Need Help learning to drive a 5-spd

[Racer-X]

Hi, this is my first time posting on this or any forum... so, yeah I'm a newbie. Anyhow I'd appreciate any help or suggestions on driving my 5-spd Eagle Talon (yeah I know the question sounds stupid). I had to self teach my self how to drive 5 spd. because none of my friends have stick shifts (kind of unbelivable, I know).
I'm just now getting the hang of feathering the clutch but I do have some questions for those of you who drive stick:

- Is there anything thats really bad for the clutch or transmission that I should never do?

-When I slow down at a yeild sign, do I have to shift down since I'm just gonna speed up again?

-When in a traffic jam, and you do a lot of stopping and going do you put the car in nuetral and let on the gas alittle or should you just shift into first gear and go and stop?

-Do you have to let off the gas when shifting gears?

With as long as this looks, I won't be surprised if no one answers but if you do thanks for your help...

[FourG63 97GST]

Number 1 one of driving a stick, is Practice

number 2 is practice

guess what number 3 is?

so just go around the block couple times, then the neighborhood, and parking is good too.
you dont really want written rules, that will just break your concentration

I actually learned on the way home after i bought my car
stalled a few times, but its all good.

[JoeWagon]

I also learned 5spd while driving my car home right when i bought it, and didn't even stall OK i cheated using the ebrake when starting uphill though.

What FourG63 said is the best way to learn, but i wanted to answer a couple of your questions anyway...

the thing that wears clutches is slipping.. that's why the goal is to rev match before engaging the clutch in optimal situations. so the worst is slipping it real bad by say flooring the gas and engaging the clutch.. dont worry about doing anything wrong there on accident.

only downshift if your rpm's drop below a certain speed, as would make the car lag when you hit the gas.. (on my tsi, if it gets too far below 2k rpm it starts lagging) so if you think you'll slow down enough, downshift.

in a traffic jam i'd say use the clutch the least.. so by putting it into first at around 2k rpm and holding 2000ish so you arent going to have to brake a bunch.. if 2k rpm in 1st is too fast for traffic, put it in neutral at whatever speed you want to go at.

and lastly, yes you need to let off the gas when shifting gears. the goal in shifting should be (most of the time) to match revs before you engage.. if you dont let off the gas, your engine speed will be say 5000 rpm, and your drivetrain is at 3000, if you engage lightly you will slip the clutch and cause lots of wear, or engage abrubtly you will give yourself a jolt.

dont try to memorize what you want to do, just practice and it will all come to you better than i could say it. good luck

[Dude weres my dsm?]

#1: DO NOT rev the engine to high rpms and slowly let the clutch out, you will burn it up very quickly, ive already done this. Dont jerk the tranny around, Dont Dump (Let the clutch release compleatly) when you are at a stop w/o giveing it gas.

#2: You dont really have to down shift, just hold the clutch in, roll thru the sign and lets the clutch back out, now this is different if you were in 3-5th gear then yes you would have to down shift, but if you were in 2nd then probaly no unless you came to a complete stop.

#3: 1st gear and just stop and go, now if your gonna sit for a long time, out it in netural and pull the e-brake up and let off the clutch, this will improve te life of your clutch.

#4: Well for now yes, until you learn how to "Rev-Match" Rev matching is keeping the Rpms high when you shift lets say you redline in 2nd and want to go to 3rd, just hold the gas in and push the clutch down then shift and dump the clutch.

#5: Go drive around for a while and get the hang of it, i was the same way when i got mine lol, i stalled, but now i am good at it, it just takes time,

Good luck my fellow DSMer!

[JoeWagon]

Originally Posted by Dude weres my dsm?

Rev matching is keeping the Rpms high when you shift lets say you redline in 2nd and want to go to 3rd, just hold the gas in and push the clutch down then shift and dump the clutch.

Sorry but 'rev matching' is not dropping the clutch at high rpm...

it would be matching engine speed with the speed that your transmission is going so that you dont ruin your clutch action. (by doing what you said)

[Dude weres my dsm?]

omg lmao look at JoeWagon's sig, funny thing is, their both true