Learning a manual tranny on my own

[Don Vito Corleone]

It's pretty hard to ruin a clutch, unless you are doing some really hard launches over and over and over and over. And even then, it'll still have some life left in it.

Depends where you live. In very hilly areas like San Francisco it's possible to burn through a clutch very quickly if you don't know what you're doing.

 

[sandorski]

Proper spelling is Emmanuel.

 

[Syringer]

Learning a manual was easy once I was told that you don't have to let out the clutch and press the gas at the exact same time to start out. I'm sitting there trying to get it just right on a little 4-cylinder that cuts out and jumps all over the place if you don't feed it right. Yeah.

Once you go manual, you don't go back to autotragic.

So basically this is the main thing, I feel I'm confident in shifting gears once I'm past 15-20mph or whatever, but for starting:

a) Feet on both clutch and brake.
b) Release brake.
c) Slowly release clutch. And there's basically three positions the clutch will be in, 1) the car acts like it's in neutral, 2) the car will move along without any gas needed, 3) the car will stall

The other thing I wondered about was if I'm coming to a stop light, do I push down on the clutch the whole time that I'm braking, or just until the very end? Is there a difference?

 

[LTC8K6]

If you intend to travel and rent a car, learning stick is a must. Manual transmissions are the norm most places outside the US and Canada, and in many places (including continental Europe) it's either impossible or ruinously expensive to rent a car with an automatic.

Now that autos get better mileage, look for them to begin to dominate, even in places where manuals dominate now.

 

[lxskllr]

So basically this is the main thing, I feel I'm confident in shifting gears once I'm past 15-20mph or whatever, but for starting:

a) Feet on both clutch and brake.
b) Release brake.
c) Slowly release clutch. And there's basically three positions the clutch will be in, 1) the car acts like it's in neutral, 2) the car will move along without any gas needed, 3) the car will stall

The other thing I wondered about was if I'm coming to a stop light, do I push down on the clutch the whole time that I'm braking, or just until the very end? Is there a difference?

Once you get used to a clutch, it's better to just dump it instead of riding it. It's the space between engaged and disengaged when the wear happens.

When you come to a red light, leave it in gear until you get to ~750rpm, take it out of gear, and sit there with your foot on the brake only. Don't engage the clutch until your ready to move. Holding the clutch in wears it(throwout bearing) unnecessarily.

 

[Tristicus]

So basically this is the main thing, I feel I'm confident in shifting gears once I'm past 15-20mph or whatever, but for starting:

a) Feet on both clutch and brake.
b) Release brake.
c) Slowly release clutch. And there's basically three positions the clutch will be in, 1) the car acts like it's in neutral, 2) the car will move along without any gas needed, 3) the car will stall

The other thing I wondered about was if I'm coming to a stop light, do I push down on the clutch the whole time that I'm braking, or just until the very end? Is there a difference?

Release the clutch until it gets to friction point. The engine RPMs will start to lower, and depending on the engine, the car will start moving by itself. It does it with my Jeep, but didn't with my Amigo. Give it gas when you feel it start to engage. I've done burnouts unintentionally before, even after driving for a few months...don't worry about it too much.

If coming to a light, you can press the brake first (to slow, don't floor it), but yes, the clutch needs to be in when brake is engaged for a complete stop. I usually coast in neutral, but you can slap it into first gear or whatever you please.

It'll take getting used to, and if you can get it out of the lot, go into the first empty parking lot you find and start/stop and get a feel for the clutch.

Once you get used to a clutch, it's better to just dump it instead of riding it. It's the space between engaged and disengaged when the wear happens.

When you come to a red light, leave it in gear until you get to ~750rpm, take it out of gear, and sit there with your foot on the brake only. Don't engage the clutch until your ready to move. Holding the clutch in wears it(throwout bearing) unnecessarily.

It is not going to wear it that much, if at all. It does not wear it out NEARLY as much as people like you stress, at all.

 

[Demo24]

Honestly I would leave the clutch in and the car in 1st gear at a stop. With a learner it's best to be set and ready. Having to engage just adds another thought process and you have a greater chance of stalling due to a feel of urgency to get moving.

 

[Tristicus]

That reminds me, fuck other people, and start as slow as you need to. If they get pissed, fuck 'em, because they are probably driving automatics and don't know what a stick shift is.

 

[amdhunter]

Honestly I would leave the clutch in and the car in 1st gear at a stop. With a learner it's best to be set and ready. Having to engage just adds another thought process and you have a greater chance of stalling due to a feel of urgency to get moving.

Yup. It can especially get nerve-racking when someone is behind you honking away...lol

I pissed so many people off my first month of driving.

