Hello all,

Just got my 8 after saving for almost three years.

This is my first time owning a manual so im still a tad shaky.
Any general tips i should know that can help me out?

Do you guys regularily use 6th gear on highway?

Park in 1st or neutral?

And when im taking off in first gear whats a good rpm to get a smooth takeoff. Im still a tad jerkybut i dont stall much.

Thanks.

 

Tips:

1) When the clutch is engaged, take your foot off of it. That's what the dead pedal is for.

2) Use any gear (1st through 6th) when appropriate. 6th is no different than any other gear so there's no special rule on how to use it. If you're cruising on a flat highway at 75...sure. If you're moving slowly on a flat highway at 40...why?

3) Park in Reverse or 1st....never neutral.

4) There's no RPM rule for a smooth take off. It will change depending upon the grade of road, conditions, etc. Don't stare at the tach. Use your ears, listen to the engine and shift when it feels right. You'll get the hang of it.

Most importantly...HAVE FUN! :D

-Eric

 

Park leave it in 1st and set the parking brake (just so you don't roll when you depress the clutch to start the car).

To start rolling in first I use about 1500-2000 rpm and never really get off the clutch (regular driving) - this way if you feel a stall you can push the clutch in just a bit. Once you are rolling you can let the clutch out fully and shift normally (after a while you will not have to think about any of this stuff as it will be a "feel" thing and become second nature).

6th gear seems to work fine at 40mph and up (for cruising...not accelerating). I'm used to a 5 speed and it took me a couple days to get used to this whole 6th gear thing, but now 6th is what used to be my 5th.

Congrats on the new ride.

 

I tend to avoid using sixth gear because a) I like the sound of the engine revved, b) I like the additional power on tap, and c) I don't really care about gas mileage.

Mainly I like the sound of a revving rotary...

 

As a long-time manual driver I was surprised at how often I'd be cruising along the freeway at 70mph in fourth gear, thinking I was in sixth. The 8 is so smooth and the redline so high that, until I glanced at the tach, I didn't even realize I had stayed in 4th. Get better gas mileage... cruise at freeway speed in 6th!

I've gotten into the habit now, when I'm merging onto the freeway, to upshift directly from 4th to 6th -- bypassing 5th entirely. I'd mess up on that 5th to 6th upshift a lot when I first got the car, ending up in 4th instead.

And always park in gear, and set the handbrake. That's a hard habit for a former automatic driver to learn, but all it takes is one time for your beloved 8 to go for an unplanned downhill roll into God-knows-what or who to learn the hard way.

 

I had a lot of trouble with the 5th to 6th shift, too -

It's sorta over and back to the right, not straight down from 5th.

I'll try your 4th to 6th trick - might make life a lot easier!

 

That's a really bad habit to get into. It's called riding the clutch.

Rule if the car is in gear: foot off of the clutch.

Tip: DON'T DO IT.

-Eric

 

I usually shift gears at approx 4,000 RPMs and try to keep the RPMs above 3,000 while in gear, if the RPMs drop below 3,000 then I usually down shift. However shifting at 3,000 seems to shift more smoothly for those times when you are just taking it easy.

I use 6th gear when I'm going about 70+ MPH
and always park with brake on and car in 1st gear

 

I tend to abuse the clutch in first too, but only because I'm not used to driving manual either. I'm getting pretty good at smooth shifting, though every so often I jerk around. I don't kill the car very often anymore, though the first week I had it, it was a regular occasion as I was just not comfortable with the freeze point on the clutch.

Shift out of first as soon as possible unless you're really need to go slow. I shift out of first between 12 and 20 mph unless i'm gonna redline the car in first. Second is a huge acceleration gear so you can get huge bursts of speed in second.

Every gear has a speed that it's comfortable riding and you'll get good gas mileage. Apparently with the L flash it's a little higher, but I've found that without it, the following speeds are about right:
1st: 0-20mph
2nd:20-30mph
3rd: 30-40mph
4th: 40-50mph (notice the trend?)
5th: 50-60mph
6th: 60-72mph
At 72 mph in 6th gear, you'll be just under 3750 rpm and that means you'll save gas. Apparently, with L, you'll be at like 3450 so it's probably around 78 mph in 6th that you can cruise and save gas.
These are just the speeds I've found that will keep the engine below 3750.

 

Eric - I was speaking of the first miliseconds it takes to get the vehicle rolling. There is no need to dump the clutch into first. I've driven over 500,000 miles with MTs and have never replaced a clutch (clutch cables yes, detonated a tranny yes, but I've never killed a clutch). The clutch was made to be used and is far cheaper to replace than a tranny so if I'm going to kill something I'd rather it was my clutch.

Note: I have rather large feet (size 13-14 depending on the shoe) and it is an ordeal to remove my foot fully from the pedal while shifting so you could say I always "ride the clutch" even when it is fully in gear.

 

I can relate to you. The 8 was my first manual and new car. I learned on my car. I dont really park in 1st or reverse because in chicago we don't have any inclines really. I just pull the hand brake. One reason is I always forget that im in gear and then i would start the car. NOT SMART! BUT LUCKLY I HAVE MY HAND BRAKE ON AS WELL. So i keep it safe and just pull it up. But if its a steep incline or uphill, use those gears. But for flat surfances, a hand brake will do. For shifting, i learned to ride the clucth and all you need is time to drive your car to just get smoother and faster. Best luck to u.

