Best manual driving tips

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by Meeni

True in theory, but I have done that for my entire life on multiple vehicles and never had to service a clutch on any of them, ever. And I do own them for a sizeable mileage everytime, as I do not like car payments. In more general terms, I never heard of throw-out bearing wear before coming to the US (and then witnessing that many people do not know how to operate a clutch and keep their feet on the pedal while driving, at which point it kind of made sense to me).

Fatigue is indeed an issue.

Ha, true, I've also never seen a worn out throw out bearing without larger issues to the flywheel or clutch.

But I never leave the car in gear with the clutch in at lights and have coasted for years, with good mileage and healthy spark plugs. I had my original clutch in my M Coupe at 143k miles when I sold it and have had numerous other cars with plenty of miles and no clutch issues.

The corollary is that on the track, I pretty much follow your stated rules, of always downshifting, always being in the lowest gear possible and staying on the power through turns, but I skip a lot of those in daily driving.

Hopefully this continues to be a valid conversation going forward, it sure feels like more and more companies are killing the manual option as the efficiency and magazine numbers sway towards two pedal setups. I will not give in.

[F32]

Originally Posted by Meeni

Never double clutch, it's useless since before WW2

Disagree. My late friend Jesse worked at a shop in LA and was very close with the owner, a successful builder and racer, named Dominic. They found through many trials and testing that double-clutching did in fact serve a purpose in a high performance driving situations.

[Crimson92]

Originally Posted by F32

Disagree. My late friend Jesse worked at a shop in LA and was very close with the owner, a successful builder and racer, named Dominic. They found through many trials and testing that double-clutching did in fact serve a purpose in a high performance driving situations.

What you did there.

I saw it.

[ashtaron14]

For me, smooth shifting also requires a good seating posture/position. The VW, just like my E90M, has a notoriously tall clutch engagement. Just sit a click or 2 further back and you should be instantly less jerky.

[son_of_siggy]

http://www.shortshifter.com/techniques2.htm

This technique will help avoid the money shift.

[TSM330i]

Originally Posted by F32

Disagree. My late friend Jesse worked at a shop in LA and was very close with the owner, a successful builder and racer, named Dominic. They found through many trials and testing that double-clutching did in fact serve a purpose in a high performance driving situations.

Not sure what purpose is if the gearbox is fully sychronized. The gears are already synchronized so double clutching doesn nothing but waste time. The only reason to double clutch is to get the gears to synchronize. If they are already, then there is no point.
BTW: I do race and the car I race is a 2008 335 with 9000 miles on it. About 8800 of those miles are from track driving. Neither myself nor any of my codrivers double-clutch and we've never had an issue with the stock gearbox. The car is Dinan tuned and makes about 400hp and 430ft lbs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_clutch

There is a very famous video of Aryton Senna driving the Japanese circuit in a Honda NSX (it shows his footwork). Many people think he's double-clutching when in fact he's just missing gears and not working the shifter properly since he wasn't very familiar with driving right hand drive cars.

[CJ421]

Good advice in this thread so far. Especially agreed about always being in gear.

I take people who want to learn manual to a level parking lot. First thing is getting the correct seating position (this video by Porsche is what I go by). Then I have the person take their shoes off and get the car moving with the clutch only ("no gas" launch). This is possible with any manual car. Having no shoes on teaches the exact point where the clutch engages.

Another tip is - keep your eyes ahead and don't look at the tachometer. Your shifts will be off if you're trying to react/anticipate the needle.

[F32]

Originally Posted by TSM330i

Not sure what purpose is if the gearbox is fully sychronized. The gears are already synchronized so double clutching doesn nothing but waste time. The only reason to double clutch is to get the gears to synchronize. If they are already, then there is no point.
BTW: I do race and the car I race is a 2008 335 with 9000 miles on it. About 8800 of those miles are from track driving. Neither myself nor any of my codrivers double-clutch and we've never had an issue with the stock gearbox. The car is Dinan tuned and makes about 400hp and 430ft lbs.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Double_clutch

Double-clutching and simultaneously not granny-shifting can make a difference of inches on the street or on the track. Ask any racer, any real racer...it doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning's winning. My other good friend Hector (I can't pronounce his last name) who races on the NIRA circuit always double-clutches and says it's the only way to go.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by F32

Double-clutching and simultaneously not granny-shifting can make a difference of inches on the street or on the track. Ask any racer, any real racer...it doesn't matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning's winning. My other good friend Hector (I can't pronounce his last name) who races on the NIRA circuit always double-clutches and says it's the only way to go.

Modern day gear boxes don't require double clutching. Forget what others say, find out for yourself.

[son_of_siggy]

Originally Posted by 3002 Tii

Modern day gear boxes don't require double clutching. Forget what others say, find out for yourself.

He was quoting Fast and Furious #1.

[3002 tii]

Originally Posted by son_of_siggy

He was quoting Fast and Furious #1.

Lol surprised peiple even reference that movie anymore, my mistake.

[weixp386]

Originally Posted by Meeni

Never double clutch, it's useless since before WW2


Do not run high RPM to start (except if you want to launch, but that's not driving manual, that's taking a race start, keep it for when you know what you are doing).

Idealy, your RPM should not move when you start.

With one foot, you give a bit of gas (very little), with the other you release the clutch. Think like you are transferring weight from one of your knees to the other. RPM should remain steady around 1k1, 1k2.

There is a point mid-travel of the clutch pedal where the car doesn't more yet, but is on the very edge. You can keep the car still with 1k rpm at that point. It is the slipping point.

Train yourself to find and stay at slipping point (not for extended period of time, it does damage the clutch disk to stay too long).

Once you are confortable with this, you can make a nice clean start:
* get to slipping point
* apply just a bit more gas gently
* release slowly but steadily the clutch pedal (about 1s total)
* you are going forward, the RPM needle should not have moved much, and you have made a clean slow and steady start
* do not leave your foot on the clutch pedal, put it on the footrest (it does damage the clutch to ride it).

To engage next gear:
* lift from the gas pedal and depress the clutch (quickly) at the same time
* engage next gear
* disengage clutch quickly (no need to slip much, except maybe going to 2nd gear, just make 2nd gear deliberate slow, but no need to care much about it)

Downshift:
* brake with right foot (always, left foot braking is better left at the track, heel-toe is advanced technique and albeit fun, totally unnecessary for street driving)
* Be sure to be under 3k rpm (if not, do not downshift, or use heel-toe, but you should be on a track course with instructor at this point)
* depress clutch
* engage lower gear
* optional: give just a bit of gas (this is where heel-toe gets useful)
* release clutch leaving it slip just a bit

Never coast with no gear engaged.

You do not want to have to play with the gearbox or clutch while inside a curve. It unsettles the car. Engage the appropriate gear for your exit speed before the turn in.

This is everything you need to know. +1

[Twix]

I've seen throw out bearings fail. Usually from the driver resting their left foot on the pedal while driving.