerate like mad in 1st gear, which is much more likely to bring the rear end around. Either way I'm accelerating through the turn. Though I'm not pushing it, just going with traffic.

If you aren't pushing the car, the traction thing isn't a big issue. And if you are pushing it, then if you lug the motor it will apply a braking force to the drive wheels that you may not want also. To me I don't think that rule would be true all the time, it depends on the situation.

[Accumulator]

SiriusRIMZ- Heh heh, small world. I learned to drive a stick in an RX-7.

Sneek- being smooth is all a matter of co-ordination/practice and matching the speeds. It's not just speed, although you do have to be fast enough for all the speed-matching to take place. Just takes practice. If your passengers can feel the shift you could've done better. You'll never feel a good operator shift.

Originally posted by Aurora40
How does downshifting through the gears while stopping help the synchros? ...I understand (though am not great at) the double-clutching on downshifts ..

Sorry, I wasn't clear, my response was pretty crappy ("confusing" was putting it mildly ). I meant to downshift while coming to a stop. I'll often work down through the gears as I'm approaching a stop. Each change is an opportunity to practice my double-clutching (heel & toe too if I'm braking). And I'm always in the right gear in case something happens and I need to change my plans- I won't be caught in a too-high gear.

Just think, being able to double clutch up/down shifts used to be pretty much required back in pre-synchro days. My mother and her sisters all knew how to do it.

Clutchless shifting is a matter of being *very* co-ordinated and having a great feel for matching the speeds of all the involved components. Not something I'd recommend you practice on a car you care about I had to do it on an old Alfa when its clutch went inop and it was quite an experience to say the least.

Lydia- Heel & toe is applying the brakes (with the toe of your shoe) while also pressing the gas (using the heel ) to match the speed so the downshift is smooth.

[Lydia]

Originally posted by Accumulator
Lydia- Heel & toe is applying the brakes (with the toe of your shoe) while also pressing the gas (using the heel ) to match the speed so the downshift is smooth.

Thanks for explaining that. It sounds very difficult, to say the least. I might try it sometime though lol.

[jchetty]

Originally posted by Lydia
Thanks for explaining that. It sounds very difficult, to say the least. I might try it sometime though lol.

the easiest way to practice is first start in you car off and simulate it. dont get me wrong this is and advance manuever, your left hand, right hand, left foot, and right foot are all simultaneously engaged. but after learned it can be completed in less than 1/2 a second. as for shifting while turns i totally agree it can be done, esp when going from 1st to 2nd gear. i dont really do it much because i 1st learned on a motorcyle and old habits (good and bad die hard) i tend to approach left turns like i do on a track (of course a lot less agressive). imagine no cars on the street so no traffic which is why i like driving at 2 in the morning. the following i do at lower speeds while obeying all local laws. i see the left turn, i move to the rightmost part of the street as possible. i look at the turn and I initiate braking(the car is still straight). I know heel to toe downshift and as soon as im done i enter the corner. at this time i am off the brakes and have complete bout 1/3 of the corner. i look for the apex and start throttling and set the steering for the outmost edge. now im exiting the corner and can apply full thottle. i keep both hands on the steering wheel so i can guide my car to the outmost edge of the straightaway(and to recieve accurate feedback)..as for the trail braking i've done it at motorcyles at low speeds only, its braking while accelerating which is very hard without falling, however i know it can be done in cars but i have never attempted. too bad you live in australia or we could go on the track

rules on the street and on the track are different, on the track you want to brake without clutching for example.

***edit***how successful are you in scandanavian flicking or as we in the states refer to as drifting...i mean i know you can feed the throttle while turning fast/hard enought to lose traction, but how much countersteer can you apply because your car is awd ..and i take you must be a very experienced track driver