Civic LX Couple '06 Questions
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Joined: Jun 2007
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Civic LX Couple '06 Questions
I've had this car for about a year now (obviously) and so far I'm loving it. Its the manual honda civic lx coupe '06. I've learned a lot about cars with it, and have done all of the service I can myself, taking it to the shop for the stuff I can't (such as allignments and such). But this is not a question about care, quite possibly the opposite 
You'd think after a year of driving this car (and 5 previous years of stick shift experience, its all i've ever driven regularly), I'd be able to pull the shifts nicely, but for some reason I'm still having problems. Every once in a while I'll "Get it right" but usuially not. Here's the problem:
I really cannot figure out what RPM I should shift at for each gear. I've tried 4,000 rpm, I've tried 6,000 rpm, and a lot inbetween (though honestly I normally don't even look at the tachometer). Which leads me to the posbility that its not my RPM, but rather my shifting style thats wrong. And i've tried many types:
1) Get up to a certain rpm, let go of gass while pressing clutch, shift, and press gas while releasing clutch
2) Get up to a certain rpm, then let off the gas just slightly, but then hold it there while quickly shifting to the next gear (causing the rpm to jump a few hundred during the shift)
3) Get up to a certain rpm, then tap the gas harder, then very quickly release the gas and press the clutch, shift, and resume.
Are any of the above correct? And if not, what is the best style/rpm? My goal is to get the most power out of my car without doing damage to it.
And a side question (since I'm limited to the # of posts on trial status):
What are your recomendations to improve the power of the engine, without spending too much money, or shortening the life of the engine?
Thanks in advance!
You'd think after a year of driving this car (and 5 previous years of stick shift experience, its all i've ever driven regularly), I'd be able to pull the shifts nicely, but for some reason I'm still having problems. Every once in a while I'll "Get it right" but usuially not. Here's the problem:
I really cannot figure out what RPM I should shift at for each gear. I've tried 4,000 rpm, I've tried 6,000 rpm, and a lot inbetween (though honestly I normally don't even look at the tachometer). Which leads me to the posbility that its not my RPM, but rather my shifting style thats wrong. And i've tried many types:
1) Get up to a certain rpm, let go of gass while pressing clutch, shift, and press gas while releasing clutch
2) Get up to a certain rpm, then let off the gas just slightly, but then hold it there while quickly shifting to the next gear (causing the rpm to jump a few hundred during the shift)
3) Get up to a certain rpm, then tap the gas harder, then very quickly release the gas and press the clutch, shift, and resume.
Are any of the above correct? And if not, what is the best style/rpm? My goal is to get the most power out of my car without doing damage to it.
And a side question (since I'm limited to the # of posts on trial status):
What are your recomendations to improve the power of the engine, without spending too much money, or shortening the life of the engine?
Thanks in advance!
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 77
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From: Alamogordo, NM, USA
Re: Civic LX Couple '06 Questions (essial)
Although technology in most modern transmissions may make it unnecessary, I've still found that 'double clutching' results in the most smooth gear changes, and makes driving the most fun when mastered, which isn't too hard. Basically, you clutch, shift to neutral, foot off the clutch, re-engage clutch, and shift to new gear. If downshifting, you apply necessary gas while in neutral without the clutch engaged. I'm no expert on transmissions or engines, so I don't know the reasons behind why it works or whatever, or even if its the best way to do it nowadays, but its the way I've had best experience with.
As for RPM, shifting at ~3500 gives you moderate power while maintaining a good fuel economy. Anything past that you're trading economy for power, although in our LX's its not much
.
As for RPM, shifting at ~3500 gives you moderate power while maintaining a good fuel economy. Anything past that you're trading economy for power, although in our LX's its not much
.
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3
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Re: Civic LX Couple '06 Questions (Cruorem)
Thanks for the info! And hey, I know LX's aren't super cars; but I came from a manual '96 pontiac sunfire. At least now I can spin my tires at will.
