Transmission

[Lozen]

Nevermind, got it! I did 1 and 2. 3 is scary!!!

[thelerner]

Here's a story for you. 20 years ago, my friend got the yen to travel. He went to a used car lot, bought their cheapest car, an old volkswagon Beatle. It was stick, he taught himself how to drive it in the parking lot. Then headed with a dog he was dog sitting, from Chicago to California.

 

Each time he'd turn the engine off, he'd have a harder time restarting it, often having to push it along before the engine would turn over. Ultimately he couldn't turn the engine off, had to catch cat naps and fill it up w/ gas while it was on.

 

He made it to California, borrowed $1,200 from his aunt to get the car fixed. Headed back home, fell asleep at the wheel, rolled the car over a hill, totalling it. He and the dog were fine, and able to Greyhound bus it back to Chicago.

 

Needless to say his parents were on vacation and knew none of his adventures. None except for legal notices from several states and compounds telling of court appearances needed.

 

 

What does this have to do with you, Lozen? Nothing, except it happened almost exactly 20 years ago. The lesson- If you drive a shift, late at night, with a dog in the car, don't expect it to wake you up if you fall asleep.

 

 

Michael

[Lozen]

Uh...thanks, Michael...

 

So I can switch gears now and drove for a half hour and only stalled twice, and then another half hour and didn't stall... But I am having trouble with releasing the clutch too quickly. Also still not ready to start on a hill.

[hagar]

I remember when first starting to drive stick, with my mother. She did the stupidest thing, letting me take the car in to the garage the very first time I drove. I put it into first, was told to ease up on the clutch, and push on the gas pedal. But I was twelve, and didn't do it smoothly. The small italian car started to "jump", as I released the clutch too fast. I panicked, took my feet off the gas and the clutch, but to my bewilderment I couldn't find the brake pedal. I slow-motion I saw all the expensive equipment my dad had stored in the garage get thrashed, and endless weeks of no pocket money as I down pay the destroyed lawn mower. In a sudden moment of clarity, I figured it would be less expensive for me to crash the car into the side of the garage, so I did, avoiding the precious equipment inside. Result; An italian car don't have bumpers of steel as most solid scandinavian cars have. It was of plastic. The whole thing just broke in half. My mother was of course devestated. I swore never to drive again.

 

Moral: Don't learn to drive stick with italian cars, into garages...

 

Driving tip: Start working with the most difficult apect of clutch handling: Starting on hills or small inclines. Remember to use the handbrake when starting. Take it off when you're sure you have "contact" in first gear. This will make your learning curve very steep.

 

Good luck.

 

h

 

Uh...thanks, Michael...

 

So I can switch gears now and drove for a half hour and only stalled twice, and then another half hour and didn't stall... But I am having trouble with releasing the clutch too quickly. Also still not ready to start on a hill.

[freeform]

Starting on hills or small inclines... This will make your learning curve very steep.

 

[Lozen]

Actually, I did such a crappy job on the hill and was freaking out so much, that my friend told me I should try it again after I am more comfortable driving in general. There are hardly any hills in Tucson, so it's okay.

 

I'm having trouble starting quickly and smoothly.

[hagar]

Actually, I did such a crappy job on the hill and was freaking out so much, that my friend told me I should try it again after I am more comfortable driving in general. There are hardly any hills in Tucson, so it's okay.

 

I'm having trouble starting quickly and smoothly.

 

Starting with clutch work on hills are like boot camp. You freak out at first, but then you rise to the occasion. The most important thing is that less is more. If you overdo it, with too much pedal work, the whole thing becomes stressfull. It is actually a very subtle thing. Let the rpms be low, and be gentle in the transition from clutch to gear. Also, starting downhill is very good practice. You're probably almost through the woods...

 

h

[Lozen]

Yeah, right. Starting on hills. I can't even start smoothly yet, maybe I should get that down first. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong...gas, then slowly release clutch, then more gas. Bump bump bump.

[thelerner]

Here is something more helpful then my last post on driving manual while asleep with a dog.

 

Here is site on learning to drive manually - http://www.10w40.com/individual/100186.asp - give it a look.

 

Michael

[Lozen]

Thanks! So I think my problem is that I've been releasing the clutch too slowly, or maybe I'm adding too much gas before releasing the clutch. Here's what I'm noticing:

 

-release the clutch too fast and it stalls

-release the clutch quicker while adding gas before releasing it and you get the squeeky tires spinning noise, so i think this is bad too

 

So I think I need to release the clutch and add gas closer to at the same time (as opposed to gas, release clutch, more gas) and I need to release it quicker but not too much quicker.

[hagar]

Thanks! So I think my problem is that I've been releasing the clutch too slowly, or maybe I'm adding too much gas before releasing the clutch. Here's what I'm noticing:

 

-release the clutch too fast and it stalls

-release the clutch quicker while adding gas before releasing it and you get the squeeky tires spinning noise, so i think this is bad too

 

So I think I need to release the clutch and add gas closer to at the same time (as opposed to gas, release clutch, more gas) and I need to release it quicker but not too much quicker.

 

Yup.

 

do it simultaneously. It should feel quite precise, and when you do it, it's a matter of timing and feeling. It also varies from car to car, old or new clutches, old or new cars. My own feeling is that it is best to start releasing the clutch almost to the point when the gas "catches on", then increase the gas, and release the clutch totally, quite quickly. It sounds complicated, but it's not. Recap: Tentative slow release of clutch while having some gas pedal on, feel the moment of contact, then release clutch with more gas.

 

Hope this is not more confusing. Good luck!

 

h

[Lozen]

Thanks! Well, I am definitely getting a good left leg workout which I will hopefully get used to but the steering wheel is so easy to use that it's almost like a toy steering wheel... and I've mastered the art of rolling backwards on neutral so as not to have to go in reverse, lol... Hopefully I will figure this out soon and not hurt the car too bad along the way.

[Lozen]

Okay, so I;ve gotten it to start properly, but now it just squeeks like a motherfucker from the moment I turn on the engine until I switch into 2nd. Did I screw something up in the car?

[freeform]

you really need someone who regularly drives manual to show you... you cant learn it out of the book... you need to get the feel for it and to hear when the engine is reved just right and when it all connects... and a book cant teach you that!

[Lozen]

I had someone show me but it didn't help as much as doing it on my own. Guess I will ask my mechanic what the squealing noise is.

[hagar]

I had someone show me but it didn't help as much as doing it on my own. Guess I will ask my mechanic what the squealing noise is.

 

I don't know the name, but it's probably the rubber band that pulls the around the engine block. It's probably loose and needs tightening. Is especially obvious when in low gear.

 

h

[Lozen]

I don't know the name, but it's probably the rubber band that pulls the around the engine block. It's probably loose and needs tightening. Is especially obvious when in low gear.

 

Hopefully less than $300.

 

Anyways, I'm starting better now!

[Lozen]

I GOT IT!!!! I can consistently start from a complete stop without stalling or bumping!!! I think the trick is that I really keep my foot on the clutch the whole entire time, like I let go of the cluth and add gas but am still having my foot on the cluth until a few seconds after driving for that nice, smooth transition! WHEW!!!

 

Next: hills!