Official Learn To Drive Manual Cars Thread

[jnm2003]

Originally Posted by PB3

Ahhh yes. I have had many moments of these

I appreciate the patience on explaining this! I plan on trying this a few times this weekend. Now I just need to figure out why it's so difficult to shift into 2nd at high RPM's!

I never knew what "dumping the clutch" meant. Ha! Thanks for throwing that in.

Ive noticed that my car is slower going into second gear at high rpms also! I can shift 3rd quicker than i can shift second. Holding the shift knob correctly without wrapping thumb around the shifter and everything its still slow. Its done it with my stock shifter and my hurst shifter!!
IF you figure out y that is let me know also!!

[jnm2003]

Originally Posted by blufin

My best 60' time on stock tires at 32 lbs is 1.87. What works best for me is to bring RPM's up to about 3k. When the light pops, I slip the Cluth to get moving. When I've rolled out about 10-15 feet, I roll onto the throttle while at the same time releasing the clutch rapidly. Not dumping it, but just short of that. There should be a little chirp or spin, but not much. If what you're doing isn't getting you the short time you want, try something else. Practice..... A lot.

I put 25 to 28 lbs of pressure in my stock tires at the track and i got a 1.82 60ft. REMEMBER that every tenth of a second on ur 60ft is normally around 2 tenths off of ur 1/4 mile time.

My first pass i ran 30lbs of pressure and got a 2.02 60ft 13.0ET.
My second pass i put 25lbs of pressure and got a 1.83 60ft and ran 12.64 ET.
KEEP in mind that i dont know if its just me or not but if i go down too much in tire pressure i will hook off the line but my car spins shifting second. So tire pressure is good bw 25 and 32lbs for drag racing and just start with 32 and see how the track is holding up and go down from there if needed
Also when ive tried competition mode my car has ran 4 tenths slower. So since my first trip to the track ive started practicing launching with everything turned off!!

[PB3]

Originally Posted by jnm2003

Ive noticed that my car is slower going into second gear at high rpms also! I can shift 3rd quicker than i can shift second. Holding the shift knob correctly without wrapping thumb around the shifter and everything its still slow. Its done it with my stock shifter and my hurst shifter!!
IF you figure out y that is let me know also!!

Well, I plan on making an appointment Friday at the dealer. Even if it's nothing I would feel more comfortable knowing that they at least looked at it and it's on file should anything exteme happen in the future. In my garage I can shift through gears great when the car is not in motion. On the road the gear gets alot tougher to shift. Ill post here on the weekend with the verdict.

[stryker755]

I must say I do a lot of coasting in neutral coming up to stops and going around corners. When turning a corner I usually put it in gear just before I want to accelerate through the turn. I don't always use neutral in a corner, usually only if I need to slow way down for someone in front of me, otherwise I can usually leave it in 2nd or 3rd and coast through without the engine lugging. I don't think I'm hurting anything by using neutral, but my question is should I be doing the rev-match when going back into gear just like if I were downshifting? It seems this car will coast for a long time so why not use neutral and keep the rpm's lower (saving fuel) when coasting to a stop?

[PB3]

Originally Posted by stryker755

I must say I do a lot of coasting in neutral coming up to stops and going around corners. When turning a corner I usually put it in gear just before I want to accelerate through the turn. I don't always use neutral in a corner, usually only if I need to slow way down for someone in front of me, otherwise I can usually leave it in 2nd or 3rd and coast through without the engine lugging. I don't think I'm hurting anything by using neutral, but my question is should I be doing the rev-match when going back into gear just like if I were downshifting? It seems this car will coast for a long time so why not use neutral and keep the rpm's lower (saving fuel) when coasting to a stop?

I do the same exact thing

[TXGooch21]

Originally Posted by PB3

I do the same exact thing

As do I...I might be wrong, and someone tell me if I am...but I don't think there is anything wrong with coasting in neutral with your clutch OUT when approaching a stop or a turn. And stryker775 yes you need to rev-match when you are turning and then putting your car into gear.

[Flashpoint135]

Coasting in neutral with the clutch out rolling up to a stop or around a low speed (in town intersection) turn is fine. Cornering at driving speeds or agressive cornering you should be in gear for max. control / stability.

[Flashpoint135]

Originally Posted by blufin

My best 60' time on stock tires at 32 lbs is 1.87. What works best for me is to bring RPM's up to about 3k. When the light pops, I slip the Cluth to get moving. When I've rolled out about 10-15 feet, I roll onto the throttle while at the same time releasing the clutch rapidly. Not dumping it, but just short of that. There should be a little chirp or spin, but not much. If what you're doing isn't getting you the short time you want, try something else. Practice..... A lot.

I agree with this method for fastest acceleration off the line. Not for every car, but it worked best for my 84 Z28 and seems to be best with my 2011 LT1. As an example, this is not the best way to launch a mid 70's vette with a 454...

[Powhusku]

Originally Posted by TXGooch21

As do I...I might be wrong, and someone tell me if I am...but I don't think there is anything wrong with coasting in neutral with your clutch OUT when approaching a stop or a turn. And stryker775 yes you need to rev-match when you are turning and then putting your car into gear.

Pretty much the only downside to this is you put more wear on your brake pads, which is hardly a problem. Brake pads are cheaper than engine parts, so I encourage anyone to coast in neutral and proceed to brake rather than use your gears to slow down. Now at higher speeds, engine braking is more practical.

[Fubar]

[bmorecam]

It just take alot of practice to drive a manual and before you even know it you will be driving like a pro and it will become like a 2nd nature to you. Just like you never forget to ride a bike, you will never forget to drive a manual once you learn.

Once you get the hang of it you will never look back and drive another auto. It just become so boring just sitting there and steering lol.

[calbert1999]

Originally Posted by TXGooch21

As do I...I might be wrong, and someone tell me if I am...but I don't think there is anything wrong with coasting in neutral with your clutch OUT when approaching a stop or a turn. And stryker775 yes you need to rev-match when you are turning and then putting your car into gear.

I think it depends; But, realistically when going into a turn usually you would press the brakes to slow down going into the turn and then speeding up while taking the turn.
When you're pressing the brakes, you would then downshift using the heel-toe technique to rev. match by blipping the accellerator while still pressing the brakes it goes soemthing like this.

1. Press brakes to slow down.
2. Press clutch, pull gear into neutral.
3. Use heel-toe technique to blip accellerator while still pressing the brakes.
4. Drop into next lower gear, release clutch.

Here is a video of rev-matching and the heel-toe techniques. Easier to watch than it is to explain. Hope this helps.

I've been driving manual for quite some time but, learning these techniques with the SS allows for a much better driving experience.

http://youtu.be/cPj9XXW25GA

If somebody knows how to embed the video please PM me, and I'll change it. I know it's easy but can't figure it out on C5.

[h2omen]

Great stuff can't wait to got out and try it

[mandra]

Just to note if you have the car in neutral as you slow down you are actually using more gas than if you just let the car coast down in gear. I am not saying engine braking just coasting say up to a light. If you have a wide-band available you can see what I mean. When the engine has no load on it the computer cuts fuel - when you are just idling it has the standard 14.7:1 ratio burning. Not that it really matters but by taking it out of gear you are not saving fuel.