Hell, one time in my sunfire, I was going on a camping trip, following our family infront of us. It was late at night and I really couldn't see anything besides the road itself. Well anyway something didn't feel right, and I looked down, and saw I was decelerating! The annoying part was, my gas was on the floor.. So I shifted down to 4th, gassed to the floor... STILL SLOWING DOWN >.< I really hated that car
As far as double clutching is concerned, I've heard about it, but I have one question before I try it: How long should it take to go from gear to gear? I would think that it'd take 1/2-1 second to go from 1st to second that way because it has to return to the center and back (very bad on hills). Is there some kind of mechanical advantage that I do not know about? I haven't had real-world experiences with clutches, but i've read a lot about them and it would seem that the only real thing double clutching is doing is giving your engine time to spin down to the RPM needed for the next gear.
Usuially when I'm succesfully at making my car 'leap' (that is, when i release the clutch, it very quickly, yet smoothly, accelerates), its because the engine is spinning faster than it needs to, and when i release the clutch, I press the gas just right, to keep the engine from loosing rpm, forcing the car to speed up (and burning some clutch in the process ^_^). A similar (and more common for new drives) thing that I think happens is when someone shifts, and just releases the clutch with no gas to maintain the RPM, causing the engine to 'buck'. Just curious!
Hell, one time in my sunfire, I was going on a camping trip, following our family infront of us. It was late at night and I really couldn't see anything besides the road itself. Well anyway something didn't feel right, and I looked down, and saw I was decelerating! The annoying part was, my gas was on the floor.. So I shifted down to 4th, gassed to the floor... STILL SLOWING DOWN >.< I really hated that car
As far as double clutching is concerned, I've heard about it, but I have one question before I try it: How long should it take to go from gear to gear? I would think that it'd take 1/2-1 second to go from 1st to second that way because it has to return to the center and back (very bad on hills). Is there some kind of mechanical advantage that I do not know about? I haven't had real-world experiences with clutches, but i've read a lot about them and it would seem that the only real thing double clutching is doing is giving your engine time to spin down to the RPM needed for the next gear.
Usuially when I'm succesfully at making my car 'leap' (that is, when i release the clutch, it very quickly, yet smoothly, accelerates), its because the engine is spinning faster than it needs to, and when i release the clutch, I press the gas just right, to keep the engine from loosing rpm, forcing the car to speed up (and burning some clutch in the process ^_^). A similar (and more common for new drives) thing that I think happens is when someone shifts, and just releases the clutch with no gas to maintain the RPM, causing the engine to 'buck'. Just curious!
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 47
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From: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Re: Civic LX Couple '06 Questions (essial)
i don't ever look at my rpm's. unless im watching for riding the redline while givin her. even then tho u should be able to feel this car out. driving is being "at one" with the vehicle, OR, feeling what it's doing.
These cars all very a lot, and with different climates people are driving them in everyone's input differs when speaking with numbers referring to rpm's and speeds.
when shifting this car out of 1st to get going in a SLOW scenario, treat it like you're going to feather out the clutch asuming you know how to feel out the clutch/throttle so u know HOW to "feather" out a clutch. but instead of going through with feathering it out, when you feel it grabbing, faster on throttle, faster off clutch. easy peasy. THIS METHOD is to learn the friction point in 1st gear, not a template how to shift out of 1st. when u learn the friction points well, just do it faster. it'll become automatic.
when going faster through gears puttin your car to teh test. in 1st gear it shifts nice around 5500 rpm's i guess? dont put the clutch all teh way in let it in till it grabs, keeping your throttle up, then off the clutch, in with throttle, quick and smooth. When really givin it **** tho through any gear, pin it till close to redline, tap the clutch with the top of your toes so it springs in and out really quick. a hard quick TAP hammering your gear into the next one. do NOT powershift your vehicle. the gearbox in these things i dont think can handle THAT ****. gotta be a sports driver man, you got a 4-banger now son. high rpm's, tight corners, quick shifts, and high rpm downshifting is the only way you'll learn to drive this thing. you take what you've learnt from goin nuts on it, and scale it down for city driving. easiest way. at high speeds you have less chance of wearing your clutch out with bad shifts. and as for the double clutching, i do not use this method personally, great method for certain applications, but you need to match your rpm's when double clutching last time i checked
These cars all very a lot, and with different climates people are driving them in everyone's input differs when speaking with numbers referring to rpm's and speeds.
