Other stick shift questions
03-12-2002, 08:11 PM
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Other stick shift questions
Just got my coupe this week and it is my first car with a manual transmission, and i have a few questions.
1) How is it possible to get off of the line quickly, from a complete stop? The way i get moving is give it some gas, move the clutch to just below the release point, then slowly let it out. This causes my car to glide forward pretty smoothly, but not particularly quickly. If i try to let the clutch out faster, it seems like it just makes the car shake a lot, and sometimes stall.
2) Is the release point on the clutch the same as the engage point? To be more specific, when you have the clutch down, you switch a gear, then you slowly let it up. At a certain point on the way up the new gear engages. I'm calling that the 'release' point. It's easy to find out where it is just by putting it in gear and releasing the clutch slowly.
By engage point, i mean when you are engaging the clutch in order to change gears.. the point after which you can move the shifter.
So my question is, are these two points the same? Its easy to find out where the 'release point' is.. but i dont really want to experiment by moving the shifter sooner and soon. By the way, what happens if you try to move the shifter and the clutch isn't engaged yet? I really don't want to experiment too much.
Also, sometimes i hear a metallic rattling in the rear of my car when i go over a bump. it almost sounds like it is coming from inside the passenger compartment, but i dont see anything that can be producing the noise, any ideas?
1) How is it possible to get off of the line quickly, from a complete stop? The way i get moving is give it some gas, move the clutch to just below the release point, then slowly let it out. This causes my car to glide forward pretty smoothly, but not particularly quickly. If i try to let the clutch out faster, it seems like it just makes the car shake a lot, and sometimes stall.
2) Is the release point on the clutch the same as the engage point? To be more specific, when you have the clutch down, you switch a gear, then you slowly let it up. At a certain point on the way up the new gear engages. I'm calling that the 'release' point. It's easy to find out where it is just by putting it in gear and releasing the clutch slowly.
By engage point, i mean when you are engaging the clutch in order to change gears.. the point after which you can move the shifter.
So my question is, are these two points the same? Its easy to find out where the 'release point' is.. but i dont really want to experiment by moving the shifter sooner and soon. By the way, what happens if you try to move the shifter and the clutch isn't engaged yet? I really don't want to experiment too much.
Also, sometimes i hear a metallic rattling in the rear of my car when i go over a bump. it almost sounds like it is coming from inside the passenger compartment, but i dont see anything that can be producing the noise, any ideas?
03-12-2002, 08:25 PM
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C230K
if this is your first stick, give it some time. It's not an overnight process. My suggestion is rent a car with a stick and beat the hell out of it. Drop the clutch and learn how to do take offs. I'd be scared that i might break something on my own car doing this, probobly won't though. As far as the noise from the inside, it's the trunk cover jumping. You know when you open the hatch, that shelf raises. That's what's making the noise. As for the stick, you just kind of get a feel for the car after a while and then you'll know how to drive it.
03-12-2002, 08:29 PM
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C230K
one more thing.
you may want to wait till after the break in period before you start really pushing your car. After a while the stick will feel pretty good. Took a good 2000 miles on mine for the stick to wear in nicely. Also did you get C7, because it has a short shift, and that feels really good.
anyways, congrats and enjoy
you may want to wait till after the break in period before you start really pushing your car. After a while the stick will feel pretty good. Took a good 2000 miles on mine for the stick to wear in nicely. Also did you get C7, because it has a short shift, and that feels really good.
anyways, congrats and enjoy
03-12-2002, 08:33 PM
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M3
Re: Other stick shift questions
Originally posted by Cullen
1) How is it possible to get off of the line quickly, from a complete stop? The way i get moving is give it some gas, move the clutch to just below the release point, then slowly let it out. This causes my car to glide forward pretty smoothly, but not particularly quickly. If i try to let the clutch out faster, it seems like it just makes the car shake a lot, and sometimes stall.
