Hey guys, I need some advice from those with more stick-driving experience than myself. I just bought a '99 SE 5-speed w/37k miles, to give a bit of background. This is my first manual-transmission car, so I'm definitely still learning. I've been up-shifting very gently so far, shift at 3000-4000 RPM, and push/pull gently on the lever until it wants to slip into gear, then releasing the clutch. As I haven't mastered rev-matching yet, the engine's usually going too slowly by the time I let out the clutch, and the car bucks a bit.

Tonight I was pulling away from a light quickly, shifted at 4000, more rapidly than usual, and pushed it into gear a bit, and when I released the clutch, the engine was at almost the perfect speed.

The question: is shifting into gear where you have to apply a bit of force bad for the car? (trying to prevent extra wear on the synchros) I don't mean slamming it into gear, just shifting before the point where the synchros are doing no work at all. I plan on putting in Redline MT-90 as soon as I can figure out where to buy it. I hope I've explained this clearly. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

When I first started driving my car I always used the rule "shift form 1st to 2nd at 11mph, 2nd to 3rd at 22mph, 3rd to 4th at 33mph, and 4th to 5th at 44mph" It'll get you used to the shift points, from there you can get the feel and start to make shift points that are more comfortable to you. hope this helps

 

Thanks I30, I have noticed that shifting at certain points does help with this, when I shift really early (to try and help with mileage), it's tougher to get it into the next gear, especially if I go up by 2 gears or whatever. But the other part is how quickly you actually move the shifter into gear, do you use a bit of force, or do you keep gentle pressure until the shifter wants to slide in? (as the idler shaft slows down and comes closer to matching the speed of the output shaft, as I understand it). I've tried double-clutching a bit when I downshift recently, that's kinda cool, it makes going 5->3 (to merge onto the highway, etc) easier and smoother.

 

It should just glide into gear not matter what tranny fluid you have ( unless of course it is extremely cold outside). You need to match the engine speed with the tranny speed when shifting. Some people blip the throttle someitmes to get engine speed up so as not to bog during a shift. Practice makes perfect - you;ll get it down well. If my wife can do it you can too!

 

How aggessively do I shift? Well, at the track I bury my foot and when I hit the next gear I let up on the gas barely, but enough that the rpms do jump, but never exceed redline. I hit the 1-2 at 6500 rpms, 2-3 at 6200 rpms, and the 3-4 at 5900 rpms. I'm not powershifting, but I'm damn close. I've run the 1/4 over 30 times without a missed shift. Who knows how many 0-80mph blasts I've had on the street, but I've only missed a shift maybe 4-5 times and that's when I first had the car. After 65000 miles, the clutch still feels solid (never slipped) and the syncros never grind.


Under normal driving I take 1st to 3000-3200 rpms, 2nd to 3000 rpms, and then I go to 4th. Rarely to I ever use 3rd. Sometimes I'll take 1st to 4000, shift to 3rd, then to 5th. When I come up to a turn, I always try to rev match.


Dave

 

Yes, this gearbox does take some getting used to but once you do, it'll be a joy to shift. I often go from 1st, to 3rd, and then to fifth. Because we have so much torque, I rarely have to downshift. When approaching a light I just slip the shifter out of gear and into neutral without using the clutch...not sure if I'm hurting it by doing this but it comes out of gear easily.

Hey Dave B, you recently posted about inflating your tires to 25 psi at the track. What's your secret for getting good 60' times at the track with so much air. My 60' times were real crappy during my last few visits to the track. I'm going back next week and hoping to get back into the high 14's.

Terry

 

Terry:

I've also often wondered about going into N without using the clutch. What do the rest of you guys do?

 

I don't know, but I would think you at least *could* do some harm. And since it's not that tough to push in the clutch first, I guess you could argue why take that risk?

I have a question about something that happened this afternoon: I was pulling away from a stop quickly to slip into to traffic, the car was basically cold (it had been run a few hours earlier). I shifted took it to maybe 4000 RPM in first then quickly shifted to 2nd, and as it was going into gear, I felt the lever sort of do this in my hand: __/\__, (trying to show a little spike in its movement, it kind of jumped a bit) it felt like you might expect it to feel if two gear teeth still had some relative motion as they engaged, and it kind of slipped over 1 tooth as they were meshing. I was shifting quickly, granted, and there wasn't any sort of bad noise or anything, but is this a possible sign of a worn 2nd-gear synchro? God I hope not. Like I said earlier, I have 37k miles, it's a 99, I just bought it. I'm somewhat nervous now.

 

Lots of practice, a good set of radials, and a good suspension. Last weekend at the track, I experimented and put my tires to stock pressures (32/31) and put my Konis to "street". I pulled a 2.25 60 foot!!! Which is pretty much what I've been doing the last three times out at the track. The track I run at is very slick and some how I'm 60 footing with lots of F-Bodies and Mustangs (many times out 60 footing them). Last year I was getting 2.4s and now I'm getting 2.2s. What did I change? New tires (Yokohama Avid V4), new struts all around, adjusted tire pressures, and a higher launch rpm. I know I can do better with traction (I'm still spinning quite bit and getting hop).
All I can say I practice, don't dump the clutch nor ride it, experiment with tire pressures, and MAKE SURE your tires and suspension is good!!! I'm hoping for some 2.0s on some BFG drag radials when I feel rich. That might get me close to some 14.3s with less mods than Jeff Ks old 95 Max.

Dave

 

i was just wondering how many gears the max can spin the tires at in the 5speed. I have a 95 auto and have never seen a 4th generation try. This may be a stupid question but it helps me in wanting a 5 speed-haha

 

I shift at 2,500 to 3,200 RPM depending on the circumstance and gear under normal driving conditions. As the gears get higher, I shift a little lower on the RPM range. I feel a better shift if I go lightly on the gas and let the engine speed rise slowly then shift, rather then punching the gas and shifting as the needle is still rising. I drop my mazda cars into neutral without the clutch from time to time. But I don't do it in my accord or maxima. It just doesn't feel right in the latter two. The mazda clutches are perfect, they are the easiest cars to drive. The accord requires you to tap the gas a little before engaging the car in gear (with the really low clutch). In the Maxima, I lift up on the clutch before I tap the gas (with a relatively high clutch).

 

i shift so aggressively that i need a new motor each time i hit 4th gear.

 

You really don't even need to use the clutch after 1st or 2nd if yoiu don't want to. One time I broke my leg and couldn't step on the clutch so I just dryshifted it almost the whole way home. after that experience I've gotten pretty good at it even though it can be bad for your car you gotta do what you gotta do.