when shifting this car out of 1st to get going in a SLOW scenario, treat it like you're going to feather out the clutch asuming you know how to feel out the clutch/throttle so u know HOW to "feather" out a clutch. but instead of going through with feathering it out, when you feel it grabbing, faster on throttle, faster off clutch. easy peasy. THIS METHOD is to learn the friction point in 1st gear, not a template how to shift out of 1st. when u learn the friction points well, just do it faster. it'll become automatic.
when going faster through gears puttin your car to teh test. in 1st gear it shifts nice around 5500 rpm's i guess? dont put the clutch all teh way in let it in till it grabs, keeping your throttle up, then off the clutch, in with throttle, quick and smooth. When really givin it **** tho through any gear, pin it till close to redline, tap the clutch with the top of your toes so it springs in and out really quick. a hard quick TAP hammering your gear into the next one. do NOT powershift your vehicle. the gearbox in these things i dont think can handle THAT ****. gotta be a sports driver man, you got a 4-banger now son. high rpm's, tight corners, quick shifts, and high rpm downshifting is the only way you'll learn to drive this thing. you take what you've learnt from goin nuts on it, and scale it down for city driving. easiest way. at high speeds you have less chance of wearing your clutch out with bad shifts. and as for the double clutching, i do not use this method personally, great method for certain applications, but you need to match your rpm's when double clutching last time i checked
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 183
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From: somewhere in the 480, az, usa
Re: Civic LX Couple '06 Questions (Cruorem)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Cruorem »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Although technology in most modern transmissions may make it unnecessary, I've still found that 'double clutching' results in the most smooth gear changes, and makes driving the most fun when mastered, which isn't too hard. Basically, you clutch, shift to neutral, foot off the clutch, re-engage clutch, and shift to new gear. If downshifting, you apply necessary gas while in neutral without the clutch engaged. I'm no expert on transmissions or engines, so I don't know the reasons behind why it works or whatever, or even if its the best way to do it nowadays, but its the way I've had best experience with.
As for RPM, shifting at ~3500 gives you moderate power while maintaining a good fuel economy. Anything past that you're trading economy for power, although in our LX's its not much.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Never done that, I'll try that on my way home
As for RPM, shifting at ~3500 gives you moderate power while maintaining a good fuel economy. Anything past that you're trading economy for power, although in our LX's its not much
.</TD></TR></TABLE> Never done that, I'll try that on my way home
Thread Starter
Joined: Jun 2007
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Re: Civic LX Couple '06 Questions (liketofry)
Really great information. Actuially I'm starting to think its my transmission fluid/filter thats giving me some problems I've been having (after having read around on the internets). I'll change those out this weekend and check again. I never look at my rpm usuially, and I don't have ANY problems downshifting for power.
Oh and heres a few fun road stories for ya:
(This happens AT LEAST once a month, I really don't understand it at all):
I pull onto the highway, at this onramp, it actuially continues on the highway as a third lane for a good 10 miles before turning into an offramp again, so no need to get into the middle lane. As I'm going down the onramp, and getting to the point where the onramp becomes the third lane (aka the single white line turns into a dotted white line), a truck comes up from behind in the center lane, then proceedes to start merging into the right lane.. the land I'm in; at this point I am about at the middle of the truck. As i'm being push into the emergency lane, I jump into fourth, and press the gass to the floor. The car acknowledges my pissed-off-ness, and promtly screaches foward, as I pass by, I play the "F*ck you" song on my horn. Sometimes, if its a really close call, I'll start slowly slowing down until the truck goes back into the center lane, and as soon as he's about half way in the left lane, I speed way up again (repeating of course as needed). I've only done this once; usuially i just let it go.
(Only happened once, but it was super awsome)
One time I was stopped at a red light. I always keep a good 1/2 car length infront of me incase I need it for emergencies.. This was one of those times. As I was stopped, I saw this car comming at me at a faster rate then I liked. As it got closer (this is maby about 5-10 seconds total so it happened fast) I decided the car wasn't going to stop; I quickly checked the left-turn lane and made sure no cars were entering it, then I jammed on my gas and flew into the lane. A split second later I heard that heart-sinking metal-on-metal *CRUNCH*. Got out, looked at my car, no scratches
And finally, the first (and only) slide i've ever done.
