6 Speed Manual Tranny

[zzz28zzz]

I am in no way a noob when it comes to driving a stick. With that said, the 6th gear will be new to me. Anyone that has some experience with that 6th gear can feel free to share some info. As a very generic rule it was always if your on the highway, or at least cruising at highway speeds(55 and up) you were in 5th gear. How does this change with the extra gear??
As you run thru the gears is it a shorter gap between the gears or is that 6th gear cruising speed a little higher??

[Never2LowChevy]

The gears are shorter.

[SilverTurtle]

6th gear is a double overddrive... basically, its not for anything but cruising... good gas mileage but almost no acceleration... in my six speed cars, I drive 1-3-5 in around town driving getting to 5th gear around 45-50mph... then shift to 6th when I get onto a highway where I'll be at 55mph or better... and I get over 30mpg out of my FRC and used to get right at 30mpg out of my '02 Z28... you dont really need to shift through all of the gears to get to the higher gears, but it is fun... you can drive at 45mph in 6th gear, but there's almost no acceleration potential there.

the gears 1-4 are all still a standard gear pattern, with 4th being a 1:1 gear ratio... 5th is overdriven ~.8:1 and 6th is usually ~.5:1

[camaropete]

Here are the gear ratios for the two 6-speed options on the 2010:
Aisin Warner AY6 six-speed manual (LS, LT)
Gear ratios (:1):
First: 4.48
Second: 2.58
Third: 1.63
Fourth: 1.19
Fifth: 1.00
Sixth: 0.75
Reverse: 3.67
Final drive ratio: 3.27

TR6060 six-speed manual (SS)
Gear ratios (:1):
First: 3.01
Second: 2.07
Third: 1.43
Fourth: 1.00
Fifth: 0.84
Sixth: 0.57
Reverse: 3.28
Final drive ratio: 3.45

For comparison, here are the ratios for the 5-speed manual that was in the 2000 Camaro:

1st 3.75
2nd 2.19
3rd 1.41
4th 1.00
5th 0.72
Reverse 3.53
Final Drive Ratios 3.23

[zzz28zzz]

So if I am running 70 on the highway with the cruise set, 6th gear. 1st - 4th are normal in city driving. 5th is the standard overdrive like normal. That about hit it right?

The gear ratios don't help me a whole bunch, but thanks anyway.
Blue collar kinda guy. Learned by feel, so all the numbers just confuse my little brain.

[SilverTurtle]

Originally Posted by zzz28zzz

So if I am running 70 on the highway with the cruise set, 6th gear. 1st - 4th are normal in city driving. 5th is the standard overdrive like normal. That about hit it right?

The gear ratios don't help me a whole bunch, but thanks anyway.
Blue collar kinda guy. Learned by feel, so all the numbers just confuse my little brain.

5th is like the normal 5th gear... 6th is a double overdrive... in my '99 C5 FRC, at 70mph in 6th, I'm running at 1550rpm... and that's with the 3.42 gears out back... expect the 5th gen Camaro be about the same.

[camaropete]

Originally Posted by zzz28zzz

So if I am running 70 on the highway with the cruise set, 6th gear. 1st - 4th are normal in city driving. 5th is the standard overdrive like normal. That about hit it right?

The gear ratios don't help me a whole bunch, but thanks anyway.
Blue collar kinda guy. Learned by feel, so all the numbers just confuse my little brain.

That's about right. I wouldn't expect much 6th gear driving in the city.

[TAG UR IT]

Like most, I run a 1st, 3rd, 5th, and then 6th pattern. I hardly ever use 2nd or 4th unless I'm dropping it down for quick acceleration.

On the other hand, I use 6th gear as much as possible to lower the rpm's and it results in great gas mileage in my SS. In a regular day, I'll get into a 35mph zone and go into 6th barely applying the gas. It moves JUST FINE. If I need to accelerate quickly, I down shift into 3rd or 4th....either works. But, you can drive forever in 6th at 35mph.

On the hwy, 6th gear works just fine in getting around the dude in the fast lane that just won't move over for you. It'll accelerate without problem...not like it would in 4th, but you would be VERY surprised at how EASILY the 02 SS will get up and go in 6th at 70mph....VROOOM!

