When you're at a stoplight what RPM are you at when you let out the clutch?

I notice that when my car is cold and the idle is a little bit higher it seems so smooth when I let the clutch out. Overall I've been very happy with the cluth in the Z. I had a late 90's accord/stick that was always herky-jerky in first gear.

 

i will usually rev between 1.5-2k rpms and let the clutch out slowly - let it out and it will catch when the rpms drop. that is the smoothest way i start..

 

I've always had this habit of trying to let out at about 1K which is probably a little low.

 

doesn't that put a lot of wear on your clutch?

 

perhaps, but it gets a bit more oomph for you. I do about 1.5, but its higher if its on a hill, and lower occasionally, I try to keep it low, but the Z has a kinda touchy gas pedal in my opinion, not a bad thing, but its hard to keep it at 1k.

 

Why does first gear in manual cars have that kinda herky-jerky slow down...likes whats the mechanial reason and why isnt it experienced on an auto.

 

At low speeds in first gear there is either the maximum available acceleration (when you press on the gas pedal) or the maximum available deceleration, or "engine braking" (when you let off on the gas pedal), disregarding direct braking, of course. Since things can either speed up or slow down at a maximum rate, you need to be smooth when you operate the gas pedal and clutch pedal at low speeds - do things more smoothly and, perhaps, more slowly so you don't get that "herky-jerky" motion that you described.

This doesn't happen with an AT since it is a fluid drive system instead of a hard-connected, mechanical drive system. It makes its own smoothness since hard gears and clutch plates aren't fighting eachother. Instead the AT fluid "absorbs" all of the jerkiness and just heats up.

hth,
WayneTN

 

the above would also be the reason automatics typicly sap HP, they are not connected to the engine, just a series of fluids pushing something else, not actually connected, its like turning on a fan in front of another fan, the first fan will turn the second from the breeze, but with a slight loss of power.

 

Who knows??

If I think about it to much and look at the tach, I usualy screw it up and stall or something.

Most of the time while taking of (or driving) I am NOT looking at the tach. I notice the red shift light on peripheral vision, which is kind of cool. With the speed on the center console, I barely look down while driving at all.

Is it just "youg" drivers trying to drive "by the numbers"? Or is this the "right way" to evaluate your driving?

Just curious about why the question comes up...

 

I never look at the tach...until this thread came up I noticed where it is I usually shift.

 

I guess I was just wondering. I've found that I'm so **** about not burning up the clutch that I try to "under-rev". This is the 5th stick shift that I've owned (not counting motorcycles, ATVs, atc) and I've always watched the tach. I guess it's just a bad habit.

BTW-I've never burned up a clutch so I don't know why I worry about it.

 

Well, Buzz, as you said, you never have burned a clutch but you worry about it, thats ok. At least you are concerned.

Here is the way I see it : When the clutch is in, there is no friction, when it is all the way out, it is engaged. What you want to do is minimize the time in between (slip, heat... burn).

Driving with a half way pushed pedal (even resting your foot on it is bad) would be the reason heat builds up, your plate gets toasted. You have to get in the habit to let the pedal out all the way and take your foot off it. Don't hold it in between any longer than necesary.

In the end, a clutch is not the end of the universe. Even if you are tought on it and end up using yours up a little early, you just replace it and go on with your life. No biggie.