Hey everyone! I've driven manual cars since I was 15, so I have the basic idea down, and most everyone tells me I am pretty smooth driving. I just can't figure out how to get this car going in first gear really good. I can start it off w/ low rpm's pretty good, but I know that's not the most effecient way. When I start off with higher rpms, say around 2500k or higher, I feel like I am slipping the clutch too much. ALSO, if I start off at higher RPM's like that, towards the end of me letting my foot off the clutch, it feels like something is vibrating. The whole car doesn't vibrate, but I can feel something coming thru the clutch pedal. Is something wrong w/ my car, or am I not doing something right?? Maybe I can't feel the clutch very well.....

The car only has 35k on it

Bascially any tips or suggestions will help a lot. I don't want to burn the clutch, but I don't want to start off w/ low rpm's everytime b/c the car feels like it is slow then.

Thanks for your help!

Cris P.

 

I'm dealing with the same thing. Sometimes I'm able to get it perfectly then others not so much.

I think it just takes learning the car and the clutch

 

You really shouldn't be revving all the way to 2500 to get going in first... You shouldn't have to go above 2000. Rev it up to around 1500-2000 and at the same time let the clutch go to the engagement point and you shouldn't have any problems.. The higher you rev the more your clutch is going to take wear..

 

There's no need to rev the engine idle when starting from a stop and the only time it is ever even necessary is if you are on a hill - and even then a skilled driver wouldn't have a problem with balancing the throttle input/clutch engagement.

Just find a quiet road and practice starting off and trying to keep the car at idle - meaning the car will move forward and you will give enough gas to keep the car at idle RPM's as you let the clutch out...

There's really no need to rev it to start off...that will only cause premature clutch wear (to an extent) and it's just not necessary...

Anyway...just curious - you said you have been driving MT since you were 15...most people learn to start off pretty quickly - how old are you?

I can understand if no one taught you the "proper" way to start off but it just seems that as you become more familiar with the workings of a MT the concepts would just fall in place...

Hope that helps...

 

what does that mean? does that mean you let the rpms drop 1k? i try not to go over 1.5k and not let it below 1k.

ive been driving stick for awhile and doubt you dont give throttle.

i think i misunderstood you

 

Sorry...I should have explained it more clearly...

Of course there is throttle input - for daily driving I'll just try and keep the RPM's near the idle RPM (~800) by giving it gas (enough to keep it from going below idle) while simultaneously letting the clutch out (enough to keep it from going above idle)...all the while I am accelerating forward...

Just think that it's like letting the clutch out and giving it some gas but the car stays at ~800 RPM the whole time and by the time I get to idle speed (~5 mph) the clutch is fully depressed and obviously all I am using is the throttle...

I know I am making it sound more complicated than it really is but it's very simple in when applied.

 

Why is starting off at low rpm's not efficient


If you feel you are slipping the clutch too much, engage it at a lower rpm.


[QUOTE=s2cmpugh,Nov 13 2006, 08:46 PM]towards the end of me letting my foot off the clutch, it feels like something is vibrating.

 

Do you have an S2000?

 

I've driven a few - I am talking from experience with my past cars...and yes I realize the S2000's have literally no torque down low but it didn't stop me from driving it like any other car.

 

If you let out the clutch very, very slowly, you can engage the clutch without ANY gas at all, but that takes a very long time, as your clutch pedal is slooooowly coming up off the floor. The engine is spinning at idle, but for a long time, thus, may not be good for it. If you are pointed downhill, then no problemo.

The Honda S2000 is a low displacement engine compared to some of the bigger, torquey engines out there, and does not have a lot of torque at low rpm's due to it's high reving nature. engaging the clutch at 800 engine rev's (unless you are pointed downhill) is a in this car. 1,500-1,600 rev's is about as low as you want to engage this clutch unless you want to bogg the hell out of your engine and wind up in ping city.