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stick shift bad habits

Joined
9 May 2000
Messages
687
Hi,

I dont know if this topic has been dealt with before, but that other "auto vs manual" topic has gotten me thinking...

What are your top do's and dont's regarding the manual transmission? We can probably ignore the obvious ones, but Im intereseted in hearing about the more subtle ones. Perhaps attaching some sort of justification would be helpful (ie, bloodcurdling grinding noises will result).


To start it off, here are a couple Ive run across:

Dont rest your hand on shift knob because it wears out the shift forks.

Dont keep clutch down at stoplights. Take it out of gear to reduce wear on the throwout bearing.
 
I would disagree with both of the tips shown above.

Instead, I would start with:

1. Don't ride the clutch. Unless you're changing gears, keep your foot off the clutch pedal.

2. Don't slip the clutch. Let it engage and disengage positively and quickly.

3. Try to match revs to the road speed of the car before letting out the clutch.

4. When starting from a stop, blip the throttle and engage the clutch as the revs are falling.

How's that?
biggrin.gif
 
I think there is some truth to the "don't rest your hand on the shift knob", at least with older trannys. Keep both hands on the wheel, except when shifting or adjusting your helmet

I'd add
- don't use the clutch as a rolling brake (i.e., to hold the car stationary while going up an incline). Use the footbrake (or handbrake for prolonged stops). Should be obvious but you'd be surprised
- shifts are two discrete motions (from x gear to neutral, then from neutral to x+1 or X-1)
- some people even suggest blipping on upshifts
 
dont rev the engine to 8000 rpm's and drop the clutch
wink.gif


and for our sportshift friends, dont rev to 7500? rpm's in neutral and drop to drive
wink.gif
)
 
Originally posted by nsx1164:
I think there is some truth to the "don't rest your hand on the shift knob", at least with older trannys.

I actually saw this one in the owners manual for a company car I was loaned while I was out in the UK. If I recall, it was a 97 VW Passat. I recall something about it wearing the selection forks and causing the shift lever to get slack.

This was funny considering that 5 spd box was most vague one I have ever driven. It felt like the polar opposite of an S2000 Ive drive a year ago.
 
NSX1164 --

By shifts being two parts, do you mean double clutching? Is that actually required or recommended on the NSX? I read about it and tried it once-twice, and I couldn't get the hang of it...

What damage is done by not double clutching? Does it just wear out the synchros faster?

[This message has been edited by burbel (edited 09 June 2001).]
 
By shifts being two parts, do you mean double clutching? Is that actually required or recommended on the NSX? I read about it and tried it once-twice, and I couldn't get the hang of it...
Double clutching is possible, but not required. Don't ram it from 1->2. Its 2 discrete motions, 1->N then N->2 (note it need not spend much if any time in N). Some people will throw in a blip between N and 2 (particularly if its a downshift) to help match revs, then release the clutch as the revs are falling.

What damage is done by not double clutching? Does it just wear out the synchros faster?
With the NSX, probably not too much damage, although if you jerk the downshift and the car is not straight (or you have suboptimal traction) you could upset the car. There are many ways to get the revs to match -- double-clutching is one; heel-toe (really toe-heel) is another; just blipping the throttle before letting out the clutch will do the trick. Some better than others; I will suggest that the harder ones require more practice.

I'll let others with more experience tackle this one -- I double-clutch when I can, although I find out I brake a little earlier as a result (compared to the heel-toe guys). But because I'm more comfortable with this, I can come it hotter (with more confidence) rather than when I'm worried about not getting my toe-heel coordination right.

##########

the autobox/sportshift guys have an even better option. Left foot brake, then blip the throttle to force a downshift. but that's another discussion altogether
biggrin.gif
 
Originally posted by nsxtasy:
I would disagree with both of the tips shown above.

Instead, I would start with:

1. Don't ride the clutch. Unless you're changing gears, keep your foot off the clutch pedal.

2. Don't slip the clutch. Let it engage and disengage positively and quickly.

3. Try to match revs to the road speed of the car before letting out the clutch.

4. When starting from a stop, blip the throttle and engage the clutch as the revs are falling.

How's that?
biggrin.gif

After reading this conversation, I started thinking about my own habits.

1) When braking, I brake with both the brake and clutch depressed. Until I reach a full stop, at which time I keep the clutch pedal down.

2) Occasionally, I will coast with the clutch down.

Both of these things are very bad huh?
 
Originally posted by JoeSchmoe:
Hi,

Dont rest your hand on shift knob because it wears out the shift forks.

HeyAll, It is DEFINATELY a bad idea to rest your hand on the shifter while driving, unless of course you can be totally assured that you are pushing niether forward nor backward on the lever.
Straight down is okay <g>
When you push forward or backward on the shift lever while moving, the shift forks bear down on the gear sliders. If any of you remember my transmission seminar at NSXPO 2K,
the sliders are the large rings that encompass the synchro assemblies. Both the sliders and forks will wear excessively if you drive continuously with pressure on them.
The key here is, that the damage does not occur from doing this a few times, or even a few hundred times, but rather if it becomes part of your driving habbits and you drive this way CONTINUOUSLY.
Cheers,
Mark Basch



------------------
SuperCharge for World Peace
 
Originally posted by nsx1164:

the autobox/sportshift guys have an even better option. Left foot brake, then blip the throttle to force a downshift. but that's another discussion altogether
biggrin.gif

Hmmm for SportShifters

1. Hitting the shift lever the wrong direction. Remember "up" for upshift, "down" for downshift.

2. Not blipping the throttle enough on downshifts to match revs and hearing the rear tires screech.

3. Downshifting to brake versus using the brakes for what they are designed for - braking.

4. Pulling on the turn signal lever to downshift or the windshield wiper lever to upshift. I hate that after I've been in the F1.

5. Stomping my left foot on the brake pedal thinking it's a clutch while also trying to ram the gear shift into 2rd from 3rd using an H pattern.

6. Sitting at a stop light and forgetting to put the trany in neutral.
 
Originally posted by justin hall:
and for our sportshift friends, dont rev to 7500? rpm's in neutral and drop to drive
wink.gif
)

Actually it's 7600 rpm and you jam it into to drive!
biggrin.gif
 
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