Hi guys

For those who have a 5spd, I got a question. Roughly where (rpm/speed) do you shift when you just drive around the town normally? Particularly the 1->2 shift. Seems to me the 1st ratio is so short, the car seems very slow when left in 1st for anything longer than it takes to start moving.

I admit that I still suck a$$ at shifting i'm working on it...but damn, it doesn't seem like it should be that hard to keep up with any 4-cyl car off a light.

Tips/pointers very much appreciated...both for the specific question and maybe for driving 5spd in general.

Thanks

 

You probably aren't launching it right, it will come with time. Any explanations someone gives you will probably not even make sense until you get the hang of it anyways. Plus 1st gear will have the most acceleration in it out of all 5 gears so you are doing something wrong, or you're car has some problems.

 

Here's my usual shift points:

1st-2nd about 3000
2nd-3rd a little above 2500
3rd-4th right around 2500
4th-5th about 2500 again

 

for every day driving i keep it 3000 for every geer... normaly

 

try 6500 for each shift.

 

normally about 3000-3500 for each shift.

 

I think that is about where I shift. Perhaps a little higher. I find if I can keep a constant speed I can cruise in 4th gear at about 2,000 rpms which is between 35 and 40 mph and doesn't get me a ticket in a 30 zone. The car isn't lugging and I suspect city fuel economy is decent at that rpm range.

 

also a tip for a newbie learning to drive a stick.... take it easy.... and save up for a new clutch... heheheh

 

Here, try this links, there a lot of good info on them, and the second one has video lessons(don't look it is for BMW, it is still a stick driving lessons)
http://www.standardshift.com/index.html
http://www.bmwm5.com/greg/school/

 

My shifting points also are just like that

 

I do this one to.. Thats the best shift points for every day driving.

 

my launching sux, so i guess that's probably the root of my problems, aside from that shift points you guys listed are pretty similar to what I end up with

any tips on (city) launching? or is it just practice? I only had the car about 2 months / 3K km (and it's my first stick car), so I guess more practice is in order in any case, but perhaps some things to try?

What do notice is that the clutch ( on my max at least) is rather punishing, if i let go just a little bit too fast, the car jerks, the engagement point is pretty short...is that typical for max'es? the only cars I can compare to are a Corolla (took a standard shift lesson in one, pretty soft clutch) and a Mini Cooper (very linear clutch, long engagement range , got a smooth, althought slow, launch the very first time)

Yeah...I'm a 5spd noob Thanks guys

 

it sounds to me like you are on the clutch too much and are riding it into the higher rpms. Once the car starts moving let up off the clutch. it will last longer too.

 

My 98's Operation Manuel has a section on optimal shift points and shift points under above normal to hard acceleration.

 

im just like that too, because i take off until 3k rpm and then shift to 2nd then shift again before 3k rpm and so on for regular driving. i dont keep up with some 4 cyl cars out ther as normal driving, im usually lagging, but if you do want to keep up with them, then just go to 3k rpm as fast as you can and you will keep up with traffic. but for what? i'd rather save my gas.

 

5700 all gears baby

 

3-4 grand @ 3/4 throttle until I'm up to speed, then I just skip to 5th. To get the feel for the clutch engagement, try getting the car moving and into second without using the gas. You'll need a street where nobody is but it will help you get the feel of where to start applying throttle so you don't bog the motor. Then practice, practice, practice, there is no better teacher.

 

1. Hold the gas steadily at 1500 while lifting your foot of the clutch until edge of grabbing point.

2. On green, fast BUT SMOOTH and in a single movement, finish lifting your foot of the clutch while gas goes down.

3. Quick shift that 1st gear to second just at 3500 and the FLOOR IT

4. And last but not least...take a look a the rear view mirror...

you gotta love the max...

 

Thanks for all the pointer.

To clarify, I'm not a TOTAL noob I caa get around on a 5spd, drive it work every day. I can get the car moving wihtout using the gas (gotta try into 2nd tho, haven't done that)

The main problem I'm having is the sync of clutch up / gas down when launching...I never stall, but Im not consistent either - prone to lugging or riding the cluth too long. But I guess that's where the practice part comes in

 

Once you feel more comfortable, scan the area for po po and:
1. hold RPM at 4000
2. when light turns green slide left foot off the clutch
3. ease off accelerator until tires stop spinning
4. press accelerator pedal to the floor
5. when engine reaches 6500 RPM, stomp on clutch and jerk the shifter into second gear (do not lift your right foot, Nissan put that rev limiter there for a reason) and get back off the clutch.
6. if that little four banger gets to the next light first, shake the driver's hand and try to make friends, for he knows something that you need to. if you do this often, Smooth is great most of the time, but unnecessary during stop light combat.

 

Also, try not to think about it too much. Just makes you nervous. When I start paying attention to my technique, I tend to make more mistakes.

 

I shift at 2k from 1st - 2nd, then 1500 into every gear above that, I get 29-31 mpg mixed city and highway, mostly highway and my car never bogs down or feels sluggish.

 

Why would you shift into 2nd at 3500 and floor it, might as well keep it in 1st till 6500 and use 1/2 - 3/4 throttle.

 

what? for real? i thought that the powerband doesn't drop off until past about 4.5K or so. can anyone else vouch for this?

 

i normally shift around 3k. from a light, i try to be off the clutch by 1k. trying to save that clutch. u want to get off that clutch as soon as possible. try not to ride it above 1500. and u do need to slightly feather it when putting it into second. i started a thread last year about best mpg shift points and we pretty much determined low throttle and shifting b/t 2k-2.5k for best mpg

 

um, i dont think it is a good idea to be hitting the rev limiter constantly.....

I wouldn't even do that ONCE (on purpose at least)

 

This was just what I was worried about, I'm converting from Auto to 5speed and was wondering if the accelaration would be as good off the lights etc..

At the moment in my auto I'm virtually always first off the lights, and the car just keeps pulling .. all other cars are 1 or 2 car lengths back .. and thats not with hard accelaration ... its just you ease on the gas and your doing 50-60kms..

 

you're right!! 5 speeds are very slow. auto is def the way to go and so much quicker. wish i could change my 5 speed to auto. d@mnit.

 

Since I'm so used to the clutcch on my car, when I go from a stop (red light) I can quickly slip the clutch and go from the light, I can slip the clutch and get it to catch in less than 0.5 second, not by launching off the line ofcourse. Normal driving, I will shift at around 3K in 1-2 and 2-3 then about 2.5K from 4-5. I also never downshift, just take the car out of gear and coast to a stop. Why downshift and wear the clutch, brake pads are cheaper. The only time I'll actually do the downshift is when I'm going too fast and need to brake fast, thats when I rev match and downshift the proper way.

 

i have no problems with accelerating from a light.. the last time i drove a manual befor i got this max was 10 years ago before i met my wife (she never learnt how to drive manual)

Took me a few to get used to it but once i did i actually take off at the light just as fast if not faster than i used to in my old auto max. key is practice and having a good clutch/gas sync.

 

I'm hoping thats all it comes down to, be semi gutted if its slower - going manual for surposedly more power and more fun driving it..


I so hope your joking

I heard autos lose 23% power & manuals lose 15% so overall it should be more powerful but hopefully not at the expensive of slow take offs under normal accelartion

 

ha. yea i was kidding. I love my stick shift. 1st gear pulls from a stoplight are the shiet. I put carlengths on the traffic behind me in a couple seconds (when i launch perfectly.)

 

I really got to slap this 5 speed in, the more I read the forums the more nervous I get