my first car is still my daily driver, a 1998 honda civic dx coupe with a 5 speed manual trans

the first few months of learning, i was obviously a total noob who kept stalling it at red lights and stop signs. then i started to get good at it. i once had 4 girls in the back seat and my girlfriend in the front passenger seat. i didn't embarrass myself at all (truth) i felt like a boss tbh. i'm not trying to gloat, just trying to set the topic

i want to point out that the hardest part of driving a stick is the dead stop start (and even worse when on a hill where you start to roll backwards when you let off the brake)

so i drove on that clutch for about 3 years. i really abused it, and towards the end it started to get mushy. i liked the mush though.. it made smooth driving easier

i recently changed the clutch, flywheel, and pressure plate. been driving on this new oem style clutch for a few months now. i'll tell you right now that i didn't break in the new clutch very well. oh well

i want to buy an automatic trans car for DD now because i'm so tired of the dead stop starts every day especially when i'm just on my work commute. don't get me wrong, my civic is fun and i'm not going to get rid of it. i just want a more comfortable DD

when i get into the driver seat of my honda i adjust the seat so i'm really close to the pedals, steering wheel, and shifter. i need to do this to be able to operate the manual trans, however.. it's kinda an uncomfortable seating position (this is one of the things i want people to talk about... how they adjust their seat)

when i replaced my flywheel, i was totally upset with how heavy it was. something like 28 lbs, absurd. it was a cheap oem style i got at the local auto parts store (advance auto) i'm thinking my driving style would be better suited with a lighter (12 lbs) flywheel

okay so now onto the real deal: with this new clutch and everything, i feel like a total noob again. i don't have a problem with stalling.. in fact i can't even remember the last time i stalled. (i'm talking about the dead stop start again) but the problem i'm having is getting a good steady throttle position so i can smoothly get rolling and then throw it down to 2nd. most of the time, i only use the clutch when getting the initial rolling from a dead stop. otherwise i just use the synchronizes to throw it between gears 2nd and above. so my 1 -> 2 & 2 -> 3 etc shifts are nice and smooth.

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TL;DR if you don't want to read all that, at least read this: every time i do a cold start on my car, i hope the idle is around 1500 rpm so i can get rolling without having to touch the throttle pedal. when the IACV is open like that, i can get rolling and start driving perfectly smoothly like an automatic trans. but when it's warm and idling around 600-700 rpm, there's no way i can get rolling with just the clutch pedal. so what i have been doing lately is bring it alive by dipping the throttle bring it up to 2000-3000 rpm before engaging the clutch slowly. then i keep tapping the throttle a bit. and once i get the initial bite and start rolling i let go of the clutch and mash the throttle. it's not automatic trans smooth

i wish i could control the IACV with an electronic dial:


then i would also be able to set the air intake throttle at high cruising speeds and not have to have my foot on any pedals just like cruise control

one more thing: i believe a lot of what i'm having a problem with is the fact that it is so easy to kill my engine because it's a weak d16y7 with no power. maybe if i had around 150-200 HP it would be better

last thing i promise: for example: not touching any pedals, in first or second gear rolling slowly while the engine is idling at a low rpm. if i were to even touch the throttle pedal even the tiniest bit the whole dash and front end of the car will shake and it sounds terrible

 

what you're doing is fine. that's how I've been driving cars forever, mostly when backing up or puttering very slowly. bit of throttle blips and clutch work is how you get a smooth start without totally killing the clutch.

starting off with no throttle and just slipping the clutch will burn it pretty fast in any car imo

the last part is normal too and is to be expected if you don't ha e 100% solid engine mounts. that's caused by the engine torque twisting the engine. loading up the bushings and drive line, then once the torque reaches the wheels, the engine unloads off the bushings a bit and you get that sort of rocking sensation.

just keep practicing. everything gets better as you drive more and get a feel for it. figure out different tricks to obtain more smoothness as you drive and you'll get better.

I get pretty obsessed with smooth gear shifts that while driving around town, minus the engine sound, you can't feel when I shift gears, up, or down

 

I don't see anything that indicates a mechanical problem, it all sounds like an inexperienced driver to me. you still need to learn better clutch and throttle control.

more horsepower does not make it easier though. i have taught multiple people to drive stick and having a low horsepower car is a LOT easier to learn on. then again i always start with clutch control and teach people to stall and feel the clutch engagement before going anywhere.

btw a heavier (aka stock) flywheel is MUCH better for smooth shifts, and for your level of apparent driving experience it is what you want.

 

My phone is being a pain. Will repost my response tonight.