Upshifting (part2)
08-14-2003, 11:10 PM
#1
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Upshifting (part2)
I have been posting a bit about getting my shift together, so to speak. 
Here's another...
I am going to get my dealer guy to take me out in a wrx stick, and go to some empty streets so I can get a little feel for it. He knows I'm still learning.
When driving my neighbor's Saturn recently, I could NOT get a smooth start without rattling the car violently. He said to get the revs higher, but I couldn't get it. Once I was moving, everything was ok, shift to 2nd no problem.
The other car I've driven, a Protoge, I've had no problem with.
A friend tells me Saturn clutches are sh**, it wasn't me.
So not wanting to scare my dealer, what's the sweet spot, rev wise, for a smooth easy launch?
Thanks again, as always- much appreciated!
Here's another...
I am going to get my dealer guy to take me out in a wrx stick, and go to some empty streets so I can get a little feel for it. He knows I'm still learning.
When driving my neighbor's Saturn recently, I could NOT get a smooth start without rattling the car violently. He said to get the revs higher, but I couldn't get it. Once I was moving, everything was ok, shift to 2nd no problem.
The other car I've driven, a Protoge, I've had no problem with.
A friend tells me Saturn clutches are sh**, it wasn't me.
So not wanting to scare my dealer, what's the sweet spot, rev wise, for a smooth easy launch?
Thanks again, as always- much appreciated!
08-14-2003, 11:54 PM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 194
Car Info: '03 Impreza WRX
In theory starting from stationary should be easier than shifting, in practice it's often tougher and any mistake you make will be more pronounced.
If you overgas it, you will lurch... undergas and you risk a stall - it's all about the biting point.
I haven't driven a Saturn so it's tough to use that as a reference but I find my Impreza likes the gas, so I'd err a bit heavy on the right foot if anything. Maybe 1000-1500rpm if you want to watch the guage... I do it by feel myself.
Rattling/juddering means you're not making the clutch/gas transition cleanly. Ideally you should bring clutch up and gas down till you reach biting point - maybe 1/3 up, 1/4 down but that's pure ballpark - then ease the clutch up the rest of the way, maybe pushing the gas a little more.
If you're struggling, try doing it slower and you should be able to feel when the clutch starts to engage and transfer power - biting point.
Every car is different, you just have to learn the general skills and then adjust to the specific car you're driving. Case in point, I drove my old Civic today after two weeks of driving only the Impreza - my shifting was off for the first few miles (and I drove that car for a good six years).
A couple of weeks ago, I reached the point where I could drive both fairly smoothly but my shifting was never quite as good as when I drove one or the other exclusively.
If you overgas it, you will lurch... undergas and you risk a stall - it's all about the biting point.
I haven't driven a Saturn so it's tough to use that as a reference but I find my Impreza likes the gas, so I'd err a bit heavy on the right foot if anything. Maybe 1000-1500rpm if you want to watch the guage... I do it by feel myself.
Rattling/juddering means you're not making the clutch/gas transition cleanly. Ideally you should bring clutch up and gas down till you reach biting point - maybe 1/3 up, 1/4 down but that's pure ballpark - then ease the clutch up the rest of the way, maybe pushing the gas a little more.
If you're struggling, try doing it slower and you should be able to feel when the clutch starts to engage and transfer power - biting point.
Every car is different, you just have to learn the general skills and then adjust to the specific car you're driving. Case in point, I drove my old Civic today after two weeks of driving only the Impreza - my shifting was off for the first few miles (and I drove that car for a good six years).
A couple of weeks ago, I reached the point where I could drive both fairly smoothly but my shifting was never quite as good as when I drove one or the other exclusively.
Last edited by bonkers; 08-14-2003 at 11:57 PM.
08-15-2003, 08:33 PM
#4
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Best advice I was given was to not think in black and white. You shouldn't hit the gas only and let go of clutch completely. Find the point where you let go of the clutch and the car starts to creep foward, then you have to slip the clutch while slowly giving some gas, then when the car starts moving give more gas and let go of clutch. Once going and off the clutch, shifting 1-2 you shouldn't pop the clutch, or let go so fast, ease off it to avoid jerkiness. Even for 2-3 you shouldn't really pop clutch. 3-4, 4-5 is very easy. HTH 
08-15-2003, 10:19 PM
#5
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Originally posted by bonkers
Every car is different, you just have to learn the general skills and then adjust to the specific car you're driving. Case in point, I drove my old Civic today after two weeks of driving only the Impreza - my shifting was off for the first few miles (and I drove that car for a good six years).
