How to drive a manual transmission. [Archive] - MX5 Miata Atlanta Owners Club

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MeFryRice
10-10-2008, 12:08 PM
This was posted on S2KAtlanta earlier today and thought I would share on here as well.

Info was stolen from http://g35driver.com/forums/showthread.php?t=169286

On many forums I browse thru, (as im a enthusiast of all types of cars), there is such a misconception on how to drive a MT. All these talks of double-clutching, and how to correctly downshift, and riding the clutch a bit too much on take-off. Although the G's arent the easiest cars to drive in the planet, its not rocket science. We have high-engagement point clutches, but as with anything, you simply adapt to it. If you cant adapt, then you simply dont belong driving an MT.

For first, "double-clutching" is NOT NECESSARY AT ALL. These are synchronized transmissions, and whoever is doing this is honestly wasting their time. Double-clutching, to those who dont know, is the act of using the clutch twice in order to make a gear shift. So lets say your in 2nd gear, wanting to shift into third. You would clutch in, put the shifter in neutral, clutch out, match up RPM's, then re-clutch in, and then put it in 3rd, then re-clutch out. This is simply f*cking stupid. Whoever is doing this, is seriously wasting their time because this doesnt "save" your transmission from abuse nor will it make it last longer. This was done on cars WAYYYYY back in the day who did not have synchronized transmissions.

Take a peak at this video...Listen for the downshifts as he comes back to the camera...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=N18RmcuyV38

Do you hear his downshifts? You can CLEARLY HEAR, this incorrect downshift, and I addressed it with one of my boys that he is simply downshifting incorrectly. What you hear in this video, is this person simply putting the shifter into a lower gear and letting out the clutch very slowly, allowing the clutch to fry in order to catch up with the drivetrain. Although the slower you let your clutch the more you fry it, you will not feel such a sudden jerk/pull on the car, but it is still very bad for your clutch. Whoever this is, in this video, I feel sorry for your clutch at about 40-60K miles. When you do this, you are simply forcing your clutch and flywheel to match up with the RPM's in the previous gear.

The correct way to downshift, is to rev-match. Lets say youre in 5th gear, at about 3K rpms on the highway, and you need some more passing power. 4th would be nice...so in order to downshift CORRECTLY, the process goes as this...

1) 5th gear, 3K rpm...you want 4th...

2) You clutch-in, and AS YOUR MOVING THE SHIFTER INTO 4TH, you blip the throttle, matching the revs as to what they would be in 4th gear, approximately 4.5K rpm. Let the clutch-out. This must be done in one step. Not 2, not 3. One step. If done correctly, you should feel NOTHING, no tugging/pulling of the car, but simply a louder motor because of the higher revs. Granted, once you start practicing, you may miss it, by over-revving, or under-revving. If you over-rev, the car will lurch forward. If you under-rev, you will feel a tug. If you under-rev, thats when you can use the clutch slightly to smooth out the transition, but you should NEVER "use" the clutch 100% to do your downshift for you. As I said before, you are simply frying your clutch.

Heel-toe'ing is a different subject and it is honestly not needed in daily driving. Track use, yes, very efficient technique to have the best braking and best acceleration around corners, but for daily driving, it really isnt necessary at all.

Over-revving on a takeoff is also bad on your clutch. From a 1st gear takeoff from a light, you should NOT be higher than 2K rpm's while the clutch is halfway. If you are revving past 2K rpms on a take off , you are burning up your clutch. Too much over-revving and you decrease the life of your clutch. Once in a while, its fine, no disaster, just dont make it a habit. The sweetspot for a take-off is 1.5K rpms.

While sitting at a light, never have the clutch-in waiting until the light turns green. This is stupid and the only thing youre doing is tiring your left leg and eating up your throw-out bearing. If your sitting at a light, you simply leave it in neutral, and unless ur on a hill, you shouldnt have to have your feet on any pedal. Once you see that the adjacent light is turning yellow (your turn next), you clutch-in, 1st gear, and you take off. Simple.

Also, this is a manual transmission people, do not be afraid to play with your revs. If your in 5th, and want to downshift into 3rd, and you barely tap the throttle and YOU KNOW you didnt tap it enough for a smooth 3rd gear downshift, simply leave the clutch pushed in and play with your gas pedal, until you blip it to the perfect rpm, then let the clutch out smoothly. It is not a crime to play with your revs, do it all you want. Good lucky and happy shifting....

Or you can be like Mike and just not use the clutch at all. :jawdrop:

Now discuss ladies....

