Another way of starting from 1st gear..help

[Gen]

Originally Posted by steeloyangster

There are a ton of techniques for how to drive a manual. A lot of people like to blip the throttle and ease off the clutch to get the car moving. Me personally, I slowly lift off the clutch and give it the tiniest bit of gas so that the engine doesn't stall. Then once it is moving, I give it more gas and slowly lift off the clutch.

One way that I have taught A LOT of people on how to drive stick was to go to a flat area, and tell them don't even worry about the gas pedal. Start the car, then put it in first gear, then slowly lift off the clutch. Once you feel the car moving forward slowly, and I mean slowly, let it out a little bit more. Once the car is moving slightly faster, then you're free to let off the clutch pedal and push on the gas.

First Gear and Reverse Gear are the hardest gears to get into. Especially on hills. But you want to start learning where your friction point in your clutch is. The friction point is the area of the movement of the clutch that your pressure plate engages the flywheel. Basically, when the car starts to move.

Getting into first gear, especially going uphill, is like playing a guitar or riding a bike. It's 99% muscle memory. The more practice, the better. Just be sure you understand the mechanics of what is happening before you go practicing going up hills. I hate scaring people, but it is very easy to burn out a clutch if you aren't driving it right.

This is how I have always taught people.

Personally, I release the clutch smoothly until I feel the engagement point and then gently give it gas.

[5hairpins]

I start with the gas to about 1500 RPM, start letting out the clutch and when the RPMs start to drop, add more gas. That is the way my dad taught me, right or wrong and at this point it is autonomic, I don't even think about it. I have to concentrate to do it any other way, like high RPM launches.

[SkitterSkotter]

I always rev the car up to like 800-1000rpm and just slowly let the clutch in while applying more gas as the engine load increases. Think about as one foot does one the other does the exact opposite.

[jeebus]

I pull the e-brake, rev to 5000RPM, dump the clutch, then slowly let off the e-brake over a period of around 20 seconds. Usually works.

[whaap]

Originally Posted by adprokid

1- put it in neutral
2- fully push down the clutch pedal and hold it
3- put it in first gear and keep holding the clutch pedal
4- now you have two options but i recommend option 2

option 1- push down the gas pedal to max rpm, then drop the clutch like a bad habit

option 2- let go the clutch very slowly until your car starts moving, then use the gas pedal smoothly and let go the clutch

Option l is "driving it like you stole it".

Option 2 is "driving it like your car cost you hard earned money".

As others have mentioned, you will find all kinds of techniques for using the clutch. The above two options are the extremes. You can abuse your car all you want but it will cost you a lot more money to maintain your car.

[cgrey]

Sometimes it helps to have an understanding of what all of these parts are doing.

Take a moment and view these:


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8qsS2g_IiU&feature=related"]HOW A CLUTCH WORKS NZ Automotive Distributors - NZAD - Clutches - Flywheels - YouTube[/ame]


[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8fAHTeDGiQ"]Auto Repair: Transmissions: "Planetary Gears, Principles of Operation, Multiple Sets 1953 US Army - YouTube[/ame]

[steeloyangster]

Originally Posted by onthemove

Half the time people are "blipping" the throttle to start in first only to "show off" the crappy exhaust on their Honda... ive blipped it a couple times on a STEEP hill, but besides that its just easily off the clutch while easily getting on the gas, dont hold the clutch too long or youll start burning it.

Sidenote: Remember, when you arent using the clutch, place your foot on the dead pedal

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

Placing your foot on the dead pedal is very very important!! If your foot is hovering over the clutch, then you will start to relax it and put some pressure on the clutch. So even if you're not pushing it in, you are actually causing it to slip in the slightest. Which over a period of time will destroy your clutch assembly.

When I was young and dumb, I used to drive my mom's AUTO Camry with both feet. A few months after she had the brakes done they needed to be changed again and my mom was real unhappy about it. Had a friend following me one day and when we got to where we were going he asked,"Why are you always braking!?" And I responded with,"What the hell do you mean?" And he said,"Your brake lights are on like 90% of the time!" Then I realized that my left foot came at a resting position on the brake pedal, causing the brakes to fail early.

[BuBlake]

Originally Posted by jeebus

I pull the e-brake, rev to 5000RPM, dump the clutch, then slowly let off the e-brake over a period of around 20 seconds. Usually works.

LOL! 20 seconds seems a little short. Be careful, you might not heat up the brake pads enough to catch fire.

[BuBlake]

My technique depends. If i'm launching the car fast, which will put more wear on the components, I rev to around 2500-3000 rpm, then let out the clutch slowly as I am simultaneously decreasing pressure on the accelerator. When the clutch is fully engaged, I go ahead and stomp the accelerator. That all happens in about .5 seconds, so it's muscle memory to a very high degree.

For a slow start, it's basically the same thing, but you will start moving with more emphasis on the clutch. As others have mentioned, learning to get the car moving with only the clutch is an important skill.

[wheelhaus]

Originally Posted by steeloyangster

Your right.

I just saw you're from Denver. I use to live right off of Federal off I-70! Then I was like,"I'm done with this weird ass weather." Then moved back to NC. Now that I know you live in Denver, YOU HAVE TO BOOST YOUR CAR! Those low octane ratings are gonna kill your engine.

Heh I love the weather, beautiful most of the time, screwed every once in a while. The altitude offsets the need for 93 from what I understand, less air pressure means 91 is just as safe. I love boost, but I also love NA response... We'll see!
/threadjack

Good advice regarding the dead pedal, resting your foot on the clutch is bad for the throw out bearing. Same as resting your hand on the stick, it can cause excessive wear on the shift forks inside the tranny.

[TotsGT86]

I remember when I first started driving stick, just remember to calm yourself down and not think too much and you'll get it

PS. I'm still scared of up hill
any advice?

[whateatsrabbits]

OP when your talking about punching the gas. I think you mean tapping the gas pedal, like how you might tap you finger on the table, but with you foot tapping the throttle.

Scared of up hill, your a fruit. Start out up hills like normal, but do it much faster and a little more throttle.

[jesperswe]

What the?
Isn't it required to be able to drive manual to get your driving license in US?!

[@Art_Mighty]

Originally Posted by jesperswe

What the?
Isn't it required to be able to drive manual to get your driving license in US?!

91% of the cars sold in the United States are Automatics.

http://www.npr.org/2012/03/26/149398...-transmissions

I figure that less then 25% of the population knows how to drive car with a manual transmission.