Manual upshift/downshift and smoothness

[86'd]

Originally Posted by Dispect

What's blipping yhe throttle?

A "blip" is just a stab or short quick push of the throttle to raise RPMs quickly.

In the context I presented you'd want to:

Move the gear selector from 2nd into neutral,

(optional: You may press the brake to slow down a bit if needed)

"Blip" the throttle to rev the engine a bit,

While the revs are high, your foot should now be off the gas

Engage the clutch (revs should still be high, but now falling)

Place the gear (hopefully with less effort) into first.

Timewise all of this takes place around one second.

It is basically called revmatching:

http://www.drivingfast.net/car-contr...m#.UO8Jj2_Afp4

[JSUB]

"2) Approaching the intersection, shift to neutral, brake, make turn, blip throttle ,shifting to 2nd or 3rd, slowly let go of clutch after the turn and accelerate. (What I feel uncomfortable with in this turn is not being in gear during the turn, feel unsafe)"

Never take a corner with tranny in neutral or foot on the clutch. You lose the ability to "control" the car by throttle (more gas to exit corner and/or balance the car while exiting).

Also you shouldn't be in 5th gear at 66km/h unless you want maximum fuel economy. 3rd gear to be "in" the powerband or 4th gear max. In 5th you are simply really "out" of the powerband and not ready to react to an obstacle (car cutting you out) by accelerating out of the way. You can feel beeing In the "wrong gear" (meaning too high) when flooring the gas pedal and nothing happens...downshift then.

This engine is happy running between 3-4K RPM in the city. On the highway the tallest gear will of course provide the best fuel economy on the long run.

One last thing, when gear engage, just don't leave your left foot on the clutch (even flirting the pedal). This will wear out the clutch L-T. When you're new to manual tranny you tend to do that and keep that very bad habbit forever. The (left) dead pedal is there for your left foot while not clutching and it keeps you well seated by the same time (pushing on that dead pedal on the floor holds you tight in your seat). If you can't reach it it just means that your seating position is too far back (a very laid back seating position might look cool but is totaly not efficient to control your car properly).

Hope this helps

[RAWR BRZ]

For the turning thing i do a combination of all. Depends on my mood.

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by 86'd

A "blip" is just a stab or short quick push of the throttle to raise RPMs quickly.

In the context I presented you'd want to:

Move the gear selector from 2nd into neutral,

(optional: You may press the brake to slow down a bit if needed)

"Blip" the throttle to rev the engine a bit,

While the revs are high, your foot should now be off the gas

Engage the clutch (revs should still be high, but now falling)

Place the gear (hopefully with less effort) into first.

Timewise all of this takes place around one second.

It is basically called revmatching:

http://www.drivingfast.net/car-contr...m#.UO8Jj2_Afp4

That's double-clutch rev-matching. Synchromesh transmission really eliminate the need for this in most circumstances. You can just push the clutch pedal in, switch from 3-2, THEN stab the throttle and disengage the clutch pedal. At least that's what I do.

[sierra]

Originally Posted by JSUB

"2)
This engine is happy running between 3-4K RPM in the city. On the highway the tallest gear will of course provide the best fuel economy on the long run.

I find 3-4K rpm to be the worst rev range, it's the torque dip and I avoid it like the plague.
It's sweet up to 3000rpm and even sweeter after getting over 4000rpm and for me it's one or the other.
I also find it responsive below 3000rpm and more than enough to leave the traffic behind around town most of the time.

[wallace03]

Originally Posted by arleewa

BTW my BRZ was my first MT car as well. I may not know everything, but I am able to drive confidently anywhere I go. Just relax and have fun.

I forgot to post some helpful links that I used as well:

http://jalopnik.com/5230172/how-to-d...ten-easy-steps

http://www.edmunds.com/car-safety/bu...nsmission.html

I wouldn't try this one until you get better, but for future reference I'll post it here anyway.

http://www.edmunds.com/how-to/heel-a...downshift.html

according to the jalopnik link, it says that holding the clutch all the way down can eventually cause problems for the clutch. Is this true? I was told that it is ok to have it all the way down or off, as long as youre not riding the clutch. I've also read around and some people say not to have the car in neutral in case you need to accelerate quickly. Which is correct?

