Good tips bro. Been drivin my 6spd. G for like two weeks glad I'm practicing good habits

 

so after reading the first post, im confused about something. OP says its ok to launch the car at 1.5k rpms? is it really? i thought thats a bit too much. I'm no newb at MT, but was unclear on this. I always have my rpms under 1k when moving from a stand still.

 

I must give thanks to this sticky and props to those who have supplied constructive criticism. I can now double clutch downshift with the smoothness. Next goal: master fancy footwork and figure out how to heel toe.

 

^It's not exactly easy... but when you get it just right, it's soooooo sweet

 

I also always launch from under 1k...1.5k seems a bit much to me as well.

 

NFSP G35 you're absolutely right! I tried doing it coming to a stop at a light for practice and gotta say, the offset between the brake and gas pedals requires some heavy braking before I can even reach the gas. Maybe my techniquebis off or i need to put a phone book on the gas for better reach.

 

Back with another n00b question.

When I'm just punching it through the gears, the car always lurches forward when I shift from 1-2-3-4. The only way I can prevent this is to shift super slow while waiting for the revs to drop to the proper range, or burn up my clutch with a slow release every shift.

But for normal shifting (not slowly) I get the lurch. Am I doing something wrong?

 

The only way I know to avoid the lurch is to wait long enough between gears for the revs to drop to the appropriate range. If you feel like the revs are taking too long to drop, make sure you're completely off the gas before starting to depress the clutch for a shift. I've found that when you do that, the tach needle actually falls quite quickly.

Hope that helps.

 

This is all fresh to me so I might be crazy, but here goes:

I usually get a lurch from 1->2, I tried shifting into gear a little later but feel like I'm losing a bit of momentum in doing so (plus I find the timing tricky). So instead I feather off the clutch around it's catch point and engage the gas lightly until I'm off clutch and that seems to work well.

Am I in risk of destroying the clutch by engaging the gas before fully releasing clutch?? I figure it's like starting off in 1st at a stop but, well, while rolling in 2nd instead.

 

don't feel like a noob. I have been driving stick for thirty years and this car is just tuff to make a smooth 1-2 shift. I have had mine for over five years and I still jerk that shift sometimes.

 

lol i just picked up a 6spd and i was like man 1st-2nd is hard to get smooth. Feels like i have to wait 3 seconds before the tach drops to the right RPM. Every other gear is smooth. I thought my skilllzzzz had just left me i was starting to get frustrated.

 

I found the timing tricky as well. I've realized that the secret is to be more gentle with the shifter itself. If you apply only very light pressure (i.e., just enough to move the shifter--no forcing), it pops into the new gear at precisely the time you should start letting out the clutch for a seamless shift. Not sure why that works, but it does.

 

Wow... I can't believe I'm actually posting to this thread.
I mean, heck, it's been running for over THREE FREAKING YEARS.
What with... shift here, shift there, double clutch (bs alert), shift slow, shift fast, wheel spin, wheel NOT spin, match this, match that, lurching, burning, oh my God.

It's a safe bet (if anyone has been keeping up) that most G drivers that are asking all these questions are fairly new to a stick. OK, that's fine... no problem. We all learned at one time or another. Me; it was when I was 9, sitting on the edge of the seat with a box of snow chains behind me, at the wheel of a 63 Ford Econoline panel van. Three-Speed on the column. Driven sticks of one kind or another for almost 43 years now. Fifties cars, (stock and street rods), seventies muscle cars, stock cars and trucks of all makes up till current models. Even owned a towing service with Heavy Duty, Medium Duty (25,995lbs GVW) and Heavy Duty (tractor trailer tow truck) units.

Heck, I sometimes even drive a 1929 Ford Model A Tudor.

At the end of the day, it's about being in 'sync' with what you are driving. Knowing what it'll do, what it'll not. Yep, the G's can be a bit finicky at times but so can anything else. Want really smooth shifting? Don't use all 6 gears... like EVER. Yeah, sure... if you're wanting to blast through them all with the windows down and hear it sound oh so good (like it does).

The rest of the time; These cars can be started from a dead stop without even touching the gas pedal. Once it's moving, then use the gear that you have the power to pull off. If the car is still at fast idle, you can back outta' your garage, pull up your driveway at a slight angle, pull out in the street and shift 1st through 4th getting up to 25mph and NEVER touch the gas.

Now that's not happening after it's warmed up, but you get the point. Once it's moving, it's about keeping it moving. Same thing for heavy haulers (IE: Freightliners, Peterbuilts, etc) It's about getting the load moving with whatever available torque you have on hand. You don't need a tach, just know what gear works at what speed and how to keep your load moving.

Say you need to start from a dead stop. Then YES, use 1st gear every time. But once it's moving, you don't need 2nd at all. You can easily and smoothly wind up 1st to 25mph then slip into 3rd, wind up to 45, then 5th and you're all set. (Assuming you are not getting on the expressway) Moving around on secondary roads and urban roads you can get away without ever using 6th, even 5th if you're going slow enough.

OK, what about rolling up to a stop where you are not coming to a dead stop? That would be 2nd all day, every day. Nice and smooth, slip her in 2nd when slowing below 10mph, slow to almost a dead stop with the clutch pedal down, look both ways and release the clutch... off you go. Here it's easy and much better on the drive train as well as gas mileage to use 2nd, 4th, 6th. (again, 6th when going above 50mph)

Even pulling out onto a highway using all six gears is just for those that like to shift a lot, or for those that are pulling heavy loads. (And yes I agree that when you're driving the G by yourself the load is a LOT different than when the wife (and God forbid a couple of kids) are in with ya'.
There is a State Hwy (speed limit 55) at the entrance to my subdivision, (even though we live in the country on 2 acres). I can easily pull outta' the sub, in 2nd, wind up to 40, go to 4th, pull to 60, then slip to 6th.

So yes, first, third, fifth/sixth... or second, fourth, fifth/sixth and you'll be in smooth city. Not breaking loose, not straining the abs, (or the VDC), and still going as quick as you need to.

You may now return to your regular programming...

 

Much appreciated, learned some things I never thought to do. I actually feel dumb for all the years I've been doing it wrong too, but we live and learn.

 

Any way to stop the shifter from jiggling or kicking back during and right after shifting into a different gear? What causes this?