When you want to stop a manual tranny car, do you have to shift?

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
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or can you just hit the brakes.....

i'm just trying to see if using a manual transmission in seattle (stop and go everywhere) would be more painful than fun. i've only driven a manual in video games :p
 

ElFenix

Elite Member
Super Moderator
Mar 20, 2000
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you should keep it in the proper gear for the speed so that you can accelerate if you need to (like someone behind you isn't stopping as fast as you/at all)
 

boyRacer

Lifer
Oct 1, 2001
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if its an emergeny just stomp on the brakes and clutch... if you have to stop normally... depends on what you want... most people just put it in neutral.
 

jfall

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 2000
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To answer your question:

Driving a Standard = Fun
Driving a Standard in traffic = Sucks
 

BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
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I just leave it in whatever gear I was in, and put it in neutral when I come close to a complete stop...

But since you haven't driven manual in real life before, I wouldn't recommend starting right away with stop and go traffic... ppl around u will be very pissed if u stall all the time...
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
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Depends on how much you slow down. Go too slow in too high a gear and you'll drag the rpm down and eventually kill the engine.
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
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Originally posted by: ElFenix
you should keep it in the proper gear for the speed so that you can accelerate if you need to (like someone behind you isn't stopping as fast as you/at all)

so upshift as i slow down?
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
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If you stop and don't take the car out of gear, it will stall. You don';t have to shift, but you at least have to put the clutch in.
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
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Originally posted by: notfred
If you stop and don't take the car out of gear, it will stall. You don';t have to shift, but you at least have to put the clutch in.

hmm ok. so putting hte clutch in means disengaging the clutch? ie, the wheels and engine are no longer connected...?
 

BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
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Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: ElFenix
you should keep it in the proper gear for the speed so that you can accelerate if you need to (like someone behind you isn't stopping as fast as you/at all)

so upshift as i slow down?

no downshift as u slow down....

the slower u go, the lower the gear you want so the engine can turn the wheels more easily...
 

KingNothing

Diamond Member
Apr 6, 2002
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Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: ElFenix
you should keep it in the proper gear for the speed so that you can accelerate if you need to (like someone behind you isn't stopping as fast as you/at all)

so upshift as i slow down?

Downshift. Lower gear = lower speed.
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
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Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: notfred
If you stop and don't take the car out of gear, it will stall. You don';t have to shift, but you at least have to put the clutch in.
hmm ok. so putting hte clutch in means disengaging the clutch? ie, the wheels and engine are no longer connected...?
uh... yes.
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
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Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: notfred
If you stop and don't take the car out of gear, it will stall. You don';t have to shift, but you at least have to put the clutch in.

hmm ok. so putting hte clutch in means disengaging the clutch? ie, the wheels and engine are no longer connected...?
Yep. The clutch sits between the engine and transmission.
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
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Originally posted by: KingNothing
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: ElFenix
you should keep it in the proper gear for the speed so that you can accelerate if you need to (like someone behind you isn't stopping as fast as you/at all)

so upshift as i slow down?

Downshift. Lower gear = lower speed.

oh ok, sorry, i got confused. so in a 5spd, 5 is the highest gear and used for fastest?
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
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ok so when the light turns green, or the car in front of me moves, i re-engage the clutch.... hit the gas... do i need to do anything else? should i start out at a lower gear because i'll be going slower at the beginning?
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
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Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: notfred
If you stop and don't take the car out of gear, it will stall. You don';t have to shift, but you at least have to put the clutch in.

hmm ok. so putting hte clutch in means disengaging the clutch? ie, the wheels and engine are no longer connected...?

Yes. Take a moment to think about this:

When the clutch is engaged, the wheels turn at a speed directly proportional to that of the engine.

If the wheels are turning at a speed of 0 rpm, how fast is the engine turning?
 

notfred

Lifer
Feb 12, 2001
38,241
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Originally posted by: gopunk
ok so when the light turns green, or the car in front of me moves, i re-engage the clutch.... hit the gas... do i need to do anything else? should i start out at a lower gear because i'll be going slower at the beginning?

You need to practice in an actual car... you're never going to figure it out by reading ATOT.
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
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Originally posted by: gopunk
ok so when the light turns green, or the car in front of me moves, i re-engage the clutch.... hit the gas... do i need to do anything else? should i start out at a lower gear because i'll be going slower at the beginning?
You always generally start out in first (lowest) gear.
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
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I'm not sure if an internet forum is the right place to learn the basic fundamentals of driving a manual.

btw, Seattle is a nice city, I've been there often, will be up there again on the 16th-17th, but driving a manual there is definitely something for the experts...
 

gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
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Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: notfred
If you stop and don't take the car out of gear, it will stall. You don';t have to shift, but you at least have to put the clutch in.

hmm ok. so putting hte clutch in means disengaging the clutch? ie, the wheels and engine are no longer connected...?

Yes. Take a moment to think about this:

When the clutch is engaged, the wheels turn at a speed directly proportional to that of the engine.

If the wheels are turning at a speed of 0 rpm, how fast is the engine turning?

ok now i'm confused :p if the clutch is engaged, and your engine is running, the only way for your wheels to not be turning is if you have the brakes on...?
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
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Originally posted by: gopunk
ok so when the light turns green, or the car in front of me moves, i re-engage the clutch.... hit the gas... do i need to do anything else? should i start out at a lower gear because i'll be going slower at the beginning?
It's a little more complicated than that, you don't just re-engage the clutch and hit the gas, you have to do them both at the same time.. It takes a little time to get the "feel" for engaging the clutch and giving it just the right ammount of gas so you don't stall..

It's harder to explain in text and probably sounds harder than it really is. If you drive for an hour, you'll probably have a pretty good feel for it.

 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,337
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In a manual, the connection between the wheels and the engine is directly mechanical, and the differences in speed between the two are determined by nothing more than the various gear ratios in the transmission. Only disengaging the clutch will interfere with that direct mechanical connection. So if the clutch is engaged and wheel speed = 0, then engine speed will = 0 too.
 

BCYL

Diamond Member
Jun 7, 2000
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You will never learn how to drive a manual just by asking questions... go out there and actually drive one!

and I would stay away from stop and go traffic until u actually driven one for a while...
 

Heisenberg

Lifer
Dec 21, 2001
10,621
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Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: notfred
If you stop and don't take the car out of gear, it will stall. You don';t have to shift, but you at least have to put the clutch in.

hmm ok. so putting hte clutch in means disengaging the clutch? ie, the wheels and engine are no longer connected...?

Yes. Take a moment to think about this:

When the clutch is engaged, the wheels turn at a speed directly proportional to that of the engine.

If the wheels are turning at a speed of 0 rpm, how fast is the engine turning?

ok now i'm confused :p if the clutch is engaged, and your engine is running, the only way for your wheels to not be turning is if you have the brakes on...?
When the clutch is engaged, there is a direct mechanical connection between the motor and the drive wheels. If you stop the car without disengaging the clutch, the motor will stall since the wheels aren't turning. By pushing in the clutch, you break that connection so the wheels can stop but the engine can still turn.