[OrbitalEllipses]

Originally Posted by wallace03

according to the jalopnik link, it says that holding the clutch all the way down can eventually cause problems for the clutch. Is this true? I was told that it is ok to have it all the way down or off, as long as youre not riding the clutch. I've also read around and some people say not to have the car in neutral in case you need to accelerate quickly. Which is correct?

Clutch (the friction disk itself) and throw-out bearing are wear items; using them (pushing the pedal) will wear them down.

Being in neutral is a bad idea and is illegal depending on your local statutes, precisely for the reason you stated. Furthermore, decelerating in gear without using the brake pedal uses no fuel whereas coasting in neutral uses fuel.

[sierra]

Originally Posted by wallace03

according to the jalopnik link, it says that holding the clutch all the way down can eventually cause problems for the clutch. Is this true? I was told that it is ok to have it all the way down or off, as long as youre not riding the clutch. I've also read around and some people say not to have the car in neutral in case you need to accelerate quickly. Which is correct?

Just don't hold the clutch down for long periods, say at traffic lights.
It has a release bearing that runs when it's pressed down and altough it's designed to be used, it's not designed to be used for more than short periods.
When it's knackered the gearbox has to come out to replace it.
Don't keep it in neutral at any time while you're on the move except as you are about to stop if you want to.
At the lights, if you just got stopped put it in neutral and let the clutch out. You'll learn to read the other traffic and lights to anticipate getting into gear ready to move off but if you don't it's no big deal. Just a couple of secs to slip it in and move off.

[Mitch]

To get the longest life from your clutch you're not going to want to pursue automatic-like smoothness. Accept you drive a manual and drive to fit that platform. It'll be a little jerky at first, but you'll learn it with time. My housemate doesn't pay attention to what I'm doing and lets the changes in forces bob his head forward to mess with me, and that's gone a long way to making me focus more on what's right for the car and less about what my passengers might find most comfortable. If you're trying to be smooth for a date the principles will remain the same but with more clutch slipping, but if you're a gear head you probably want to date gear heads too, otherwise I see unfortunate budget restrictions in your future.

[chulooz]

Originally Posted by Mitch

To get the longest life from your clutch you're not going to want to pursue automatic-like smoothness. Accept you drive a manual and drive to fit that platform. It'll be a little jerky at first, but you'll learn it with time. My housemate doesn't pay attention to what I'm doing and lets the changes in forces bob his head forward to mess with me, and that's gone a long way to making me focus more on what's right for the car and less about what my passengers might find most comfortable. If you're trying to be smooth for a date the principles will remain the same but with more clutch slipping, but if you're a gear head you probably want to date gear heads too, otherwise I see unfortunate budget restrictions in your future.

Do you think manuals have to be jumpy?

Sounds like you are trying to justify jerky shifting, its not him its you. Driving a manual can be smoother than an automatic without any additional wear.

[Wankel Rex]

I'm not sure my anatomy supports heel-toe... The BRZ is my first stick in almost 10 years but I still can't get h-t down. I'm getting much better at rev matching at least. When I was in manuals as a younger guy I never even tried, so it's still new to me.

The link provided was helpful. I was actually practicing in the lot a few days ago.

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Do you think manuals have to be jumpy?

Sounds like you are trying to justify jerky shifting, its not him its you. Driving a manual can be smoother than an automatic without any additional wear.

You missed the "to mess with me" part. We've lived together on and off for six years, it's just what he does. We also have a made up language, so really take his actions with a deer hunting sized salt-lick. My driving isn't jerky, it's just not automatic smooth. To be fair I typically drive more aggressively with him in the car (call it informed consent), but under normal driving I don't see the bobbing with anyone else.

[chulooz]

Originally Posted by Mitch

You missed the "to mess with me" part. We've lived together on and off for six years, it's just what he does. We also have a made up language, so really take his actions with a deer hunting sized salt-lick. My driving isn't jerky, it's just not automatic smooth. To be fair I typically drive more aggressively with him in the car (call it informed consent), but under normal driving I don't see the bobbing with anyone else.

Ohh Louisiana...

:happy0180:

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by chulooz

Ohh Louisiana...

:happy0180:

He's from Mississippi and I'm from Alabama (Georgia before that), both from large cities. It's not formalized, just heavily reliant on tonality and context, and usually around who should get the next beer, whether it should be tossed or handed, and is a bottle opener needed and who should get it/ where it even is.