New Manual transmission drivers Q&A

[rice_classic]

Did somebody mention Double Clutch, Heal-Toe, Rev match?

Great video. Look at how fast he is on the clutch pedal. It's like watching someone play an instrument.

[Want.FR-S]

Originally Posted by Nate219BRZ

What rpms do most of you shoot for on a initial start.

Here is your answer:

Originally Posted by cgrey

In a parking lot try getting the car moving with no gas at all and do it a few times, this exercise will help with the clutch. After that it's all practise.

Find the engagement/grabbing point of your car first without even applying gas. Do the exercise said by cgrey so that you know that is the point to get the car going. In a normal start, when you release the clutch to that point you can press the gas to accelerate. You do not rev first and then release the clutch. That will break the clutch.

Originally Posted by Nate219BRZ

Also is starting the car in second gear a bad thing?

Coming from a standstill, you should always start in 1st gear. However, if you are still rolling slowly, you may be able to start in 2nd gear. There is another situation where you can start in 2nd gear: if you are stuck in the snow, try starting in 2nd gear to reduce the spin and get moving. But that goes back to the first exercise, you need to know where your grabbing point to make this happen.

BTW, coming from stop in a light, I almost always shift into 2nd without leaving the intersection just because of the gear ratio. There is nothing wrong with that.

[ThatGuy]

Originally Posted by garsh0p

Another question: what's the proper way to start out smoothly (on flat ground)? Do you let out the clutch until you hit the friction point, THEN add gas, or do you add a slight bit of gas, then let out the clutch?

There is no "proper" way for this. The exact timing varies between cars depending on flywheel mass, low rev torque, clutch friction point (and severity of friction point) and response of the engine.

I generally start with very light throttle (to crack open the throttle plate and get the ECU out of idle mode) while taking out the first bit of the clutch. Then as it starts to bite you give a bit more accelerator and release the rest of the clutch.

IF you want to take off fast you start with more revs to store energy in the flywheel.

If you are in traffic you can generally very very slowly ease out the clutch without even touching the gas. (I can do this in 2nd with my RB25).

My very top tip for driving a manual is..... look ahead in traffic. Don't just follow the car in front, try to keep a slow steady pace to reduce stop/start. ie. Drive like a truck driver.

[Nate219BRZ]

Okay so i spent about a half hour driving around my neiborhood praticing the no gas clutch release. When the rpms are below , my guess, 1500. I get a weird card in spokes sound. As i accelerate over 2000 rpms. It goes away. But i do kind of hear it on some of my slow starts (drive threw at bk) just trying to creep. What is this sound. Also is this transmission soposed to be loud? Like hear shift clanks as i change gears? Or am i messing up my tranny. When i am actually driving and i start out in first. When i get into the very last part of letting out the clutch, its like the car rocks back and fourth. Why?? This dont happen all the time but am wondering what im doing wrong.

[garsh0p]

Originally Posted by Nate219BRZ

Okay so i spent about a half hour driving around my neiborhood praticing the no gas clutch release. When the rpms are below , my guess, 1500. I get a weird card in spokes sound. As i accelerate over 2000 rpms. It goes away. But i do kind of hear it on some of my slow starts (drive threw at bk) just trying to creep. What is this sound. Also is this transmission soposed to be loud? Like hear shift clanks as i change gears? Or am i messing up my tranny. When i am actually driving and i start out in first. When i get into the very last part of letting out the clutch, its like the car rocks back and fourth. Why?? This dont happen all the time but am wondering what im doing wrong.

I hear the same sound at low RPMs too. This is my first manual car, so I wasn't quite sure if that was normal or not.

[Sigh-on-Rice]

Originally Posted by Nate219BRZ

Okay so i spent about a half hour driving around my neiborhood praticing the no gas clutch release. When the rpms are below , my guess, 1500. I get a weird card in spokes sound. As i accelerate over 2000 rpms. It goes away. But i do kind of hear it on some of my slow starts (drive threw at bk) just trying to creep. What is this sound. Also is this transmission soposed to be loud? Like hear shift clanks as i change gears? Or am i messing up my tranny. When i am actually driving and i start out in first. When i get into the very last part of letting out the clutch, its like the car rocks back and fourth. Why?? This dont happen all the time but am wondering what im doing wrong.