 

Totally agree on dumping the clutch. I didn't mean to suggest that you should do that. I think we're both talking about the same thing...just saying it differently.

And on the shoe size, I empathize. Size 13 here...but aside from easing the car from a start in 1st I don't have a problem keeping my toes from the pedal. My hand, however...has a bad habit of resting on the stick. I think it was Steve Millen or Bob Sharp that devised some way of keeping his hands off of the shifter on his Nissans because he had a tendency to do the same...oh well, at least I'm in good company. lol

-Eric

 

Eric - I also have a tendancy to keep my hand on the stick, partially developed from driving junk cars (82-83 Datsuns mostly) that would occasionally jump/kick out of gear if you didn't hold them in.

I made my life a little easier by switching to sneaks when I drive but I still get a little caught up in there (I typically wear boots, timbos, but found that the width of my foot in my boots would occasionall brush the brake when using the clutch or the gas). Damn Japanese and their little feet...lol.

 

Oh hell yeah, the bigger the shoe the more they get caught up on the pedals. I've got these big 'ole Bass clunkers that almost seem to hit the accelerator and brake pedals at the same time. Can you say unintended acceleration?! ;-)

-Eric

 

said7 I too am re-acquainting myself to manual. One thing I would recommend is practicing (safely of course) is uphill start. I do not know how much of a problem it is in Florida but you don't want to rolling back into some dude in a Ferrai with a shotgun.

 

keep your left heel on the floor. lever the pedal in and out using your ankle. don't "stomp" on it.

 

In my experience learning the stick (w/c is recent), I rev the engine up to 1.5K as I release the clutch gradually. When the tach indicates a drop, give it more power to take it up to 2K or more. That's how I learned. But after awhile, I don't have to look at the tach or think about it. It just sort of becomes natural.

Watch out shifting to that 2nd gear from 1st, it's tricky if you're still learning. You will feel bad jerking if you're not matching the revs properly. Again, you will get used to smoothing the transitions after awhile.

It gets better when you're learning to downshift for situations like: passing, cornering, slowed down but light just turned green again situations, and many more.

My downshift tip is this:
- step on clutch
- shift to preferred lower gear
- punch the gas for a split second, enough to rev it up to 3K - 4K (for me)
- as the revs reach the peak, release clutch gradually or quickly (really depends on your experience)
- give it gas

This method should prevent jerking or slowing down. I learned this after reading from that Corvette racer's website on his tips on how to heel-toe. His explanations really made sense.

And trust me, it is way easier than just pressing on the gas trying to predict if your rev is a good match for the downshift.

 

Things pointed out to me:
a) Be aware when contact starts while releasing the clutch (1/2 way point). Should help shaky starts.
b) Do not rely on handbrake for uphill starts.
c) Use clutch only while changing gears or coming to full stop.
d) The gear you should be in is dependant on the speed/momentum you have (Ajax's post has some numbers though you should develop a feel)
e) Be in correct gear by anticipating (e.g. lower gear for cornering)

I am sure the experts will chime in to correct and expand.
Best of all get lots of practice, good excuse to drive around a lot. Have fun.

 

Really?? I was taught that your left heel should not touch the floor... do not use your ankle. You left foot is either down on the clutch or off of it unless you are in a bumper to bumper traffic. Even then, I don't think I never use the ankle with the heel on the floor. Did I learn it wrong?

 

Xyntax
"In my experience learning the stick (w/c is recent), I rev the engine up to 1.5K as I release the clutch gradually. When the tach indicates a drop, give it more power to take it up to 2K or more. That's how I learned. But after awhile, I don't have to look at the tach or think about it. It just sort of becomes natural."

Good point Xyntax.
I have also been told of this method. When you are releasing the clutch slowly the point at which the tach indicates a drop is close to the contact (I think you can release a little more).
You should definitely try this and see if you like this method to get initial feel.

 

Yikes! Who taught you that?! Nobody taught me though so my learning experience was independent. I think that is you use your ankle, you get a much better control over the pressure you apply or release.

Think of it this way, which method is more precise when it comes to drawing small objects on a paper: with your palm rested on the pad or with your palm floating above the pad?

 

Yup, I did that on my first week of driving around with that M/T Civic I had for a month. I practiced clutch-driving in the parking lot just to give myself a better feel of the "friction point". I actually drove back and forth without using the gas pedal just to learn the right timing for the "friction point".

 

I always thought that leaving your heel on the floor was a bad habit. When I watched vedio clips of racers I don't think they ever do that. Maybe I am just wrong, but this is first time to hear someone telling to leave the heel on the floor.

 

I think it really depends on your comfort level. There are times that I keep my left foot on the dead pedal and only lift it off when I'm shifting quickly. And then it's back to the dead pedal. I can' recall if my heel ever step on the floor though. Doing it so fast without thinking just makes me not notice it anymore.

 

it's about control. levering the pedal down and up gives you more control. stomping and releasing gives you less control and can cause you to let the clutch out too quickly perhaps stalling the car. the lever action also helps when going from a dead stop. it makes "feathering" the clutch out easier for people with less experience. and yes once off the clutch move your foot to the dead pedal. oh and someone said not to use the hand brake on a hill start- that advice will start quite an arguement with our english freinds. they would say that is exactly what the hand brake is for. they are taught to do so from their first driving class.