hello, recently got my Z in which i learned to drive manual on...and i was just wondering how bad it is on the gears/clutch if when you shift you dont fully step on the clutch? so basically depressing it half way, shift, and let off? (hopefully that explanation makes sense)

thanks in advance

 

i think as long as its going into gear without grinding you should be good. Just dont go and rev-match with the clutch halfway.

You will know when your doing the wrong thing when you start to smell your clutch, or your car is jerking around everywhere!

 

You need to depress the clutch pedal far enough to disengage the clutch completely. If you always fully depress the clutch pedal you are pretty much guaranteed that the clutch is fully disengaged. For some reason, the Z has a high engagement point and disengages well before the clutch pedal is fully depressed, tempting some to shift with the clutch pedal not quite fully depressed.

Oh and grinding a gear is no way to learn where the clutch point is.

 

After 2nd gear, I don't put the clutch to the floor to shift. It goes in wicked smooth around halfway in. Works excellent.

 

hah yah thats why i ask...cuz its so smooth espcially after 2nd, that i got worried somethign has to be mechanically going wrong or something........and yah its no way to find the engagement point....but there also isnt any smell as of yet....

i jsut needed to ask before i get use to it, will try to do less of that i suppose.....

as for revmatching.....why would it be bad half way? if its pretty much disengaged? (sry for the noob quesiton)

 

i have problems with going to 2nd gear too i push the clutch all the way. but rest is smooth. i hate pushing down to reverse also but i guess ill get use to it.

 

You're possibly slipping your clutch a bit at each shift. That's hundreds of times each day...

 

The technique that you are questioning is a drag racing technique. To shift, there is no need to depress the clutch peddle completely. It is also possible to pull the shift lever out of gear without depressing the clutch.

Not sure how bad it is.

 

I wouldn't worry. I hardly even have to press the clutch in to get a nice smooth shift. The 350Z seems to have the shortest 'catch point' of any clutch I've ever driven

 

Better on the clutch to depress it fully I would think.

 

2nd that, why would you even risk it.

 

as for revmatching.....why would it be bad half way? if its pretty much disengaged? (sry for the noob quesiton)[/QUOTE]

If you're not 100% disengaged while rev-matching you will cause premature clutch wear as the friction plate of the clutch will be rubbing on the flywheel when you spike your RPMs to rev-match. You won't cause any damage, just extra wear like you would if you were riding your clutch. You could also potentially glaze the surface of the frictionj plate from this as well. Hope this helps.

 

your just like me, i got my z back in jan. and learned how to drive stick on it...piece of cake. i noticed that it shifts very smooth, no grinds or jerks, even when you don't press the clutch all the way. i thought i was doing something wrong but the guy that tought me to drive stick said that as long as i wasn't grinding then i was in the good. so i guess your in the good to then..

 

"The guy that tought me" ?

Good credentials...

 

Push the clutch down all the way. Consult your owners manual for verification.

 

wow, thanks some more for you advice guys....i think ill just fully depress the clutch and do what im asking on the days where im really really really lazy...

thanks for the rev match answer...it didnt occur to me that you spike the rpms until you said it

 

When your rev-matching, you will know if the clutch is fully depressed or not as soon as you shift the car. If it wasnt fully depressed and you downshift the car will obviously lurch forward.

 

correct. or if you don't rev high enough to match, you will "shift-lock" which I have done before in the middle of a corner. You must be quick with the steering to correct, and, though counter-intuitive, you must continue to accelerate to regain traction.

 

ya, that doesnt sound like a very exciting thing to do. Glad you didnt wreak it!

 

So, when I fully depress the clutch and go from 4th to 6th or 3rd to 6th to save gas, why do I hear this grinding noise?