I hear this weird noise too at around 1500 RPM especially while decelerating (engine braking). I've had other cars with manual trans and this is the first time I hear this noise and was wondering if this is normal or not.

[Nate219BRZ]

Okay so i didnt mess up my tranny good. Starting to get the clutch point fairly well now

[vividracing]

Originally Posted by Zadkiel

It's weird trying to teach someone how to drive manual after years of doing it. I'm trying to teach my wife, so I can give her my Versa and stop constantly fixing her POS 96 Sentra, and it's difficult to relay what I want her to do. After only buying MT cars since I was first taught on one it's just like breathing now. I don't even have to really think of it to do it properly.

I'm the same way!

[Zadkiel]

Originally Posted by Sigh-on-Rice

I hear this weird noise too at around 1500 RPM especially while decelerating (engine braking). I've had other cars with manual trans and this is the first time I hear this noise and was wondering if this is normal or not.

Possibly being in too low of a gear?

[Nate219BRZ]

Even in first at low rpms it does it.

[E92M3Guy]

Originally Posted by garsh0p

Didn't see a thread like this while searching, so I made one!

The FR-S is my first manual car, and I've noticed it's the same for some other people on this board. Just wanted to make a thread where we can ask noobie questions to more experienced manual drivers

First question: Is there a difference between using the foot brake or the hand brake to assist with a hill start? I find it easier to hold the foot brake in, bring the clutch up to the friction point, then let go of the brake to prevent rolling back. Most people tell me to do it with the hand brake though. I live in Austin, which is an (unfortunately) very hilly area, which has intimidated me quite a bit with regards to learning manual.

Hand brake will give you more control. No matter how fast you are releasing the foot brake, if you mis-time the gas and clutch release on a hill, you will be coasting backwards. Hand brake gives you more control because you can use the clutch to get the friction point just as you are now, rev the gas until you are beginning to accelerate. At that point release the hand brake and off you go.

[E92M3Guy]

Originally Posted by aethelwulf

I've never used the handbrake personally, though I know some people start out this way. I don't see any reason to use the handbrake if you're able to do without it.

I think using the handbrake is usually only easier for beginners since they don't have to worry about having quick footwork quite so much.

Hill + tight parking spot = hand brake. No footwork will be fast enough to avoid rolling into the car behind you, or "jumping" into the car in front of you.

[catharsis]

Originally Posted by Nate219BRZ

Okay so i spent about a half hour driving around my neiborhood praticing the no gas clutch release. When the rpms are below , my guess, 1500. I get a weird card in spokes sound. As i accelerate over 2000 rpms. It goes away. But i do kind of hear it on some of my slow starts (drive threw at bk) just trying to creep. What is this sound. Also is this transmission soposed to be loud? Like hear shift clanks as i change gears? Or am i messing up my tranny. When i am actually driving and i start out in first. When i get into the very last part of letting out the clutch, its like the car rocks back and fourth. Why?? This dont happen all the time but am wondering what im doing wrong.

You always hear the transmission make noises when shifting, that's normal. It is a mechanical device after all and what you are hearing is the internal mechanical actions.

If you drive the car in too low of a gear to the point where the RPM's are too low you are putting excessive strain on the transmission. That's when you start to hear it make funny noises. In the long term it will destroy your transmission.

Another tip, anytime you are using the clutch, to acceleration, downshift, whatever you want to FULLY engage it to the floor. This is a common mistake made by many people.


I'm actually very worried about buying this car used now. It seem's a lot of people went out and bought this thing in manual before learning how to drive it :/. No offense to anyone, just that as someone looking for a used one it makes me very concerned.

[E92M3Guy]

Originally Posted by garsh0p

Another question: what's the proper way to start out smoothly (on flat ground)? Do you let out the clutch until you hit the friction point, THEN add gas, or do you add a slight bit of gas, then let out the clutch?

I simultaneously blip the gas as I release the clutch to the exact friction point. Then I release the clutch the rest of the way as I depress the gas pedal a second time. It's a very quick release and smooth as silk and doesn't burn the clutch because it's very fast -- maybe 1/4 of a second total.