Manual SS shifting question - Page 2 - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Deebo · 07-01-2014, 10:48 PM

I've driven manuals 36yrs and it took about 10K miles to get silky smooth all the time with the 1LE...

Ice-Forever · 07-01-2014, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alaskacamaro

Op, the stock shifter in a tad notchy. I had issues getting into 6th and not being able to find reverse a few times.

Practice your footwork like others have said. Try not to shift below 2k rpm either. Once you get some practice on smoother transitions, I would recommend a good short throw shifter install. It will reduce travel between each shift.

Mine has the Hurst shifter already installed, which I was happy about. What are your thoughts on it; Do you prefer another?

Obzen · 07-02-2014, 12:19 AM

Sounds like you just need more practice.

JCunningham · 07-02-2014, 01:55 AM

get it up to 3k befor you shift in around 2k. Theres only the last 1" of pedal you need to worry about. I found I was not giving it enough rpm befor I shifted and was letting the clutch out to fast. I have 8k on mine and still havent mastered it yet. These cars are so close to street legal race cars. If you put it to the floor and run through the gears its smooth but going slow my car does not like.

Dupree878 · 07-02-2014, 02:22 AM

I'm jerky when I shift below 2k RPM, smooth as silk when I go closer to 3k.
My exhaust is so loud I usually try to keep the revs down, especially in the neighborhood or at night

JCunningham · 07-02-2014, 02:34 AM

ya then you have to slip the clutch to get it smooth.

DaveA · 07-02-2014, 02:51 AM

I have driven standards since I was 16 (now 38). I have driven standard trucks for a living for a few years, too. I think my natural tendency is to shift rough and I think the Camaro is unforgiving with people like myself. When I first brought my wife in the car, she hated it due to the rough shifting on my part. Next time, with a tiny bit more effort and focus, I shifted smoothly no problem and she liked it.

Nate76 · 07-02-2014, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alaskacamaro

Op, the stock shifter in a tad notchy. I had issues getting into 6th and not being able to find reverse a few times.

Practice your footwork like others have said. Try not to shift below 2k rpm either. Once you get some practice on smoother transitions, I would recommend a good short throw shifter install. It will reduce travel between each shift.

I do have the Hurst Shifter. But I do do some shifting around the 2k rpm mark. Maybe I'll try revving a little higher before I shift. Thanks for that. Out of curiosity, what gears, speeds and rpm's are you driving around town in?

Nate76 · 07-02-2014, 06:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HOJO

Two different animals for sure. Hp, torque, weight, gearing in bot h trans and diff, different style clutches. It had been 30+ since I was in a manual performance car and it took some time to get smooth again. This worked to smooth things out for me.....when you shift, no matter what gear your going into try this. When you depress the clutch only depress it half way or a little more. Just enough to accomplish the shift, no more pedal is needed. I get a lot smoother release doing this as opposed to pushing the clutch all the way down and then coming back up. Try it a few times. Even my wife was impressed at how much better she could do. My drivetrain noise is gone.....unless I screw something up which still happens on occasion. lol

That makes sense. This extra time for the clutch to go all the way in and out plus my low rpm shifting could be the culprit in my unsmooth shifts. Causing to the rpm's to be to low by the time I get the car in the next gear. What are your rpm's at for shifting usually? (Normal driving conditions)

djm96z28 · 07-02-2014, 06:33 AM

Like others have stated, I have 7500 miles on mine and haven't mastered the consistantly silky smooth shift. I'm actually fine from a stop, but shifting into 2nd and 3rd is where I get a little jerky. I usually shift around the 2000 rpm mark. But if I rev it a little higher, say 2500 - 2800, it does shift more smoothly.

Nate76 · 07-02-2014, 06:44 AM

One other thing to bring up about the manual transmission. Do you guys feel some clunking of the transmission going into/coming out of gear? Kind of like there is slack in it? Not sure if I'm describing it well, almost like some small clunking now and again when the slack is taken up and the gear is engaging. It happens in the lower gears mostly I think.

USARCPT · 07-02-2014, 06:45 AM

When my Camaro isn't at regular operating temperature, it shifts pretty clunky. It gets better once warmed up. Been driving manual transmissions since 2000, and the Camaro (at least my 2012) has a bit of an Achilles Heel where smooth gears are concerned.

Drumminxx · 07-02-2014, 07:01 AM

1st to 2nd was always rough for me and here is what I do that makes it smooth. Don't use your leg to lift the clutch instead use the heel of your foot and rotate your ankle moving your toes away from the clutch. The clutch will lift more evenly and the shift will be smooth. When you feel it grab then get your foot off the clutch so your not resting your foot on it. Once you get into the habit of this you won't even think about it anymore and it will come natural.

Swacer · 07-02-2014, 07:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate76

I've had my 2013 SS for a few months now and thought I was shifting the gears pretty well. I would have some jolting and unsmooth shifts, but if I really tried I could make the shifts pretty good. I had a manual about 15 years ago so it wasn't my first, but it had been a while. Anyways, I drove my friends manual honda civic and it was night and day compared to my camaro. It shifted effortlessly and was very forgiving. Every shift in that car I made was perfect. I was wondering if the camaro is just a different beast because of the power, torque and gear ratios or if maybe there was something up with my transmission. Can anyone else compare changing gears in a SS to other cars? Is it a rough/touchy/jolty vehicle to drive?

many say that the honda clutch/transmission set up is one of the best in the business. They are fantastic.

