xnevergiveinx

ok, i test drove a tC stick today, i was so excited to drive it...only problem, i dont know what rpm to shift at from 1st to 2nd and not make the car bump. heres what i tried, a low rpm, like 1500 and let the clutch out slow, it felt like it almost wanted to stall. then i tried it at a slow speed with a little gas maybe 2500 when i put it in 2nd and let the clutch out a little faster, it bumped. so i tried it at 3000 rpm and let the clutch out slow and it still kinda bumped. maybe it's just me, i might be letting the clutch out to quickly, but it sure seems like when i shift from 3rd to 4th, i let the clutch out so slowly that it takes like 3 seconds to let it out, otherwise it 'll bump. give me some shifting techniques, i know it takes time to learn, but i'd like a cheat sheet...thanks!!!

SirWompus

buy an automatic

If you realised that it jerks at any RPM you shift at, then you should have realised that the rpm you shift at may NOT be the variable thats causing this. There have been soooo many pathetic posts on this message board asking for MT shifting help, could you please practice... read... and buzz off.

KYBoy

it all depends on what road your driving on, if your on a hill ect. the best thing to do is to drive one for a little while and will get the hang of it, you need to find the friction point on the cluth. someone with more expirence could prolly give you a better idea, but i dont have a certain rpm that is shift out of first, but it is always before 3000 rpms and usually after 2000. hope that helps

idriveatC

heres the easiest way that i can think of. (and this is how i drive)

Clutch in all the way, push it in first gear. Then slowly release the clutch till the car shakes, keep in mind to hold the brake too. When the car starts to shake, it means the cluch is engaging. Now press the clutch back in a little so it doesnt shake but it close to it. (not sure if you know waht i mean) then all you gotta do is gas DONT release the clutch keep it halfway down as stated before. When you hit like 2500 3000, the car will start moving this is when you release the clutch slowly. And ppl might say this is riding your clutch and it will burn it faster. This is only for changing gears and IMO it saves the clutch, because if you dont do it the car will jolt and forcing the teeth to pull togehter. Just dont hold it in for a long time and keep gasing without releasing.

Have fun with it

PS i got a BSP 05 TC, got it on 1/05/05 orderd on december 19 (long wait)
Im in the new york area hope to find some tc friends =D. Good Luck!

eeyoredragon

There is no "cheat sheet". You're looking at the wrong things to correct your problem. Shifting at 1500rpm in 1st puts you at about 1krpm in 2nd. (Per table I have from zoltiz.) Bad.

You shouldn't ever need to let off or get on the clutch slowly when shifting between gears. The fact that you're having to do that is a sign you're not shifting correctly. It's not a matter of when you begin the shift (don't upshift at any lower than 2k rpm though... Personally I don't upshift any lower than 3k rpm); it's a matter of when you drop the clutch. You need to watch the tach is all there is to it.

Pretty much:
-clutch in fast

-shift

-wait a tick (wait time is directly proportional to rpm at which you shift and indirectly proportional to the gear you're in). You're waiting for the rpms to fall to whatever they need to be in the next gear to attain the rpm the tires are currently spinning at.

clutch out fast and give it gas

If you notice that the rpms jump up real quick when you drop the clutch, you've waited too long. If they fall down quickly AND you feel a "bump", you've not waited long enough AND/OR you gave it too much gas.

As everyone has been saying, you need to practice. It's a "feel" thing. Reading up on how the transmission, clutch, and engine work helps move you in the right direction. You can find basic info on howstuffworks.com.

DouBLeJ16

there are some many good posts on the internet on how to drive manual cars. you can get a really good idea on what exactly to do then it just takes practicing after that.

to not make it "bump" when you shift, just let off the clutch slower after you shift.

Somnambulated

Also, the tC's first gear is really low. You should be shifting to 2nd around 5mph

idriveatC

i disagree, with letting the clutch out FAST, this will make the car jolt and its gonna do more harm then good. IMO not trying to start anything ehre tho. Its like you are running and someone quickly PULLS you toward them, youre most likely to get out of balance. i shift at 3k

onefunkyfreshdj

Who the hell do you think you are? He asked for help.. not for some pompus asswipe to tell him off. Next time keep your ____ty comments to yourself!

Woodyear

pwned!

mikochu

I'd shift at 3000-3500 if you're still learning to drive stick. 3500 gives you a nice enough rpm gap to land it in the 2800-3000 for a smoother transition. Once you get the hang of it, you can shift at lower rpms...

xnevergiveinx

awesome, thank you to most of the responses, this will give me a headstart,, thanks again dudes

eeyoredragon

*shrug* I let it out fast and it doesn't jolt. I fail to see how your analogy fits the circumstances :?:

IMO (and I'd be pleased if someone can demonstrate a fallacy on my part) slowing clutch dis/engagment is an attempt to alleviate the symptoms of faulty timing instead of trying to improve the timing issue itself.

HighlanderMac

OK...
Honestly what you need to do is practice... You will get the hang of it quickly.. And then you will also figure out how you best drive... I spent 3 hours in a parking lot when I got my first MT car (1992 Eagle Talon TSI w/ stage 2 clucth and mods). Man that sucked.... but I had an amazing teacher. Now I wont buy anything but MT. You will get the hang of it soon enough.
Now I cant tell if this is the first time you have driven MT or not.. If not, dont think I am trying to put you down because every car is different. Go drive an S2000 with a stage 3 racing clutch.. HAHAHA.. I did and I stalled out about 3 times within the first 5 mins of driving it. But after about 15 mins I got it down pat...
But I would DEF suggest getting the MT tC... No other way to go if you like MT cars.

DouBLeJ16

if you are driving very very slow you'll be shifting into second around 10mph's, 5 would be way to early.

jasonbegin

Hi _______.... please calm Down...

Smoke This.....

Harman

I think, once we are comfortable with the clutch, we will be able to reach the "friction point" fast enough. Then, give it more gas and engage the clutch fully at the same time. The transition will be smooth if done right and the car'll propel itself. The whole process will take about 1-2 seconds without the jolt. I shift fast enough now to enjoy the thrill of acceleration with minimum jolt. I don't like to let out clutch slowly as it may wear out the clutch faster especially at higher rpm.

TheKnown

i had some problems when i first got the tC being that its the first mt i have driven. i got really frustrated the first 2 or 3 days to the point where i didnt even want to drive. now im going on having my car almost 2 months and i will never buy anything but a mt transmission ever again..... its like night and day. it makes driving fun. im more than happy to go get milk or pick up my little sister.... i love this car

zoltiz

Here is a simple example backed by the math of our gear ratios. If you shift from 1st to 2nd at 3000rpm (15mph), let the clutch out when RPMs drop to 1700, or maybe a tad less if you feel the car decelerating. This way you will have a nice smooth shift.

General 1st to 2nd "jolt-free" rule (as mentioned by eeyeore) - wait a tic before letting the clutch out. I had the exact same problem - was shifting and letting the clutch out too soon (not too fast - too soon!) - with our close-ratio gearing you have to wait on a 1-2 shift. No way around it for now.

laydapipe

like they said practice and get a feel for the car. all sticks are different, but work with same concept.