Beginner manual drivers and tailgaters

[skyxx]

Originally Posted by jlenko

Pfft... you guys need motors that make torque sooner. I can't remember the last time I had to bother revving up to 3,000 rpm in my daily driver. I shift at like.. 1,500...

So true.

[J-Chow]

Originally Posted by jlenko

Pfft... you guys need motors that make torque sooner. I can't remember the last time I had to bother revving up to 3,000 rpm in my daily driver. I shift at like.. 1,500...

I used to shift at 1500 when I first bought my car. But I was getting passed by everyone, including grandpa/grandma and C-lais.

I think the most ideal RPM range to change between 1st and 2nd would be between 2000-3000. I would rarely go over 3000rpm unless I wanted to pass or needed to change lanes.

[k20a]

Maybe the car behind just has a lot of torque? haha jk.

[you!]

Originally Posted by illicitstylz

oh no sorry here's the clarification

60km/h, signal right, brake down to ~30, shift into neutral, coast into the turn, once i pass the apex i slip into 2nd gear and let it revmatch automatically.

i find that if i downshift to 2nd BEFORE i take the turn, i'm moving too slow but i guess it's better for my transmission and clutch.

ohh dude u shouldnt coast while in neutral before turns
what ur doing is like an accident waiting to happen..

[TripleXXX]

Originally Posted by tamazoid

I always watch out for those people when I'm on a hill... But I use my e-brake so don't roll back.

Practice makes it perfect, try parking on the hill and try to move you car up without backing down. I never use e-brake on a hill on a full stop because it makes harder moving the car up and only noobs does that.

[ziggyx]

Originally Posted by Blinky

Don't do this. Your car should always be in gear except at a dead stop. There might be some cases which you will want or need to exit the corner in a hurry. Incidentally, coasting in neutral is illegal as you don't have full control of your car. Finally, your technique could (could, not will) lead to ... adventures ... in low traction conditions.

Basic technique:

50kph . Signal, brake to cornering speed, shift down to second and let out the clutch fairly slowly. Both brake and clutch should be fully out/released before turn-in. Turn in and apply throttle as you exit the corner.

As you get comfortable with this, you can try stuff like heel-toe, but leave that for later.

+1

You should never put your car in neutral while moving.

As for the technique for right turns I do what Blinky says

[Zyzz]

buy a 100k car so u can shift to 2nd when u hit 50 km/h

[XtC-604]

Originally Posted by illicitstylz

hm i never thought about getting out of first gear at 2000-2500, i've always done 3k shifts for all my gears.

someone mentioned that you do ride the clutch when starting out from dead stop, it may be riding the clutch but i'm sure it's designed to take it to some extent.

how do you guys take your right turns?

signal, slow down, neutral, make the turn, slip the clutch into 2nd and let it revmatch automatically?

Well it depends on your car, for my s2000 i usually shift at about 3500rpms cause if i shift a 2800-3400 the car has like zero power in the next gear. And yes you do ride the clutch when you take off for some smooth starts.
When i right turn, i break, revmatch downshift and then accelerate as i exit.

[crazyazn]

Like others have said...revmatch before the turn...doesn't have to be heel toe...i rarely heel-toe normally only when im going pretty fast at a red light/turn.

[TOS'd]

All this right turning advice shit goes out the door when there is a pedestrian or traffic from the cross road. lol

[illicitstylz]

Originally Posted by ziggyx

+1

You should never put your car in neutral while moving.

As for the technique for right turns I do what Blinky says

how about rolling up to a guaranteed red light?

i've heard two different schools of thought.

1) braking in gear is bad hence better to put it in neutral and brake (if you know it's going to be a full stop for sure )

2) opposite of 1* (what ziggy said, to never put car in neutral while moving


....so can anyone clarify?

[ziggyx]

^ I don't see why they would tell you that braking in gear is bad. Otherwise would you always put it into neutral when you brake?

Are you sure they didn't say engine braking is bad?

Either way I say you should always have the car in gear (unless you are just being lazy at a red light and want to take your foot off the clutch). Other than that, I don't think you should be in neutral regardless if you are about to stop or whatever the reason.

If I'm wrong I would like to hear what others have to say.

[unit]

Originally Posted by jlenko

Pfft... you guys need motors that make torque sooner. I can't remember the last time I had to bother revving up to 3,000 rpm in my daily driver. I shift at like.. 1,500...

my car has torque, but 3k comes so quick in first that i usually shift around 3-4k daily driving. if i shift at like 1.5k that would be shifting within one second of starting, or at like 15kph or so.

dont you drive a cavelier?

[1990TSI]

so the first problem, you sound like a woman. Why is this a problem? because if you are a woman, you shouldn't be driving a car. Now bake me some delicious cake.

also, your logic is all wrong. you're shifting waaay too early. I just assume you're in a honda of some sort, and hondas make about 40ft lbs of torque and 110hp, but not until 8000rpm. If you shift before 4k rpm, you're making less than 3ft lbs, and that's why people are "tailgating" you.

The proper procedure is to rev the piss out of the car while stopped, watch the other directions traffic light for a yellow, and as soon as it hits red, drop the clutch and make sure the RPMs are over 9000. once the tires start to connect with the road, watch the speedo until it hits 60k and throw it back into 2nd, without the clutch (saves the clutch from wearing) and continue doing this until 5th gear when you hit over 9000 rpm.


Hope this helps!