You'll see. It's all a matter of preference. I didn't know how to drive a stick all too well when I got my 98 S10. I had some experience in my bro's older truck, but not a whole lot for my truck. I learned. Then, I learned again on a Camaro Z28. It's the basic, general idea of clutch/gas...but you will get the feel of what you can and can't do (ie: put it in 6th at 20mph and floor it to go, but the rpm's drop to 700 and you will QUICKLY realize you need to downshift). You'll see...easy, easy to learn.


Again, I run 6th gear CITY ALL THE TIME. It does not hurt the tranny and keeps the rpms LOW. There's nothing wrong with doing that. Your wallet will love you for it too!

[TaylorRyanSS]

I wanna get a stick but I have only driven one once just in the neighborhood... i did ok for my first time, stalled about 3 times lol

I dont know if I should get one, I dont wanna stall it and look stupid

[shank0668]

my brothers second time he drove a stick was home from the dealer with a new car. he didnt stall. i was suprised. holy crap im tired

[stovt001]

Originally Posted by TaylorRyan74

I wanna get a stick but I have only driven one once just in the neighborhood... i did ok for my first time, stalled about 3 times lol

I dont know if I should get one, I dont wanna stall it and look stupid

I feel a bit of shame for admitting this - I just learned to drive stick yesterday. My wife's cousin took me out in his Toyota pickup. With almost no low end power it was very easy to stall starting from a full stop. Making it worse, the truck could only be started with a screwdriver in the ignition. I had no problem shifting 1-2-3-4 at speed, but I did stall starting from stop a few times and only got a few smooth starts in. The rest were jerky. Then my wife's uncle let me take out his BMW 325. Man that thing was easy to work with. Didn't stall it once, every take off was fairly smooth. The shifter was notchy, but otherwise it was great. My wife's cousin said the Camaro with all its torque would be perfect for me. So I can drive stick now, but I'm not very good yet. I have to find something I can practice often with.

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by TaylorRyan74

I wanna get a stick but I have only driven one once just in the neighborhood... i did ok for my first time, stalled about 3 times lol

I dont know if I should get one, I dont wanna stall it and look stupid

Get a stick! You might not know how to drive it, but YOU WILL LEARN! Do NOT worry about looking stupid. It happens. Shoot...I've stalled mine out before when not paying attention...I was at a stop light, came to a stop, thought I took it out of gear, and quickly let out the clutch while holding the brake....BAM!!! Car lurched forward and stopped. No biggie...it happens.

Go practice if you want before taking delivery by driving someone else's stick shift vehicle. that'll help.

[Vash]

Watch this video.. At 1min 60 seconds hehehe.. that's how you drive a manual.

[MerF]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

Shoot...I've stalled mine out before when not paying attention...I was at a stop light, came to a stop, thought I took it out of gear, and quickly let out the clutch while holding the brake....BAM!!! Car lurched forward and stopped. No biggie...it happens.

I do this kind of crap all the time and I've been driving clutches since I had to do farm chores when I was 13 years old (the age I was allowed to drive the tractor). It happens, the moment someone makes fun of you is the moment karma kicks in and they stall out at the next intersection!

[djm96z28]

I've always heard if you don't stall a manual transmission every once in a while, you're not driving it right.

[Shifty 6]

Well here is my 25 cents worth...

It really doesn't matter what gear you are in...ever. Here is a rule of thumb, don't lug the engine. Lugging the engine happens when you are in too high of a gear, then consequently too low of rpm. When you try to accelerate you get the shudder from the engine. It puts undue stress on parts. With my '99 Z, I would skip shift also, but not very often, that is why I bought a stick...so I could shift and I didn't want to miss an opportunity.

I have been driving a stick for so long, I borrowed a friends car and his gear indicator was broken....I forgot the order of gears in an automatic. You get used to driving a stick, you will stall it, you will forget what gear you are in, you will try to take off in 3rd, you drive for a while and wonder, " I don't recall shifting into that gear".

My last tidbit:
The first time I drove a stick was a 1974 corvette. I was 12 years old, and my dad was looking at selling the car. He took me down a country road after picking me up at school. We traded places, I must have stalled it 3-4 times, and around the corner comes a school bus FULL of kids from school, including upper class students. I was SO nervous I was shaking from pushing the clutch, and from nerves. The bus was approaching fast, and I was stalling even faster, my dad told me, "just relax the bus will go around". He was right it did, the bus went away and even though I stalled it so many times I lost count, I was still a hero. I think it was mostly the car though. The point is the bus eventually goes around you, and you end up back on a country road with your dad, and you go back to driving a stick. With time there are fewer and fewer buses.

