DOM

I have been messing around and I will put the car in reverse, slowly release the clutch to get the car moving. Then I stop, put it in first and do the same. I do it without using the gas pedal. Is there any harm I am doing to my car?

NickStam

iTrader: (3)

don't think so

JeEvE

iTrader: (10)

I have a similar questions but its about parking and in traffic. I have been driving stick for a little more than a month. No one really teached me so im not sure if im doing the right thing. When parking I release the clutch and give some gas, but I never fully release the clutch when moving up or back. When im in traffic and I need to move up a little bit I just release the clutch a little and start giving some gas but by the time im up enough the clutch is still not fully released. Is this wrong? If so, help me out.

CanadianMoFo

As you get more experience driving standard you won't worry about it stalling. You'll get to the point where you will let off the clutch and pull away smoothly. Its just a matter of time till you get the hang of it.

lol I learned to drive on an 87 VW Jetta. I used to run it up to 4k before I'd start letting the clutch out in 1st. I was always afraid I'd stall it. Within a couple months I wasn't doing that anymore.

To the first posters question...its not great to do that since the engine bogs down pretty low. You should be giving it some gas to keep the revs up at 1k or so. The downside to doing what you are doing is that it may wear out the clutch prematurely. As long as you get better with the clutch in the next couple months I'm sure it'll be fine. If you do it for a couple years you'll burn up your clutch.

CM.

ryand.white

Don't do it constantly and you'll be fine. Me on the other hand...I always like to be moving. At traffic lights I'm always the guy rocking back and forth until the light turns. It's almost a habit now. I don't really notice a difference in the clutch but at the same time I don't care because I have a new clutch and lightened fly wheel install planned within the next year.

jesse

iTrader: (5)

thats annoying when people are rocking back and forth...

theres a little thing called a brake pedal, it works pretty well

Nismo

iTrader: (18)

I usually just blip the throttle to keep the rpms up

lophix

iTrader: (3)

rpms....grrr.......

DA-MAX

iTrader: (10)

revolution per minutes

spirilis

iTrader: (2)

No matter what, when you take off from a dead stop, the ONLY way to smoothly take off without stalling the engine is to slip the clutch (hold the clutch pedal down somewhere in the middle)...
The trick of driving clutch is getting the ultimate feel of that motion, and practicing to the point that you can do it in your sleep (or half-asleep driving home at 2AM )
Once the car's starting to move, you slowly pull the clutch pedal up higher and higher until your foot is off the pedal.

Yes, slipping the clutch does "wear down" the clutch, but if done right, the clutch should still last a long time (since it's normal wear).

I've been driving stick (had my 2K Max SE 5speed for 6 months now) for 6 months, and I think I'm pretty confident in my ability now... the general procedure happens something like this:
1. Let out the clutch pedal a tiny bit, to the point where it's BARELY even slipping (still close to the floor). This is to put a little load on the engine to control it, as blipping the throttle can easily bring it to 2000 RPM, instead of 1000 RPM (which is what I want)
2. Apply the gas a tiny bit to get RPMs around 1000 or so
3. Release clutch a tiny bit more while holding the gas pedal such that RPMs stick around 1000 RPM
At this point the car should be inching forward...
4. Keep holding it like that until the car's definitely in motion, and then slowly release the clutch completely.
My trick for starting quickly is to do that same procedure, but around step #3, I give it progressively more gas while releasing the clutch pedal faster. The clutch should take on more wear, since I apply more power through the clutch while it's slipping, but eventually the technique is refined to the point that I'm not slipping it very long.

As I started learning, that general procedure applied, except I'd have the engine revved up to around 2000 RPM while starting out (makes it really easy to take off quickly, but that has to be HELL on the clutch)
The sign of progress is when you can do all that at 1000 RPM or below. It does become second nature, and nobody can truly teach you how to do this... you have to "discover" it on your own.

ryand.white

I have my passengers always tell me they hate it when people rock too. like i said. habit.

panda_1

iTrader: (4)

keeping your foot slightly pressed on the clutch pedal while reving will wear out your clutch alot quicker