[nY1018]

ok, i have three qustions....

1) when you are accelerating and need to go in a next gear, do you realese the gas and then clutch, or do you just clutch?


2)when you are lowering your speed to a stop, do you need to downshift all the way to first gear to stop, or can you just stop, and then put it back into first gear to start moving again?

3)when braking, do you press the clutch and the brake at the same time, or do you just press the brake?


thanks.

 

[wolo]

1) I release the gas.

2) If I know I'm stopping, I usually put the car in neutral and come to my stop.

3) If I'm braking to slow down, but not stop, I just push the brake. I'm I'm stopping, I get the car out of gear.

 

[iGod]

1) release gas, depress clutch pedal, shift, release clutch, depress gas. smoothly.

2) dont try to put your car in 1st until you are at 2mph or slower. in fact, just wait til you come to a full stop. dont beat up first gear.

3) depending on whether a downshift is necessary from the amount of braking required, sometimes just brake, sometimes brake, clutch and downshift.

 

[nY1018]

so if you are going to stop at a stop sign or light, you put the car in neutral, and then brake?


also, when slowing down, you DONT have to press the clutch, just brake and lower gears if you have to?

 

[Angrybutcher]

This is my first manual and only had it a couple weeks now, but I'm still getting used to downshifting. When I was test-driving, I always put it in neutral and braked. Now I'm downshifting like 1 gear, usually no further than third when stopping. Unless you are going to stop, there's no need to press the clutch.

 

[serith]

Originally posted by HaTeOnThYs05@Oct 6 2005, 07:31 PM
so if you are going to stop at a stop sign or light, you put the car in neutral, and then brake?


also, when slowing down, you DONT have to press the clutch, just brake and lower gears if you have to?

If I'm going to fully stop, I put the clutch in, and brake to come to a full stop. (I don't care what gear I was in, I just leave it there) But before I move again (with the clutch still in), I go into 1st. Btw, notice how rolling stops like we used to do with our autos is harder? With a standard, I think you're more prone to come to a full stop (well at least I am anyway), so when I shift into first, it's smooth as butter. But sometimes I shift into nuetral while I'm coming to a stop. I think I don't like doing this b/c if i needed to have power right away to avoid something, I'd have to find a gear and go, Versus allready being in gear. It's just prefference I think?

And yes, when you're slowing down to say 55 from 80 because some grandma and her corolla got in front of you on an on-ramp that you couldn't avoid, just brake and stay in the gear you're in. Then QUICKLY get off the gas/depress clutch/shift into 3rd/let the clutch out, and REV THAT FUC|<ER. SHOW EM WHO PWNS!11



jk. Just resume your speed.

 

[nY1018]

yea i never realized how generally easy it is to drive a manual. i guess i need to start using just the brakes.


but, if you press the clutch and the brake at the same time, does that just stop the car instantly or just slows it down to a rolling stop?

 

[wolo]

Pressing the clutch in when you brake keeps you from stalling the engine (that is, of course, if you're slowing down that much).

 

[nY1018]

oh ok, thanks wolo.

 

[MustangJolly]

isn't pressing on the clutch putting the car in neutral?

 

[eddiemoney]

I would call it more disengaging the transmission, i dont consider a car in neutral until i take it out of gear

 

[FiremanNick]

Here's my $0.02, anyone feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...

Whenever I'm stopping, I always downshift through each gear, until second. When the Tach hits about 1000 in second, I depress the clutch and stop. For a complete stop I put it in first, for a rolling stop, leave it in second. I do this every stop regardless. It saves on brakes, and it is a good safety measure to have your drivetrain engaged (both for emergency acceleration, and tractional advantages for stopping in slippery conditions)

Also, you shouldn't leave your clutch depressed for any extended period of time (such as coming to a stop). Even though it might not seem like it, you are still causing a small amount of wear to the clutch when you have it disengaged. If you choose to come to a stop without downshifting, you should depress the clutch, put the shifter in neutral, and let the clutch back out. Your clutch will last longer, and work better this way. (and your left leg will be less tired!)

 

[lo bux racer]

Nice post Nick. Just one thing, when you sit with the clutch in, you aren't really wearing the clutch. The throwout bearing is doing what it does to earn a living, and it's working overtime. Also, the thrust washers on the crank are working overtime (anybody ever hear the term "crankwalk"?) and if you sit for an extended time while holding the clutch, you may eventually do some damage to the thrust washers. The worst part about this is, not only do you have to replace the thrust washers, but you'll have to replace the rod and main bearings when you fix the engine. So, it's a lot cheaper to sit at the light in neutral with the clutch out than it is to sit with the clutch in while in gear.

 

[FiremanNick]

Thanks lo bux! My mechanic friend told me that was bad, but never gave me the reasoning behind it. Now I know!

 

[eddiemoney]

Nick, a note on your comment about "tractional advantages" of downshifting. Downshifting is not a good idea when you are in crappy road conditions, you can actually induce a skid/slide by doing this.

 

[FiremanNick]

You are correct indeed. Agressive downshifting in slippery conditions can induce wheel skid. However, having a gear engaged at a lower RPM (as opposed to being in neutral) can help in situations where the wheels will want to lockup due to brake force. The engine will try to remain at idle speed, keeping the wheels turning when they might otherwise lock up completely. I guess not as much of an issue on the tC with ABS.....

 

[peglegskier]

i too am a noob at 5-spd, and my car seems to "shutter" when letting off the gas/braking while in gear. only when going from gas->no-gas fairly quickly. i think i may be in too high a gear when this happens (but it happens around 2500-3500 rpm too), and it occurs a lot more in 1st and 2nd then anything. am i just letting off the gas too fast? thanks guys (and gals, if any).

 

[ballnreggie31]

you are braking to fast and you are in to high of a gear so then you want to downshift to a lower gear if you need to use the brake that much

 

[pharoh]

Might as well ask in here. Clutch isn't warrantied, right? I figured this kind of wear and tear wouldn't be covered, but I've been hearing that some manufacturers will actually warranty clutches.

 

[Luminosity]

I don't know if this has happened to anybody else but when I have pushed both the clutch in and the brake at the same time then I have experienced a horrible grinding and crunching that I could feel in the clutch pedal. This has not happened everytime, but at least a few times, I try not to do that but it is a nervous habit sometimes because I dont want to go out of gear and back in. This happened to anyone else??