[zebra]

Originally Posted by TaylorRyan74

I wanna get a stick but I have only driven one once just in the neighborhood... i did ok for my first time, stalled about 3 times lol

I dont know if I should get one, I don't wanna stall it and look stupid

like others have said, you will stall! i've been driving stick since i was 11 & i almost stalled yesterday. came to a red light & forgot it was still in 5th gear! my granny bought a brand new 4spd 66 mustang having never drove a stick before. got a mile down the road, stalled, & couldn't start again. a cop stopped to see what was wrong & ended up teaching her right there! point is - it happens to everybody, so don't sweat it, a stick is totally worth it in the end

Originally Posted by Vash

Watch this video.. At 1min 60 seconds hehehe.. that's how you drive a manual.

that's talent: speed shifting with a throw as long as in my truck!

[diddiyo]

Originally Posted by TaylorRyan74

I wanna get a stick but I have only driven one once just in the neighborhood... i did ok for my first time, stalled about 3 times lol

I dont know if I should get one, I dont wanna stall it and look stupid

don't worry about looking stupid. most people that give you crap about stalling a car drive an automatic anyway...

stick is so much more fun

[ctk1]

Originally Posted by TAG UR IT

Get a stick! You might not know how to drive it, but YOU WILL LEARN! Do NOT worry about looking stupid. It happens. Shoot...I've stalled mine out before when not paying attention...I was at a stop light, came to a stop, thought I took it out of gear, and quickly let out the clutch while holding the brake....BAM!!! Car lurched forward and stopped. No biggie...it happens.

Go practice if you want before taking delivery by driving someone else's stick shift vehicle. that'll help.

Get the stick you will be glad you did. Modern stick cars are so much easier to drive than previous manual transmissions. As long as you dont dump the clutch, just let it out slowly, a new car is virtually impossible to stall.

[paulm85]

I am with all of them, this will not be my first manual driving experience but, I am sure I will stall out and mis-shift and make a fool of myself more than a few times. Thats just the way it is.

[TAG UR IT]

Originally Posted by Shifty 6

Well here is my 25 cents worth...

It really doesn't matter what gear you are in...ever. Here is a rule of thumb, don't lug the engine. Lugging the engine happens when you are in too high of a gear, then consequently too low of rpm. When you try to accelerate you get the shudder from the engine. It puts undue stress on parts. With my '99 Z, I would skip shift also, but not very often, that is why I bought a stick...so I could shift and I didn't want to miss an opportunity.

.

The better way of explaining it right here....the "shudder" feeling.

[diddiyo]

here's a nice video to see how shifting works

http://jalopnik.com/5119828/high+hee...n-the-autobahn

[CamaroSpike23]

Originally Posted by ctk1

Get the stick you will be glad you did. Modern stick cars are so much easier to drive than previous manual transmissions. As long as you dont dump the clutch, just let it out slowly, a new car is virtually impossible to stall.

you can still dump the clutch, just make sure your rpms are up.




and I learned to drive stick on my 70 pickup truck. 3 on the tree, no power brakes, no power steering.... no power period. then my 78 camaro... I blew the auto out of it and dropped in a 3 spd manual on the floor. 3 gears, tow, slow and go.

[SoFlaZ]

Originally Posted by diddiyo

here's a nice video to see how shifting works

http://jalopnik.com/5119828/high+hee...n-the-autobahn

Thats HOT!


Stick is easy after you drive it a few times. It's like riding a bike you never forget. Just always remember to RELEASE THE PARKING BRAKE before you start going anywhere!
That was my problem with my first time driving stick, I was a valet driver and it was my first stick car after months of working there. Who gets an Audi WAGON with a stick, honestly? Anyway I forgot to take the brake off and proceeded to the drop area. I had the thing revved to 4k the hole time feathering the clutch thinking whats wrong with this car then stall it in front of a few other co-workers at the drop off. Turns out the person was going to stay longer so I had to bring it back and stalled it twice more on the way back to the lot all in front of random people.

Second time in a stick I was driving my old 84 porsche 944 home on a 50 mile trip and only stalled once

[TaylorRyanSS]

yeah I practice on my friends toyota matrix... I need to take it on the main streets to practice before I order my camaro lol. I don't want to stall as I am leaving the dealer haha