Now, theres nothing to really gripe about with the tranny/clutch setup with teh camaro either. Its a bit more rough, thats certainly true. The drivetrain slack is probably the most unnerving part of the car.

Overall, no 2 types of cars are going to shift the same. So its hard to compare one to the other.

07-01-2014, 10:48 PM	#15
Deebo 2SS/1LE GAZ 1 of 221 Drives: 2013 1LE Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: ROLL TIDE ROLL! Posts: 212 View My Garage	I've driven manuals 36yrs and it took about 10K miles to get silky smooth all the time with the 1LE... __________________ ...ain't nothing changed

07-02-2014, 01:55 AM	#18
JCunningham Drives: 2017 2SS M6 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: WNY Posts: 7,070	get it up to 3k befor you shift in around 2k. Theres only the last 1" of pedal you need to worry about. I found I was not giving it enough rpm befor I shifted and was letting the clutch out to fast. I have 8k on mine and still havent mastered it yet. These cars are so close to street legal race cars. If you put it to the floor and run through the gears its smooth but going slow my car does not like. __________________ real ZL1 wheels and brakes, 285/305 Michelin Pilot Super Sports, Pray ported Intake manifold, Soler Throttle Body, Rotofab intake, EFI Tuning Flex fuel kit, full American Racing Headers Exhaust, 1 7/8" w/ cats H pipe and mufflers. Full 1LE suspension, with BMR adjustable sway bars and links, GM aluminum cradle bushings, Hurst shifter with lighter reverse spring, TWM shifter knob, Tick level 1 transmission. I should have bought a ZL1

07-02-2014, 02:22 AM	#19
Dupree878 Drives: '13 Dusk Edition 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Tuscaloosa, AL Posts: 600	I'm jerky when I shift below 2k RPM, smooth as silk when I go closer to 3k. My exhaust is so loud I usually try to keep the revs down, especially in the neighborhood or at night __________________

07-02-2014, 02:34 AM	#20
JCunningham Drives: 2017 2SS M6 Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: WNY Posts: 7,070	ya then you have to slip the clutch to get it smooth. __________________ real ZL1 wheels and brakes, 285/305 Michelin Pilot Super Sports, Pray ported Intake manifold, Soler Throttle Body, Rotofab intake, EFI Tuning Flex fuel kit, full American Racing Headers Exhaust, 1 7/8" w/ cats H pipe and mufflers. Full 1LE suspension, with BMR adjustable sway bars and links, GM aluminum cradle bushings, Hurst shifter with lighter reverse spring, TWM shifter knob, Tick level 1 transmission. I should have bought a ZL1

07-02-2014, 06:45 AM	#26
USARCPT Drives: 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS TF3 LS3 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: NUQ Posts: 248 View My Garage	When my Camaro isn't at regular operating temperature, it shifts pretty clunky. It gets better once warmed up. Been driving manual transmissions since 2000, and the Camaro (at least my 2012) has a bit of an Achilles Heel where smooth gears are concerned. __________________

07-02-2014, 12:19 AM	#17
Obzen Pull up Cougar! Drives: 2016 2SS Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,875	Sounds like you just need more practice.

07-02-2014, 02:51 AM	#21
DaveA Drives: 2013 Camaro SS vert Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Boston Posts: 199	I have driven standards since I was 16 (now 38). I have driven standard trucks for a living for a few years, too. I think my natural tendency is to shift rough and I think the Camaro is unforgiving with people like myself. When I first brought my wife in the car, she hated it due to the rough shifting on my part. Next time, with a tiny bit more effort and focus, I shifted smoothly no problem and she liked it.

07-02-2014, 06:33 AM	#24
djm96z28 Drives: 2012 Camaro 1SS LS3 Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Jacksonville FL Posts: 1,114	Like others have stated, I have 7500 miles on mine and haven't mastered the consistantly silky smooth shift. I'm actually fine from a stop, but shifting into 2nd and 3rd is where I get a little jerky. I usually shift around the 2000 rpm mark. But if I rev it a little higher, say 2500 - 2800, it does shift more smoothly.

07-02-2014, 06:44 AM	#25
Nate76 Drives: 2022 2SS Convertible Join Date: May 2011 Location: Ontario Posts: 96	One other thing to bring up about the manual transmission. Do you guys feel some clunking of the transmission going into/coming out of gear? Kind of like there is slack in it? Not sure if I'm describing it well, almost like some small clunking now and again when the slack is taken up and the gear is engaging. It happens in the lower gears mostly I think.

07-02-2014, 07:01 AM	#27
Drumminxx Drives: 2014 2SS RS 1LE Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Ohio Posts: 656 View My Garage	1st to 2nd was always rough for me and here is what I do that makes it smooth. Don't use your leg to lift the clutch instead use the heel of your foot and rotate your ankle moving your toes away from the clutch. The clutch will lift more evenly and the shift will be smooth. When you feel it grab then get your foot off the clutch so your not resting your foot on it. Once you get into the habit of this you won't even think about it anymore and it will come natural. __________________ Nice car bro!