I was driving a reasonable distance behind the 18-wheeler infront of me (about 2 seconds behind). When all of a sudden I saw something shoot out from under its tire. It had ran over a VERY large piece of tire tread. I know what those things can do to a car. Of course although I was 2 seconds behind the truck, I was NOT 2 seconds behind the tire. A split second after it kicked up from the truck's tire, I had no choice but to swerve into the suicide lane; just BARELY missed the tire, and my car's tail started to swing out to the right from me trying to steering back towards the road (Hard right, hard left, classic avoidance). Knowing that I had front wheel drive, I pressed the gas down hard and stragented it out. I give myself a 3 out of 5
Oh and heres a few fun road stories for ya:
(This happens AT LEAST once a month, I really don't understand it at all):
I pull onto the highway, at this onramp, it actuially continues on the highway as a third lane for a good 10 miles before turning into an offramp again, so no need to get into the middle lane. As I'm going down the onramp, and getting to the point where the onramp becomes the third lane (aka the single white line turns into a dotted white line), a truck comes up from behind in the center lane, then proceedes to start merging into the right lane.. the land I'm in; at this point I am about at the middle of the truck. As i'm being push into the emergency lane, I jump into fourth, and press the gass to the floor. The car acknowledges my pissed-off-ness, and promtly screaches foward, as I pass by, I play the "F*ck you" song on my horn. Sometimes, if its a really close call, I'll start slowly slowing down until the truck goes back into the center lane, and as soon as he's about half way in the left lane, I speed way up again (repeating of course as needed). I've only done this once; usuially i just let it go.
(Only happened once, but it was super awsome)
One time I was stopped at a red light. I always keep a good 1/2 car length infront of me incase I need it for emergencies.. This was one of those times. As I was stopped, I saw this car comming at me at a faster rate then I liked. As it got closer (this is maby about 5-10 seconds total so it happened fast) I decided the car wasn't going to stop; I quickly checked the left-turn lane and made sure no cars were entering it, then I jammed on my gas and flew into the lane. A split second later I heard that heart-sinking metal-on-metal *CRUNCH*. Got out, looked at my car, no scratches
And finally, the first (and only) slide i've ever done.
I was driving a reasonable distance behind the 18-wheeler infront of me (about 2 seconds behind). When all of a sudden I saw something shoot out from under its tire. It had ran over a VERY large piece of tire tread. I know what those things can do to a car. Of course although I was 2 seconds behind the truck, I was NOT 2 seconds behind the tire. A split second after it kicked up from the truck's tire, I had no choice but to swerve into the suicide lane; just BARELY missed the tire, and my car's tail started to swing out to the right from me trying to steering back towards the road (Hard right, hard left, classic avoidance). Knowing that I had front wheel drive, I pressed the gas down hard and stragented it out. I give myself a 3 out of 5
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 77
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From: Alamogordo, NM, USA
Re: Civic LX Couple '06 Questions (essial)
Originally Posted by essial
As far as double clutching is concerned, I've heard about it, but I have one question before I try it: How long should it take to go from gear to gear? I would think that it'd take 1/2-1 second to go from 1st to second that way because it has to return to the center and back (very bad on hills). Is there some kind of mechanical advantage that I do not know about? I haven't had real-world experiences with clutches, but i've read a lot about them and it would seem that the only real thing double clutching is doing is giving your engine time to spin down to the RPM needed for the next gear.
Originally Posted by Website I linked
First, you take your foot off the gas and kick in the clutch. You shift into neutral, AND let the clutch out. You wait perhaps 0.3 to 1.0 seconds for the engine to slow down from its high revs, depending on how fast you were revving when you started to shift and how much inertia the engine has to slow down. THEN you kick in the clutch and shift into third, and let the clutch out quickly, feeding the gas appropriately. If you have judged it right, when you let the clutch out, there isn't any JERK. And when you shove the lever into third, the gears and engine are at a synchronized speed, so there's minimum wear on the synchronizers, which are the tiny clutches that bring the clutch plate and the gears into smooth synchrony. There's also usually less wear on the clutch plates.
What's the big deal? The main point is that when you try to shift into third gear, the engine has slowed itself and the clutch plate down to the right speed—just about the same speed as the gearbox—so it saves wear on the synchronizers and the clutch. It can also save shock and strain on the whole drive-train, because the speeds are just about synchronized when you let out the clutch.
