I was attempting to teach myself to really drive my car the other day in an undeveloped neighborhood. I was trying to launch and work on a good 1-2 shift. I know people on here talked spinning the tires into 2nd and sometimes even chirping third. I did about 7-8 runs and never once was above to even get a chirp into 2nd gear. I tried different combinations of speed of shift, release of clutch petal, and amount gas as the petals released, and nothing. I got a few hard neck-snapping shifts, but nothing to spin the tires and rocket forward like others have claimed. Does this sound like my S2000 has a weck clutch or am I just not driving it right? If it's me, does anyone have any tips on good shifting?

Thanks,
-Chris

 

First things first: the things you're controlling with your feet are called "pedals", not "petals".

Second, if you're at all confused as to what the problem is (and it sounds like you are), then it's most likely you that's the problem.

Third, I could chirp the shift into second with my 140HP Miata (hell, anyone with a complete lack of skill can chrip the tires in any manual... there are plenty of crazy old birds around here that do it in their Toyotas all the time), so if you can't in the S, you're just not shifting it hard enough (not that I'm advocating this at all).

It's really simple. Start rolling in first gear (or launch it if you're inclined to break things). Depress gas pedal to the floor. At 9k RPM, clutch in and take your foot off the gas in one motion, shift into second, and again, in one motion floor the gas and dump the clutch out.
Trust me, if it doesn't go like a bat out of hell and make a little noise, your technique is lacking.

Again, I'm not advocating this.

If you want to test for a slipping clutch, go out on the highway, but the car in 4th gear at around 6k RPMs and floor it. If the RPMs rise and the car doesn't go anywhere, your clutch is slipping. But I tend to doubt it is...

 

LoL, don't feel too bad Chris. My car was the same way when I first got it. Of course it was barely broken in and it was over 100 degrees outside. My only advice is to practice on quick shifting and (depending on how many miles are on the car) let your motor break in. I can now get a 2nd gear chirp by shifing at a 4k. Good luck.

Johnny

 

Chris,



Your differential will explode!

 

Chris, you will never chirp a tire in S. FLA heat with hot sticky S02s on a good road surface. Now, maybe in a colder climate....the 2 who say they have done it are in VA and MO. Or maybe with bad tires....

I've had my car a little sideways on S02s a few times, and never even heard a squeal - with the top down.