 

[lxskllr]

Honestly I would leave the clutch in and the car in 1st gear at a stop. With a learner it's best to be set and ready. Having to engage just adds another thought process and you have a greater chance of stalling due to a feel of urgency to get moving.

What if your foot slips off the clutch? It's never a good idea to do that, and definitely don't play at the light and ride the clutch like the ricers do. It'll burn out the clutch much faster, and you look like a tard.

 

[IronWing]

Auto vs stick has to be the most overrated argument in the history of the universe, even worse than Protestantism vs Catholicism. It is such a minor part of knowing how to drive as to be inconsequential in the great scheme of things. Since you already know how to drive (I think, say why exactly is your car in the shop?) learning stick shouldn't take too long. Just remember to not let learning stick interfere with more important aspects of driving like steering and not crushing pedestrians.

 

[Tristicus]

Auto vs stick has to be the most overrated argument in the history of the universe, even worse than Protestantism vs Catholicism. It is such a minor part of knowing how to drive as to be inconsequential in the great scheme of things. Since you already know how to drive (I think, say why exactly is your car in the shop?) learning stick shouldn't take too long. Just remember to not let learning stick interfere with more important aspects of driving like steering and not crushing pedestrians.

Wrong.

There is no argument.

It is manual or bust.

TO THE RACETRACK!

 

[Crono]

I was thinking about this, too.

Likely to get a new manual Mustang next month, and I've never driven stick before.

 

[Eli]

May as well shorten the life of a rental's clutch instead of your own.

Good luck finding a rental place that has a manual car available........

 

[TridenT]

Good luck finding a rental place that has a manual car available........

They probably don't have as many just for these reasons...

 

[coxmaster]

Good luck finding a rental place that has a manual car available........

Did you read the OP where he said he has the option of AT/MT?

 

[Syringer]

Good luck finding a rental place that has a manual car available........

There's an independent spot near me with really old crummy cars for like $20/day, and manuals are a go.

 

[tailes151]

Hint: If you are still a beginner in terms of driving a manual and you come upon a hill-stop with someone behind you, engage the parking brake. Give it some gas and start releasing the clutch until you feel it catch, then release the parking break and drive away.

The driver behind you thanks you (even if they don't know it)

 

[Tristicus]

Hint: If you are still a beginner in terms of driving a manual and you come upon a hill-stop with someone behind you, engage the parking brake. Give it some gas and start releasing the clutch until you feel it catch, then release the parking break and drive away.

The driver behind you thanks you (even if they don't know it)

Problem is drivers give absolutely NO ROOM when behind a car. They automatically (hurr) assume everyone is going to instantly just take off without anything. On large hills (I do this anyways a lot, but...), I just idle the clutch at friction point so I don't roll.

 

[tailes151]

Problem is drivers give absolutely NO ROOM when behind a car. They automatically (hurr) assume everyone is going to instantly just take off without anything. On large hills (I do this anyways a lot, but...), I just idle the clutch at friction point so I don't roll.

That's the whole idea behind using the parking brake. You will very generously limit the amount your car drifts back before pulling forward.

 

[MBrown]

My 2010 Impreza has roll back assist. I really don't like it much because it makes you think you don't need as much throttle to take off on an incline so when you go to let off the clutch it bucks.

 

[herkulease]

do it. I know your in the bay area. Just avoid SF. I've driven stick nearly all my life and I hate driving my car in SF. Hills and often you get idiots who just jump right out on the street.

Its great skill to learn. You also increase the not having others borrowing it. It seems the # of people who can drive stick are dwindling.

 

[Tristicus]

That's the whole idea behind using the parking brake. You will very generously limit the amount your car drifts back before pulling forward.

But it isn't practical, especially where the parking breaks were/are in my vehicles, and is better to learn how to start right off with minimal rollback.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

I'm very good at driving stick, and even I like to use the parking brake in San Francisco. Those hills are just retardedly steep.

I'm in San Jose. I just taught someone how to drive stick a couple days ago. I'm open to teaching more people.

 

[BoomerD]

It's pretty hard to ruin a clutch, unless you are doing some really hard launches over and over and over and over. And even then, it'll still have some life left in it.

Obviously you don't know shit about clutches...it's easy as hell to FUBAR a clutch...the worst thing you can do to/with a clutch is to keep your foot on the pedal...even just a bit.

Most people don't seem to grasp that about them...they think it's like gently touching the brake pedal with your toe...

However, once you learn to properly drive a manual transmission, the clutch should last almost forever.

I sold my 96 Dakota 4 years ago...it had 215K miles on it...and still the original clutch.