Just wanted to know for those who drive a manual, how far down do you press the clutch when shifting?

I usually got 1/2 way in or less then shift.
I causally mentioned this to another friend w/ a manual in a unrelated conversation and he was like if you dont press the clutch all the way in (to the floor) then it will ruin the transmission???!

I had a manual sentra before this and I never went all way down on the clutch then either...but did have to go like 3/4 way down...I guess the engage point was different.

Any ideas or thoughts?
Thanks

 

I usually press it 3/4 way down or almost to the floor very rarely all the way down

 

well, i think its different for all cars. i press mine down all the way or else my 3rd will grind.
all the other gears is about 90% down.

 

yup.


because of this.. .i cant exactly make use of the leg room this car offers... cause i gotta push my seat forward a bit more... so my left foot can press the clutch all the way in .

 

All the way in, because sometimes certain gears will not completely engage.

 

All the way down for me, it's not anymore difficult and you don't chance grinding a gear from not having the clutch all the way in.

 

you learn the engagement point for your clutch then use muscle memory to know how far you need to push it. mine is about 3/4.

 

I've driven manual all my life. engaging point getting higher means your clutch is wearing out. (I've worn out 2 clutches).
I always had to press deeper for lower gears.
release time could get shorter due to worn clutches also.

 

well for me i never pressed all the way down...usually a lil more than half...but like it was said above each car is different ..wear on clutch etc...if you grind when you shift you should press down a little more so that you can ge the gear in ...

 

Each car is different, the pedal length and engagement point can vary from car to car. As long as you aren't grinding gears, your transmission will be fine.

 

I've driven standard since before I was old enough to drive and I usually put the clutch all the way down.. maybe 90% sometimes. Definitely all the way down when slammin gears

 

There really isn't a % push down point that applies to all cars. I've had several manuals in various cars and they've all been different. Once you get used to driving that car, you instinctively know how far you need to push in the clutch to shift.

 

exactly. once you learn that point, shifts are quicker and smoother since there is no wasted motion.

 

I dont do it on a regular basis but when I am tryin to move I have pressed on the clutch only about 1/4 the way in and NO grind of any kind. Everything is as smooth as can be. The stick snaps in place just fine and NO odd noises or vibrations...

 

again...its muscle memory of knowing where YOUR clutch engages. after you know it, you can make quick shifts without even thinking about how far down its going.

best way to learn...sit at a light (or parking lot) and slowly let the clutch out without giving gas. when you feel it engage, push in all the way and do it again. do that for a few weeks and you will realize that you push in to that point every time you shift. also helps to know the point for launching.
im telling you....enjoying the 6MT is all about learning this

 

 

 

if you know your car well enough you don't have to press the clutch when shifting gears. changin from 1 to 2 without clutch is almost impossible - I've dont it only couple of times. changing from 3 to 4 without clutch is the easiest I think. You just need to give the proper gas at the proper speed.
But I'd never recommend it to anyone. Just don't do it.

 

it can be done in every gear i just dont do it a lot...just when cruising.
its all about rev matching to get everything lined up.

 

ive always pressed the clutch down 100% and ive been driving stick since i was 17. i didnt know so many people did otherwise. i always thought that was bad to shift that way.

 

It's adjustable.

Pedal height and the clutch master cylinder engage.

 

im just in the process of picking up a 03 6spd SE, i drove it last night, the manual tranny feels much different than my present 5 spd acura legend. The legends shifting seems to be much more easy, on the maxima it feel like the car is "dropping" into gear instead of easily gliding to it. Is this normal or is the one i am looking at just bad? car has 60k miles.

 

omg?... really?..... alot of people told me it wasnt.... id love the engage point to be a little bit higher to me... than closer to the floor.


i have to freakin move my seat forward to let me leg extend to the back of the floor... costing me leg space.

 

I agree. I haven't driven a lot of manual cars but the maxima feels notchy compared to the rest. My favorite was my friend's e36 m3 (I guess that shows the lack of manual cars I have driven).

 

I always go all the way to the floor. Just the way I've always driven manuals.....

 

the 6MT doesnt have the best designed shift linkage. a STS and ES bushings improve it considerably

 

i wasnt too impressed with the manual the "sound" made it sound cheap. I think i am gonna go ahead and get an auto. the blower motor was making some noise as well.

 

Mine decides to dance around when it comes to friction point dependant on how warmed up it is...I had a problem with my brakes previously so I'm thinking I just need to bleed the lines and my problem will be solved...

 

all the way down. like you are supposed to...

 

who says you are supposed to push it in all the way
you are supposed to fully disengage the clutch...you dont always have to push the pedal down all the way.

 

ok it's 'best' to put it all the way down to make sure it is fully disengaged. happy now?

 

if you dont know the point...yes all the way down

 

Big mistake IMO if you were considering the 6 speed in the first place. It's just something new to you, it takes a little getting used to sometimes. You haven't felt "notchy" until you've driven a 5 speed s10 with a B&M short shifter let me tell you that.

 

The general advice is to touch the floor at each shift. Reason being to avoid rubbing the clutch during the shift, which wears on the clutch and puts the synchros and other tranny internal under much greater loads.

That said, there is such a thing as 'close enough' to the floor to where the clutch is disengaged and pushing the clutch pedal makes no difference. The trouble with that though is day by day, you'll never be perfectly consistent with it, and you may start rubbing the clutch and never know it. It's safest to get in the habit of touching the floor each time.

 

muscle memory

 

If tired, it feels differently