1) How is it possible to get off of the line quickly, from a complete stop? The way i get moving is give it some gas, move the clutch to just below the release point, then slowly let it out. This causes my car to glide forward pretty smoothly, but not particularly quickly. If i try to let the clutch out faster, it seems like it just makes the car shake a lot, and sometimes stall.
It all has to be balanced man.
What you're doing wrong is letting the clutch out fast, but not adding enough gas to compensate.
Better watch it ...
03-12-2002, 09:42 PM
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2002 Mercedes-Benz C230 Kompressor Sports Coupe
Re: Other stick shift questions
Welcome to manual-world... good choice...
1) To get off quickly, you want to rev the car a little and then let go of the clutch while applying gas to maintain that rev. For example, try revving to 2,000 RPM, then let go of the clutch, pressing the accellerator at the same time to maintain the car above 2,000 RPM. It will take off pretty decently. 3,000 RPM gets you amazingly faster take-offs.
If the car/engine shutters, you did not apply enough gas. This is bad for the engine and should be prevented. Letting go of the clutch slower is an alternate way to counter this.
2) The clutch is an ANALOG device. So it doesn't have an 'exact' release point. Instead it releases more and more (slowly) until totally released. You will find the engage and release points are opposite in the travel of the pedal. Total engage is at the bottom of the pedal. Total release is at the top. Everything in between is a partial engage, which does wear down your clutch.
3) Until you are lots more experienced, I advise you skip 'down shifting' and just put the car in neutral while braking or press the clutch in leaving it in gear. Then when stopped or going slower, select the new gear for accellerating. This not only makes your job easier and smoother, it will cut in half your clutch wear.
4) The idea of renting a car to 'play with the clutch' is a fantastic idea. I strongly recommend it. $25/day can't be better spent.
1) To get off quickly, you want to rev the car a little and then let go of the clutch while applying gas to maintain that rev. For example, try revving to 2,000 RPM, then let go of the clutch, pressing the accellerator at the same time to maintain the car above 2,000 RPM. It will take off pretty decently. 3,000 RPM gets you amazingly faster take-offs.
If the car/engine shutters, you did not apply enough gas. This is bad for the engine and should be prevented. Letting go of the clutch slower is an alternate way to counter this.
2) The clutch is an ANALOG device. So it doesn't have an 'exact' release point. Instead it releases more and more (slowly) until totally released. You will find the engage and release points are opposite in the travel of the pedal. Total engage is at the bottom of the pedal. Total release is at the top. Everything in between is a partial engage, which does wear down your clutch.
3) Until you are lots more experienced, I advise you skip 'down shifting' and just put the car in neutral while braking or press the clutch in leaving it in gear. Then when stopped or going slower, select the new gear for accellerating. This not only makes your job easier and smoother, it will cut in half your clutch wear.
4) The idea of renting a car to 'play with the clutch' is a fantastic idea. I strongly recommend it. $25/day can't be better spent.
03-12-2002, 10:50 PM
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2002 C240 6-spd (ret)
Re: Better watch it ...
Originally posted by tommy
or Mark L will b1tchslap you for misinformation. :p
or Mark L will b1tchslap you for misinformation. :p
. I was having a bad day at work the other day, and it was just frustrating to see that response! My apologies to KJ-TypeR -- I'm just such a perfectionist I sometimes can't help myself (just ask my wife :p). Hey, I agree w/ KJ and Flashman -- faster takeoffs require more gas for smoothness. Also, isn't the best idea to be sure to press the clutch all the way down when shifting? Then you're sure not to clash those gears!
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03-13-2002, 09:50 AM
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190 2.3 and C320
Driving with a manual transmission is a physical activity, thus it is like learning tennis, golf or how to ride a bicycle. It takes knowledge, which members have supplied in this thread, and practice. Why don't you sign up for manual transmission driiving lessons at your local driving school and make your mistakes on one of the school's cars and not on yours?
