A quick tip on launching on an incline - Instead of using the e-brake (which sucks anyways), do this:

1. while in neutral (stepping on the brake pedal)
2. depress the clutch and put into first
3. Here is the tricky part: release the clutch carefully about half way out, just to the point where you start feeling the vibration from the engine where it's about to stall.
4. Release the brake and hit the gas slightly
5. Let go of the clutch.

what's happening here is that when you release the clutch half way out, you start the engagement, which on a flat surface would be enough to roll the car, but on an incline would be just enough to hold the car from rolling backwards for a split of second.
If done correctly and quick enough your car won't roll (given the incline is not too steep).



MY G-ENIE

 

Well heck if you wanted, you could ride the clutch without revving the motor at all and the engine will catch up with the drivetrain (and vice versa). But then you start to heat up the clutch quite a bit. Considering a typical clutch will see a lot of heat on any race track, adding more heat unecessarily is not exactly what you want to do. Ideally, you want to be able to drop the clutch relatively quickly without any lurching(in either direction). But it's hard to be perfect 100% of the time, particularly with factory cars since they tend to have much heavier flywheels than you might find on a race car.

 

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Well heck if you wanted, you could ride the clutch without revving the motor at all and the engine will catch up with the drivetrain (and vice versa). But then you start to heat up the clutch quite a bit. Considering a typical clutch will see a lot of heat on any race track, adding more heat unecessarily is not exactly what you want to do. Ideally, you want to be able to drop the clutch relatively quickly without any lurching(in either direction). But it's hard to be perfect 100% of the time, particularly with factory cars since they tend to have much heavier flywheels than you might find on a race car.

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Have been doing the trick above for over 11 years now on all of my previous MT cars - never had to replace a clutch and some of the cars where way beyond the 100K mark on the odometer. Of course it's not something you'd might want to do every time, or even just ride the clutch for the fun of it. But if performed correctly and quickly, there won't be any more wear on the clutch than what you'd expect from a normal launch on a flat surface.


MY G-ENIE

 

This is the one thing that's taking me some getting used to coming from a '97 Mustang GT. The G's clutch is a world apart from the Gt's... which certainly had a much wider "range" to it. I have to watch my rpm's more when I ease it out with the G, and certainly no up-hill takeoffs without gas application... whereas the idle torque of the GT would get me moving uphill on a small incline in first with minimal or no gas pedal, and I could actually let the clutch out slowly and take off in third (believe it or not) in the GT on flat ground.

Of course, once you're moving the shortness of both the pedal and the stick throw in the G is very fun/precise and certainly make for quicker shifting. I swear the GT's stock shifter throw between gears had to be ten inches...


-spill
<font color=blue>'04.5 G35 6MT Coupe, Diamond Graphite/Graphite Leather, Premium/All Options except NAV.
Pics</font color=blue>

 

Lot's of good info. on blipping for a downshift, etc.

The only thing that I would add for the novice is when blipping, let your clutch out as the RPMs from the blip level off or the RPMs just start to fall. If you let the clutch out as the revs are rising, especially if you blipped a couple hundred RPM too high, then you'll lurch forward and have a rough downshift. Not what you want when trying to slow for a turn.


'05 IP(or ?) 6MT... ...Never too soon to think about modifications!!

 

I wasn't really posting with wear in mind. Clutches by nature don't wear as quickly as brakes do. Brakes are creating rubbing the entire time you are pressing the brake pedal. Which is often and pretty much the entire duration of a stop. The clutch only rubs when you are slipping the clutch during transitions. The motor itself accelerates the car.

I was however referring to heat. On the street, you likely won't notice any appreciable effects on performance due to heat from slipping the clutch too much. On a road course, if you were to use a slip technique lap after lap, there is a good chance your clutch will overheat. They are made from similar materials to brakes and are subject "fade" as well. And to top that off, the flywheel isn't designed with dissapating heat. It will act as a very large heatsink, is not as effective as brake rotors at dissapating heat as it not only has no cooling properties built in, but also is enclosed in a bellhousing where air circulation is minimal.

 

Thanks everyone for these great tips....
Does anyone have a good site, or a good personal explanation of heel/toe...cause i'm trying to understand the concept?

Also..is there any way to do a 180 in the G on an open road, maybe by pulling the ebrake or something?
thanks

Mitch
2004 G35C 6MT
DG/G
Prem.Aero.Nav
Clear Corners

 

The E-Brake can't stop the car from 5mph let alone lock the wheels at 30... the ebrake in our cars STINKS and is basically a decoration. Why would you want to abuse your G like that anyway? If I were you I'd go out and rent a buick or something to get out that kind of aggression.


2004.5 Black on Black 6MT, Aero, Premium, Navi
"You can live in your car but you can't drive your house"

 

Heel/Toe can be a bit misleading, as it really tends to involve your heel and the outside edge of the ball of your right foot.

The technique is used in a few ways. You can use it to perform a blip in preperation for a downshift all while braking for a corner at the same time. You can also use the technique to roll into the throttle upon corner exit while still maintaining some trail braking. Likewise, you could use the technique to apply a little brake while applying throttle on corner exit in order to maintain or change the chasssis attitude.

Your brake pedal and throttle pedal need to be relatively close to each other to perform this technique well... ...or you need to have big *** feet. Practice this while stopped and while the car is not running:

Use the heel or close to the arch on your right foot to apply pressure on the brake. At the same time, pivot your toes over toward the throttle pedal until you are able to modulate it with your two little toes, the outside edge of your foot or the outside edge of the ball of your foot... ...whichever works for you. Pedal placement, foot size and dexterity/precise foot control will be the factors that help determine if you and your car are compatible for the heel/toe technique.

And leave the big, thick-soled shoes in the closet unless you need them to reach both pedals at the same time. The lack of feeling/sensation transmitted through thick soles won't allow you to be very precise in your modulation of the pedals.




'05 IP(or ?) 6MT... ...Never too soon to think about modifications!!

 

The 180's are best left with "rentals" IMO... That's why you have the damage insurance for... My E-brake can barely hold on flat groud and is prone to move with even the slightest breeze. [img]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/img]

There are some Japanes race videos on this forum that show a "in-cabin" few of the driver on the lower corner of the screen so you can understand the "how-to's" and when to use heel-toe approaching the corners. It's crazy when you see how fast race car drivers do the heel-toe. Timing is everything.

My advice is to just go into an empty parking lot and practice, practice, practice, practice..... You don't want to practice on the street where you might slip and cause an accident. Get to the point where you're comfortable in an open parking lot, then take it to the streets (at the speed limit of course[img]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/img]), or take it to the track!

Have FUN! [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]


6MT DG Coupe | Prem | NAV | Aero | XM | Z-tube | Clears | Aluminum Pedals | UT Y-Pipe | 40%Huper | Graphite RH J5 Pro 19"

 

http://www.edmunds.com/ownership/how...2/article.html

http://www.tarheelbmwcca.org/Htoe2-msp.doc

Here are a couple of cites that came up in a search