driving a manual - what and what not to do

[corn_flakes]

ok ok, here's a super n00b thread...

so, i'll start off by saying that i CAN drive manual....i manage fine, but i am no pro at it...

my current car is an 06 accord euro, manual...it's my first honda, and my first manual car that i've owned...

one of the main questions i want to ask is....what are the big things not to do when driving a manual.....in particular, wearing out the clutch...

i know ppl have different driving habits in a manual, so i just want to hear how and what u all do....


feel free to also discuss other driving techniques such as heel and toe clutching (something i will try one day to master)...



to start it off, i'll ask this question.....

situation: driving towards a small normal surburban intersection to turn left....as i exit the turn i would obviously be in 2nd gear....on approach to the turn i am still in 2nd gear (as it was only a short initial distance to the intersection so i wouldn't be in a higher gear as i'm not travelling that fast)....

question: what i do is as i approach the turn (already in 2nd gear), i depress the clutch so that the engine doesn't 'shudder' or 'jump'.....and release it slowly as i exit the corner.....

who else does this??

other things i've seen ppl do is change to 3rd to avoid that 'engine braking/pullback, and then change to 2nd gear on exiting the corner....i don't see a use for this as it just wears out the clutch more, right??

another thing is ppl clutching it, shoving it into neutral, turning, then clutching again back into 2nd...

so yeh, what method do u guys use? does rolling the car with the gear still in and the clutch fully depressed (so like u're in neutral) hurt the car or anything?


lol, help out this newbie to everyday manual driving...

[twing]

question: what i do is as i approach the turn (already in 2nd gear), i depress the clutch so that the engine doesn't 'shudder' or 'jump'.....and release it slowly as i exit the corner.....

who else does this??

Depends if the corner has stop/give away sign. I'll switch to 1st gear if there is.

If there is none, slowdown to 2nd gear prior corner. No clutching needed when cornering. I don't think it will jump if you press the throttle softly.

[jackosimm]

If your keeping it in second, as your releasing the clutch get onto the throttle a little bit and increase it as your releasing the clutch, make any sense lol?

[Zdster]

This sight might help:

http://www.10w40.com/individual/100186.asp

[Integra]

practice makes perfect!

[si92]

I dont know if its write either man but wat i usually do is slow down with second and stay in second up to the corner. If its taking too long and the car starts to shudder i dont ride the clutch i just clutch in fully. And i would go down to first and then take off.
I think if the car is shuddering in 2nd gear there is no point letting it out slowly cause ur obviously dont have enough speed to be going in 2nd so unless your going to accn then and there u have to go down 2 first gear and then take off again.
Make any sense.?

[simbadda54]

u cant stall on 2nd so no need for clutching at a turn unless u are going like 10kmh in which case u would have changed to 1st anyways.

[mrwillz]

jus as long as u come to a full stop in 2nd!
but i leave it in gear 2 thru a turn usually... it does 'shudder' a bit.. jus try not to slow down to like <5km/h

[FR33K]

you shouldnt really drive the car in neutral let alone turn corners..
that includes rolling down hills..
it can be dangerous

[aaronng]

This is a very good thread as people who just started driving manual can pick up good driving tips from the others. There might even be a few oldies who have been driving manual wrongly who can benefit!

to start it off, i'll ask this question.....

situation: driving towards a small normal surburban intersection to turn left....as i exit the turn i would obviously be in 2nd gear....on approach to the turn i am still in 2nd gear (as it was only a short initial distance to the intersection so i wouldn't be in a higher gear as i'm not travelling that fast)....

question: what i do is as i approach the turn (already in 2nd gear), i depress the clutch so that the engine doesn't 'shudder' or 'jump'.....and release it slowly as i exit the corner.....

who else does this??

If it is a left filter, I don't press the clutch. If there is a stop sign or a give way, I slow to a stop and press the clutch in (before the engine stalls). Check for traffic and go off in 1st. If it is a junction without signs where you can only turn left or go straight, then I stay in 2nd, don't press clutch and carefully take the corner, in case someone is crossing the road. 2nd gear is good for 15km/h. I rarely go back into 1st gear to corner.

other things i've seen ppl do is change to 3rd to avoid that 'engine braking/pullback, and then change to 2nd gear on exiting the corner....i don't see a use for this as it just wears out the clutch more, right??

To me, it seems to be pointless as you can maintain light throttle to stay at the same speed in the corner. In addition, the amount of fuel saved in that 3 seconds is almost insignificant compared to avoiding a heavy throttle take off at the lights.

another thing is ppl clutching it, shoving it into neutral, turning, then clutching again back into 2nd...

Never do this. Don't take corners with the clutch in or in neutral. If you MUST do this, don't go into neutral. Leave it in 2nd and hold the clutch in. Blip the throttle to rev match before releasing the clutch.

so yeh, what method do u guys use? does rolling the car with the gear still in and the clutch fully depressed (so like u're in neutral) hurt the car or anything?

Nope, doesn't wear out anything other than the thrust bearing. And revving the engine with the clutch in puts more wear on the bearing than the act of taking the corner with the clutch pressed in.

What I do is as I approach the corner in 5th gear, 50km/h, I downshift by blipping the throttle (rev matching) to 4th, 3rd and then 2nd. You can go from 5th to 3rd as well, but it's more difficult to blip the right amount of thottle from the 5th to 3rd. I take the corner in 2nd like normal. If 3rd doesnt' stall the engine, I also take the corner in 3rd.

Rev matching preserves the clutch. When you press and release the clutch, do it in one swift and smooth motion. Of course, if you lift your foot off the clutch too quickly, then it'll be jerky. So do it swift and smooth. It takes about 1/4 a second for me to lift my foot of the clutch. It's fast, but not brutally fast.

Heel-toeing is difficult to do smoothly at low revs. It's best suited for 4000rpm downshifts, which is very rare, unless you are breaking a few traffic rules.

I'll let the others reply first before I go into my heel-toeing technique.

[matt]

adding to what aaronng said about the thrust bearing, try not to be stopped at lights etc with the clutch depressed wainting to go as this will also wear the thrust bearing.

also dont drive along with your hand on the shifter as this can wear various parts in the gearbox prematurely.

[corn_flakes]

yeh well i've driven manual since 2002 when i got my P's...i've just never owned an everyday car that was manual though...

but yeh, the only odd thing with me now is the cornering...

i'm talking about making a left turn when u don't have to give way to anyway...

i usually never go back to 1st coz it's just too fast for that gear....when i corner i'm always in 2nd gear...

the only weird thing i have is on approach to the corner (while still in 2nd gear coz i'm going slow), i sometimes depress the clutch a little bit to avoid that 'engine braking' on approach to the corner....and to avoid the 'engine shudder' on exit of the turn....

i've always driven like this and see it as the most practical thing to do...just wondering what others do that's all