Doppelgänger
10-10-2008, 12:50 PM
Clutch? what's that?

jesseealexander
10-10-2008, 01:06 PM
i shift without the clutch all the time... if you do it right theres no downside to it.

RotorNutFD3S
10-10-2008, 01:07 PM
Clutch? what's that?

That imaginary pedal some people swear they have in their cars. I think it's gibberish. Just like blinker fluid and muffler bearings.

Doppelgänger
10-10-2008, 01:15 PM
I has a dead pedal... ist das der clutch?

RotorNutFD3S
10-10-2008, 01:53 PM
No. Das der pedal ju presen to act lik ze äuto hasen a clutch.

MeFryRice
10-10-2008, 01:55 PM
Suma*****, that what that there thingy does?

RotorNutFD3S
10-10-2008, 02:01 PM
Ja...

metalman
10-10-2008, 02:03 PM
i shift without the clutch all the time... if you do it right theres no downside to it.

Yeah and you drive without a headlight or proper registration too....but we all know what happens then! :lol: :whistle:

RotorNutFD3S
10-10-2008, 02:06 PM
Bad boys bad boys... Whatcha gonna do?...

Doppelgänger
10-10-2008, 02:26 PM
I has a bad headlight :(

RotorNutFD3S
10-10-2008, 02:29 PM
I has no headlights... but then again, I has no running Miata either...

jesseealexander
10-10-2008, 02:31 PM
i shift without the clutch all the time... if you do it right theres no downside to it.

Yeah and you drive without a headlight or proper registration too....but we all know what happens then! :lol: :whistle:


whatever man. gotta do what you gotta do. lol

Doppelgänger
10-10-2008, 02:45 PM
Guess i'm going to need to break out the credit card and order a new HID kit soon.

MeFryRice
10-10-2008, 02:47 PM
Sorry we don't have anything here for you. :(

Doppelgänger
10-10-2008, 02:51 PM
It's all good :)

RotorNutFD3S
10-10-2008, 04:32 PM
I'd say buy just the bulbs, but for the price, you might as well just get a whole new kit.

MeFryRice
10-11-2008, 01:41 AM
So I tried the whole no clutch shifting tonight on my way home, I didn't grind one gear. (knock on wood)

jesseealexander
10-11-2008, 01:59 AM
^^ yeah, if you do it right its actually kinda fun. the bmw doesnt like ti very much though. i wonder how strong these syncros are...

MeFryRice
10-11-2008, 02:00 AM
The trannys in BMW's are actually pretty strong.

jesseealexander
10-11-2008, 02:09 AM
i was hoping that was the case. it HAS to be stronger than a miata gearbox... lol. i wonder why mine doesnt like to go into gear without the clutch then?

Jack-MX5ATLanta.com
10-11-2008, 02:29 AM
So I tried the whole no clutch shifting tonight on my way home, I didn't grind one gear. (knock on wood)


I've never really tried in fear of breaking something and not needing to. How do you do it exactly? Is it for both up and down shifting?

jesseealexander
10-11-2008, 02:56 AM
So I tried the whole no clutch shifting tonight on my way home, I didn't grind one gear. (knock on wood)


I've never really tried in fear of breaking something and not needing to. How do you do it exactly? Is it for both up and down shifting?


its possible to do it downshifting, but its VERY tricky. heres my breakdown of how it should go.

1. accelerate though 1st gear as usual
2. the VERY INSTANT you let off the gas, pull the lever out of gear. timing it right is important because for a short period of time while you arent on the throttle or engine braking, the load on the tranny is lifted.
3. gently hold the gear lever against the spot where it would usually slip into gear if the clutch was disengaged. when the revs drop to the point where they match, the shifter will fall into place, almost as if it were sucked in.
4. gently roll onto the throttle. you will eventually get a feel for how to do this right, it takes some time. but dont worry, you wont damage the gearbox since the car should already be in gear.

its basically the same for all the gears. you might grind once or twice while trying to get a feel for it, but small grinds wont hurt the gearbox enough to matter unless you do it repeatedly.

Doppelgänger
10-11-2008, 10:25 AM
Ask Steve how easy I made it look :)

jesseealexander
10-11-2008, 12:05 PM
Ask Steve how easy I made it look :)


its pretty easy to make something thats really easy look easy... :lol:

RotorNutFD3S
10-11-2008, 01:25 PM
Exactly, it's not hard. I remember discovering it on my first RX-7.

Doppelgänger
10-11-2008, 01:29 PM
yeah, once you understand how it works it's easy, but to people whi didn't know it wasn't possible, it looks hard.