I have been driving a 5 speed for while now. I feel I am pretty good. But there is always room for improvement.

This is how I drive:
Always in gear.
Never miss gear when shifting.
Rev match when down shifting.
Park in gear.
Never ride in neutral.
Don't ride clutch.

I would like to hear suggestions, I know this topic can be dissucced in depth. Put down whatever you want. Thanks.

 

When you say, "Always in gear" and "Never ride in neutral," do you mean when the car is not moving? You should only have the clutch disengaged long enough to move the shifter. Any longer than that causes unnecessary wear on the throw out bearing.

 

I have this stupid question ive always wondered... Is it bad to rest your foot on the clutch when the car is in neutral (like at a stop light) I never rest my foot on my clutch when driving I was just wondering if it was bad while the car was idliing not in gear???

 

It isn't a good idea to rest foot on clutch, you might press too hard, which isn't much at all, and burn clutch. Clutch is burnt when gas a clutch are used at same time.

So it is a good idea when at stop light to put in neutral and take foot of clutch. Does it cause more problems, or just wearing out the bearing.

 

Lets keep this discussion going!

 

i cant see past that signature!

 

Yeah, I guess I should shorten it a bit!

 

If you rest your foot on the clutch pedal at a light you are most likely causing the release bearing to be in contact with the pressure plate fingers. This can lead to premature wear and noise from a worn out release bearing.

 

At stop lights I hold the clutch totally in, then put in first gear, then drive. During the period of having the clutch totally in am I causing damage to the bearing?

 

When you're at a stoplight, you want to be in neutral, foot off the clutch. When it turns green then that's when you push in the clutch, put it in gear and go. It should be 1 fluid motion, try not to hold in the clutch while you're waiting for the green.

 

So you never coast in neutral? Why?

Sometimes while driving I'll coast for a bit in neutral and then double clutch back into gear when I am going too slow/need to accelerate.

Please tell me this causes unnessary wear. I can't see how.

 

Well costing in neutral you need to use brake more. Therefore wearing about brakes faster. You might have misunderstood.

I was taught that you should always be in gear, now I know it is good to put in neutral and wait at lights. Thanks guys.

Now, double clutching, it is a concept that I was never taught. I always just rev match back into gear. Help me understand double clutching, thanks!

Also, is rev matching safe for engine/clutch. It seems sudden revs then sudden weight to clutch might cause wear?


[Modified by prsi, 4:12 AM 7/16/2001]

 

There's nothing wrong with cruising around in neutral. Which would you rather replace: The clutch or brakepads?

 

Double clutching is when you match revs with the clutch engaged. This gets the transmission spinning along with the engine. And rev matching actually reduces wear on the clutch. Isn't it great when something fun is better for a car?

 

Yeah, I was going to bring the point up about brake wear vs. clutch wear. Much rather brakes.

Ah, good, then I will stick with rev matching, I have it down perfect for my car.

What else can be discussed about this topic. I would like to learn more about clutchs since in auto shop we never studied it.

 

I was taught, that when stopped, the car should be in first gear and the clutch should be to the floor. This way, if some *** is flying up behind you or whatever, you can get out of there faster than shifting to 1st then going. I know it doesn't really take much longer, but I had always thought it was a good idea..

Also, I don't understand the claims people make about coasting in neutral being bad for the clutch, or even the transmission.. I'm not informed enough to say if it's benificial or otherwise, but I would like to get a definitive answer.

 

when stopped, you should be in neutral with our foot off the clutch. if some *** comes flying up behind you, throw it back in gear and boogie. it takes what, a half second to go from neutral to first? anyway, if you're standing at a red light and someone's flying up behind you and you need to move, where are you going to go? how many times have you heard of someone being seriously rear ended just standing at a ligth or something.

coasting in neutral is absolutely not bad for the car. however, if you coast by keeping the clutch down, that's pretty bad for your clutch release bearing. i think the reason most people say you shouldn't coast in neutral is you can't just punch the gas to get out of a bad situation.

 

And if you're already in gear and ready to go, you've got another half second to move onto the shoulder, or do something.

I've been rear ended at a stop sign, my sister has, my friend rearended someone at a light... lots and lots of times! A lot of people get rear-ended at lights dude..

Yeah, if you're coasting for a mile or whatever with the clutch down I can see where you might be concerned about where. And I guess then the same goes for sitting at a light in neutral with your foot off the clutch..

 

I was! It ruined my 1964 Impala too. Totalled it. I tried to "boogie" but spun.

 

At a light, you do want to be in neutral with your foot on the brake. If you in 1st and your foot is got the clutch down, if someone hits you, there's the chance that your foot will slip off the clutch and you will go forward and hit the next car or go forward into the intersection. Most of the time, there nowhere to go in front of your if someone is coming in hot behind you anyway, so there isn't really a reason to be 'all ready' to move. Plus isn't it supposed to be more wear on the clutch bearings or whatever it called to be sitting there with the clutch down for awhile?

 

im sorry but I have to disagree with everyone saying that its bad for the release bearing. When holding the pedal down at a light lets say,, makes the release bearing seperate the clutch from the flywheel, simple. Anyway, the bearing was meant to do this, its not like its gonna wear out sitting there with the clutch all the way in. I understand that the bearings CAN wear out, but by the time it does,, a new clutch will be needed anyway. Even though I dont sit there in gear because its a pain to hold the clutch dosent mean you can. Just my .02

 

Holding the pedal down anytime is going to be utilizing the release bearing. This bearing was DESIGNED to be used in short bursts- like shifting. Holding it down for long periods of time will cause it to heat up. You can probably get away with driving anyway you like but I would be pissed off if I had to tear my tranny off and replace the bearing just because it was noisy. When they go bad your ride will sound all ghetto.(they usually aren't quiet) Do what ya like.

 

So the release bearing is a part of tranny or clutch?

 

Better yet, I forgot to bring up shifting w/o clutch. If you know your exact shift points then you don't need clutch, execpt in 1st. I only did this with my legend, I am now just getting the prelude. Don't have a perfect feeling for the lude yet.

Where can I find information on exact shift points. I know it is very dangerous, but I would just like to know. (Dangerous to tranny) Thanks.

Racing/Autox/Quarter Mile: I have not yet gone to the tracks, I am planning on a turbo later, then I will go. But until' then, I would like to know, when racing do you hold gas (floor) the whole time even when shifting, or whats the proper way. I want to know the safest way since I don't have a very safe budget incase something breaks.


[Modified by prsi, 12:32 AM 7/17/2001]

 

I'm no master at the shifting thing, but I don't think you want to hold down the gas when shifting. Not good for the tranny, so work on speed shifting or get a short shifter