Every car is different, you just have to learn the general skills and then adjust to the specific car you're driving. Case in point, I drove my old Civic today after two weeks of driving only the Impreza - my shifting was off for the first few miles (and I drove that car for a good six years).
to jamester, i wouldn't worry too much. you're going to be rough for a few weeks or so while you learn. it took me a good 6 months to shift smoothly. i'm on month 2 of the wrx and i still lurch sometimes.
08-15-2003, 10:40 PM
#6
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Great advice guys, I totally understand.
I guess that's what's so "scary", trying out any new car you have to learn the clutch. And that takes a little time for a newb like me.
When my buddy test drove the rex with me, he said the clutch lets out very quickly off the floor, it surprised him a few times and he jerked it. He drives a new Altima, and says the clutch is almost half way out when it releases!
I guess that's what's so "scary", trying out any new car you have to learn the clutch. And that takes a little time for a newb like me.
When my buddy test drove the rex with me, he said the clutch lets out very quickly off the floor, it surprised him a few times and he jerked it. He drives a new Altima, and says the clutch is almost half way out when it releases!
08-16-2003, 01:47 AM
#7
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 194
Car Info: '03 Impreza WRX
It does get easier - the more you drive a stick, the smoother your shifting will become and the easier you will find adapting to other cars.
Going back to an auto isn't bad either, so long as you drive right-foot only - once you've trained your left foot to the clutch you don't ever want to use it for the brake again. (Driving an auto one-footed is a doddle after driving a stick, trust me)
When making that clutch/gas transition remember, better slow than jerky - you wont stall the engine by hovering on biting point. (Just don't sit at lights that way 'cos you wont do your clutch much good long term)
One more thing... avoid hill starts on your test drive - the possibility of rollback adds pressure to you and makes setting off that much more difficult.
If you can't avoid it, use the parking brake to keep you stationary while you find biting point and then release both the brake and the clutch.
(The ideal is that you sit in 1st with clutch in and brake pedal to hold you and then switch your right foot from brake to gas and find biting point before you roll back - needless to say that takes some practice!)
Don't be afraid to be a bit heavier on the gas for hill starts and much as I hate to say it, remember that a WRX doesn't have a lot of guts in 1st (least my wagon doesn't).
Going back to an auto isn't bad either, so long as you drive right-foot only - once you've trained your left foot to the clutch you don't ever want to use it for the brake again. (Driving an auto one-footed is a doddle after driving a stick, trust me
)When making that clutch/gas transition remember, better slow than jerky - you wont stall the engine by hovering on biting point. (Just don't sit at lights that way 'cos you wont do your clutch much good long term)
One more thing... avoid hill starts on your test drive - the possibility of rollback adds pressure to you and makes setting off that much more difficult.
If you can't avoid it, use the parking brake to keep you stationary while you find biting point and then release both the brake and the clutch.
(The ideal is that you sit in 1st with clutch in and brake pedal to hold you and then switch your right foot from brake to gas and find biting point before you roll back - needless to say that takes some practice!)
Don't be afraid to be a bit heavier on the gas for hill starts and much as I hate to say it, remember that a WRX doesn't have a lot of guts in 1st (least my wagon doesn't).
08-16-2003, 04:22 AM
#8
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Posts: n/a
I've only been driving a standard for about a year and a half and I've noticed a something while teaching a couple people how to drive it. (01 Tiburon)
As soon as it starts to bite in 1st they had a tendancy to let off the gas a bit and that seemed to be the main cause of jerky starts.
As soon as it starts to bite in 1st they had a tendancy to let off the gas a bit and that seemed to be the main cause of jerky starts.
08-16-2003, 07:27 AM
#9
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Originally posted by bonkers
Don't be afraid to be a bit heavier on the gas for hill starts and much as I hate to say it, remember that a WRX doesn't have a lot of guts in 1st (least my wagon doesn't).
Don't be afraid to be a bit heavier on the gas for hill starts and much as I hate to say it, remember that a WRX doesn't have a lot of guts in 1st (least my wagon doesn't).
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