Tips for shifting?

[Earnhardt132000]

I just got a '96 Firebird with the M5 trans. Whenever I put the car on the road, it will be my first time ever driving a manual on the road (I'm 16). I've used a 4spd in a little '92 Ford Fiesta, but the clutch was so bad on that thing, and I could only get it in second in my yard. So I'm looking for some tips to use when shifting on the streets. Here are some categories you could use...

Reverse
Into first gear
Past first gear
Slowing down (but not stopping)
Stopping
Parking
Passing

Thanks for any input, I hope I don't screw up the clutch the first year [img]graemlins/slap.gif[/img] .

[99v6cam]

Ok, I know exactly what you're going through... The thing I used to always do is come off the clutch too fast when I felt that it was catching. Just slow and easy all the way off the clutch. Slowing down and not stopping, pop it in nuetral and cruise till you start going again then just put it in the proper gear, slow off the clutch and you're off. Do the same for stopping, jus pop her in nuetral, it saves gas. I thought I'd kill my clutch the first year too but now I think it's gonna last quite a while. Hope this helped. Oh yeah, reverse when I first started, just put it in reverse and just come extremely slow off the clutch and you will eventually idle backwards :) And yes, you can idle with a manual tranny, just extremely slow off the clutch and cruise... Hope I helped!

EDIT: P.S. If you stall don't get pissed it will only make it worse. Everyone stalls when they first start...EVERYONE!

[V6Bob]

A couple of things.

When you let out the clutch from a dead stop, you don't do it at a constant rate. When you feel it start to grab, slow down the rate at which you're letting it out. It's almost a pause. Also give it a bit more gas at that point.

If it feels like it doesn't want to go into reverse, put it in neutral and let the clutch out and try again.

[Nathan]

The best advice that I can give with a manual tranny is that when you want to go into reverse is through it into 5th or 1st. We do not have a synchro "or at least one that works" for reverse so you need to slow down the tranny before reversing.
Just get use to throwing into another gear before going into reverse otherwise you will grind a lot.
I think that the F-body is a very good car to get use to a manual tranny. I love the way it feels and taught a few people how to drive a stick on my car. Good luck and have fun with it.

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

yeah if im just slowing down i push the clutch in and coast and/or brake as i need to, if leg gets tired i pop it in N and let clutch out then if traffic picks up i let out clutch or down shift to lower gear then go, ie i slowed to much for the current gear. or if i had it in N i just put it in the right gear and go

stoping, car goes in N and brake like your in a auto car, then put in gear and go when its your turn.

Stalling: don't panic all you have to do is push in the clutch and start the car. N does not do **** in a M5 so dont worrie about it, just phus in clutch start and go

Every one stalls, hell if im lazy i stall my car all the time cuz of my stage 5 clutch. lol most time my passengers dont even know i stall it there just like why you staring the car lol.

for stock motor

WOT shift points
1st - 0-34
2nd - 35-~60
3rd - 60- 90-95
4th - 95 to
5th - WOT is **** dont try

i have started in 3rd gear from a dead stop

rember thos numbers so if you are costing or need to drop a gear or to to pick up speed you dont drop to low and over rev the motor or dont drop to the best gear and bog :( lol it sucks

say you have your cueus set at 50-55 in 5th gear. and you need to pick up and kill rice or just mathc the limit. i drop to 2ND, now that not the onlny part, if you drop to snd and dot give the right amount of gas your going to test the seat belt and driving skill, (you can spin out b/c it tires to slow you down) you have to floor it when droping like that, and enjoy.. also make sure you g/f is not eat icecream or you'll be racing getting to 65-75 speed limit faster, with one eye. lol

hope this helps

[Earnhardt132000]

What does it mean if I stall it? Does it mean I'm not giving it enough gas or...? I tried a few times in my side yard, but I kept stalling (I backed it up easier though). After a few times, I just gave up and went 4wheeling. Luckily my quad has autoclutch, so I can just let off the gas and shift.

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by Earnhardt132000:
What does it mean if I stall it? Does it mean I'm not giving it enough gas or...? I tried a few times in my side yard, but I kept stalling (I backed it up easier though). After a few times, I just gave up and went 4wheeling. Luckily my quad has autoclutch, so I can just let off the gas and shift.

your letting out the clutch too fast and/or your not givving the gas for how fast your lieetting the clutch out

[ReodDai]

Wanna learn to shift? Find the point where your clutch catches. Sit in a parking lot.. slowly let out the clutch till the car pulls itself forward. You can even feel this occur when you have your foot on the break. When you feel this, let your foot off the break and give it some gas. The better you get the quicker you can do this untill you will know where the clutch catches out of instinct and can just shift like a madman.