Well, big deal, you say. Cars haven't needed double-clutching since the synchromesh transmission was popularized 50 years ago. Why bother? Why fool around with anachronistic motions? Isn't it just buying trouble? Even Tom and Ray Magliozzi* claim that double-clutching is silly and stupid and wasteful of energy. Ah, but I can give you reasons why it is beneficial.
First, in most cars, the actual gears are always in constant mesh, and the synchronizers only decide which pair of gears to connect to their shaft. But many trucks and some racing cars are still set up with a non-synchromesh gearbox. With trucks, because they have so many gears, it's noticeably more efficient not to have all of the gears in mesh all of the time. So with the "crash-box," you HAVE TO double-clutch, or you will not be able to shift. The same holds true for racing cars—to gain the last couple percent of efficiency, only one set of gears is in mesh at any time, and you have to actually synchronize their speeds or you can't get it in gear. Despite the obvious drawbacks of having to double-clutch, the gearbox is stronger and more efficient than a comparable synchromesh one, and has less tendency to overheat.
Other reasons for double-clutching: Because it is the right way to operate the clutch. Because it saves wear and tear on your synchronizers in the long run, if you're planning to run your car over 200,000 miles, as I do. Because it is fun to do. Because in very cold weather, (-10° F, for example) you may have to double-clutch to shift gears at all, at least for the first few miles.
One very important reason is that, if your clutch linkage ever fails, you can still shift and get home by double-clutching, getting the engine and gears' speeds synchronized and then just EASING the shifter into the right gear. In the last 1,050,000 miles of driving VWs, I have lost my clutch about 3 times, and each time, with careful planning, I've been able to drive home safely. One time I pulled into the Customs House at Calais, Maine, and discovered my clutch was out. I eased along carefully and managed to get all the way home, 350 miles, to Boston, where it was convenient to put the car in the shop to have the clutch repaired—much more convenient than in the middle of a vacation, or the middle of Maine.
What's the big deal? The main point is that when you try to shift into third gear, the engine has slowed itself and the clutch plate down to the right speed—just about the same speed as the gearbox—so it saves wear on the synchronizers and the clutch. It can also save shock and strain on the whole drive-train, because the speeds are just about synchronized when you let out the clutch.
Well, big deal, you say. Cars haven't needed double-clutching since the synchromesh transmission was popularized 50 years ago. Why bother? Why fool around with anachronistic motions? Isn't it just buying trouble? Even Tom and Ray Magliozzi* claim that double-clutching is silly and stupid and wasteful of energy. Ah, but I can give you reasons why it is beneficial.
First, in most cars, the actual gears are always in constant mesh, and the synchronizers only decide which pair of gears to connect to their shaft. But many trucks and some racing cars are still set up with a non-synchromesh gearbox. With trucks, because they have so many gears, it's noticeably more efficient not to have all of the gears in mesh all of the time. So with the "crash-box," you HAVE TO double-clutch, or you will not be able to shift. The same holds true for racing cars—to gain the last couple percent of efficiency, only one set of gears is in mesh at any time, and you have to actually synchronize their speeds or you can't get it in gear. Despite the obvious drawbacks of having to double-clutch, the gearbox is stronger and more efficient than a comparable synchromesh one, and has less tendency to overheat.
Other reasons for double-clutching: Because it is the right way to operate the clutch. Because it saves wear and tear on your synchronizers in the long run, if you're planning to run your car over 200,000 miles, as I do. Because it is fun to do. Because in very cold weather, (-10° F, for example) you may have to double-clutch to shift gears at all, at least for the first few miles.
One very important reason is that, if your clutch linkage ever fails, you can still shift and get home by double-clutching, getting the engine and gears' speeds synchronized and then just EASING the shifter into the right gear. In the last 1,050,000 miles of driving VWs, I have lost my clutch about 3 times, and each time, with careful planning, I've been able to drive home safely. One time I pulled into the Customs House at Calais, Maine, and discovered my clutch was out. I eased along carefully and managed to get all the way home, 350 miles, to Boston, where it was convenient to put the car in the shop to have the clutch repaired—much more convenient than in the middle of a vacation, or the middle of Maine.
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question about some sort of computer that monitor's shifting rpm points? dont quite know how to sear
jrap1243
Honda Civic (2006 - 2015)
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Mar 2, 2008 11:56 AM