[illicitstylz]

Originally Posted by 1990TSI

also, your logic is all wrong. you're shifting waaay too early. I just assume you're in a honda of some sort, and hondas make about 40ft lbs of torque and 110hp, but not until 8000rpm. If you shift before 4k rpm, you're making less than 3ft lbs, and that's why people are "tailgating" you.

is there actual truth to this.

i've been trying at 2500 and it's just about the same as doing it at 3000-3200, still getting tailgated.

and yes it's a honda (acura) d series engine.

[PDA_86]

Yeah, I don't quite understand. When I first learning manual from my dad, he told me to just brake at whatever gear your in and just simply shift to neutral as I watch the rev meter come down to about 900rpm to make a complete stop. Now that I'm a little familiar with manual and the clutch points on my car, I've learned to rev-match to decrease speed. But I still brake watching the revs come near 900rpm. A friend of mine tells me that it's unhealthy to the engine this way though, and it somehow wears the clutch down faster. I don't quite understand how this makes sense.

Anyone clarify this for me, please?

[hk20000]

Originally Posted by illicitstylz

is there actual truth to this.

i've been trying at 2500 and it's just about the same as doing it at 3000-3200, still getting tailgated.

and yes it's a honda (acura) d series engine.

If it's gonna be the same you might as well shift low. Why waste gas?

[skyxx]

Originally Posted by 1990TSI

so the first problem, you sound like a woman. Why is this a problem? because if you are a woman, you shouldn't be driving a car. Now bake me some delicious cake.

also, your logic is all wrong. you're shifting waaay too early. I just assume you're in a honda of some sort, and hondas make about 40ft lbs of torque and 110hp, but not until 8000rpm. If you shift before 4k rpm, you're making less than 3ft lbs, and that's why people are "tailgating" you.

The proper procedure is to rev the piss out of the car while stopped, watch the other directions traffic light for a yellow, and as soon as it hits red, drop the clutch and make sure the RPMs are over 9000. once the tires start to connect with the road, watch the speedo until it hits 60k and throw it back into 2nd, without the clutch (saves the clutch from wearing) and continue doing this until 5th gear when you hit over 9000 rpm.


Hope this helps!

[SpuGen]

If you're slowing down, or going down a hill:
Please engine brake to coast down, or use your brakes. Engine braking doesn't waste a drop of gas. Being in neutral does because it's "idling". And use your brakes. I hate it when some noob is neutral coasting and flying towards my car just to save a buck or 2.

Get off the damn clutch.
Unless you're shifting, or engaging a gear, stay off the clutch. You have no reason to be holding onto the clutch, and a few months later, you'll be making a thread on what clutch you should buy because you burnt yours to shit.
Rev match properly. Meaning actually tap the throttle when you're downshifting instead of pussy footing and riding the clutch to "slip" it into a lower gear. It's not hard.
Clutch in, select lower gear and blip throttle, let off the clutch. One fluid motion like upshifting but tapping the throttle in between.

Use the right gear.
If you're barely touching the throttle and you're moving, you're in the right gear. Lower RPM + Higher gear does not mean fuel economy. Not bogging your engine does.

That said:

This is what I did:
Signal for the turn, rev match to 2nd for right turns, and 3rd for lefts just before the turn.
Full throttle, weight transfer, kick the clutch, and full lock out.

But I was RWD and this made sense. You could do this in a Genesis, but not a Civic Si. lulz

[shenmecar]

Originally Posted by 1990TSI

so the first problem, you sound like a woman. Why is this a problem? because if you are a woman, you shouldn't be driving a car. Now bake me some delicious cake.

also, your logic is all wrong. you're shifting waaay too early. I just assume you're in a honda of some sort, and hondas make about 40ft lbs of torque and 110hp, but not until 8000rpm. If you shift before 4k rpm, you're making less than 3ft lbs, and that's why people are "tailgating" you.

The proper procedure is to rev the piss out of the car while stopped, watch the other directions traffic light for a yellow, and as soon as it hits red, drop the clutch and make sure the RPMs are over 9000. once the tires start to connect with the road, watch the speedo until it hits 60k and throw it back into 2nd, without the clutch (saves the clutch from wearing) and continue doing this until 5th gear when you hit over 9000 rpm.


Hope this helps!

LOL!

[ilvtofu]

Originally Posted by PDA_86

Yeah, I don't quite understand. When I first learning manual from my dad, he told me to just brake at whatever gear your in and just simply shift to neutral as I watch the rev meter come down to about 900rpm to make a complete stop. Now that I'm a little familiar with manual and the clutch points on my car, I've learned to rev-match to decrease speed. But I still brake watching the revs come near 900rpm. A friend of mine tells me that it's unhealthy to the engine this way though, and it somehow wears the clutch down faster. I don't quite understand how this makes sense.

Anyone clarify this for me, please?

I agree with your dad, it's more fuel efficient, and slowing down with your brake pads is most likely cheaper than using your gears and engine braking

[1990TSI]

engine braking costing gas?

weird. my car at high speed/ mid level rpms uses 0L/100 off throttle. in neutral it's pretty poor L/100

and brake pads are cheap!

[unit]

engine braking uses zero gas according to my car.
the moment you clutch in and put the car in neutral, you start using gas.

[Blinky]

the reason why one should shift down through to second before coming to a stop:
- you may want to move the car in a hurry when someone looks like they might rear end you.

As for "saving fuel" while coasting in neutral -- quite frankly you don't. On a modern fuel-injected car, an engine needs to burn fuel to idle, whereas the EFI system shuts down the injectors for an engine coasting down a hill in gear.

[ilvtofu]

oh right... modern cars