I just rejoined the Mustang crowd with an 06 Tungsten Gray V6 manual. I'm pretty new to the manual, so I have a question or two.
*Why is reverse so hard to lock in? I got in the car, pushed in the clutch all the way, turned it on, and tried to put it in reverse and it just wouldn't go. I ran it through first and second, then put it in reverse (finally). Is there something I don't know about the manual transmission that I need to here? *How smooth should my shifts be? Obviously third through fifth are fine, as I'm already moving along decently. First and second are a bit notchy because of their shortness I guess. How much clutch slip is OK without burning up the clutch? Sometimes I rev it around 1k-2k rpm and slip it into 1st, other times I try to let it lock in more before I give it some gas. *Second is a little catchy as well. Should I be giving it some gas while letting out the clutch to "match up" my RPM, or should I just be letting out the clutch slower? Again, I'm afraid of burning up the clutch if I let it slip too much.
I know these are some newbie questions, but hopefully you guys can give me loads of pointers. I'm also going to see if my brother can go out with me and kind of tell me what I should/shouldn't do since he has driven manuals a lot.
So far I really like the control of the manual a lot more than the auto. I think it fits me best. Definitely in a Mustang!
for reverse. just let your foot slowlyoff the brake so you roll abit, and th gear should go in
and for the clutch slipping.. dont worry about it , unless you drive like my sister,your clutch will alst your forever, drive it howyouw ant,and youll learn to drive it toyour cars style and youll just get smoother fromthere
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05 V6 black,std, red int alpine CD9835 10" rockford P2 directedaudio x2600 amp xenon rear window scoops eibach pro-kit Dual GT take offs
for reverse. just let your foot slowlyoff the brake so you roll abit, and th gear should go in
and for the clutch slipping.. dont worry about it , unless you drive like my sister,your clutch will alst your forever, drive it howyouw ant,and youll learn to drive it toyour cars style and youll just get smoother fromthere
Thanks for the reverse tip. I was wondering if the car needed some motion first to sort of "loosen" the gears up from being parked in first.
I'm going to be keeping this car for a long time, so I wanted to make the clutch last as long as I could before it burned up. Thanks for the tips.
Manual gears are tight with a new car. I found the new mustang (I have an 05 manual) very tight but they loosen up with a little time so soon they will be perfect. First to second I found very short, something I had to get used to. As for clutch slip, I pretty much let it lock in before giving it gas (give a little gas as not to stall the car) the less cluch slip the longer it will last. I let the clutch out till it starts to grab and pause there for a second, then give it gas while letting it out the rest of the way. As for reverse I still sometimes have a moment or two slipping it in. I had a Jetta that was the same, maybe it's just the way it is with reverse, I don't know but your not alone. Hope this helps.
for reverse there is protection built in the tranny...you have to wait 3-4 seconds after coming out of 1-45before you can put it reverse...sounds wierd but it's actually in the manual
Manual gears are tight with a new car. I found the new mustang (I have an 05 manual) very tight but they loosen up with a little time so soon they will be perfect. First to second I found very short, something I had to get used to. As for clutch slip, I pretty much let it lock in before giving it gas (give a little gas as not to stall the car) the less cluch slip the longer it will last. I let the clutch out till it starts to grab and pause there for a second, then give it gas while letting it out the rest of the way. As for reverse I still sometimes have a moment or two slipping it in. I had a Jetta that was the same, maybe it's just the way it is with reverse, I don't know but your not alone. Hope this helps.
Yeah, that helps. Thanks! I imagine they'll loosen up a little. 1st to 2nd is pretty short. I couldn't imagine having 4.10 in there.
I'll go get some more practice in. :) How much "jerk" is in your shifts? I'm trying to make it smooth as I can, but I don't want to make it smooth at the cost of my clutch, you know?
for reverse there is protection built in the tranny...you have to wait 3-4 seconds after coming out of 1-45before you can put it reverse...sounds wierd but it's actually in the manual
I found out the emergency brake crutch is more harmful than helpful. I used it on a hill today (first time) and completely choked the car down - twice - because I didn't give it more gas to get it moving through the lightly applied emergency brake.
I'm such a back manual driver, ha! I thought I'd try the emergency brake thing, and I'm sorry I did. That's harder than just letting it slip a little extra and going on up the hill I think. I'm not going to learn to do it that way - that'll just hurt me as far as learning goes.
When you guys clutch, do you leave your heal of your left foot on the ground and pivot the clutch in and out, or do you use your whole leg? I get a smoother shift somehow using my whole leg sometimes. Beats me how that happens - I'd think that would be less reliable.
< Message edited by Explaced -- 7/6/2006 12:54:08 PM >
Posts: 206
Joined: 4/27/2006 From: ST Louis, MO Status: offline
This is my first manual and love teh feal of it.
1st and 2nd are a little tuff but i heard that the manuals have a heavy duty clutch. You will get use to it to find that perfect point with the gas/clutch ratio.
I use my entire leg and use the entire play of the clutch to the floor. But I am new to manuals so take it at that!
I only have 3k on mine and lovin every second of my 6 minute drive to work.
Ok first off, to all of you, reverse grinds for 2 reasons, (1) its the only non synchronized gear in the trans, that means there is no gear speed equalization. (2) Its a spur/straight cut gear, thats why itll grind sometimes when putting it in gear. Best thing Ive found is just to put it into reverse before you even start the car. As for how I use the clutch, I use my whole leg, Im also pretty tall though. As for the best way to get going, just pump the gas rather than "apply" it, and release the clutch slowly. -P.
pump the gas? I end up lurching, or it appears that I am lurching, what it is, is that the throttle is so sensitive, that a very slight pulse in the gas pedal causes me to lurch at high speeds...have to totally let off the gas when I do this....
use your whole leg...when you do, you use your thigh muscle and hamstring, which are the strogest muscles in your body, as opposed to just your calf.....you get better control and smoother action on the clutch
Ok first off, to all of you, reverse grinds for 2 reasons, (1) its the only non synchronized gear in the trans, that means there is no gear speed equalization. (2) Its a spur/straight cut gear, thats why itll grind sometimes when putting it in gear. Best thing Ive found is just to put it into reverse before you even start the car. As for how I use the clutch, I use my whole leg, Im also pretty tall though. As for the best way to get going, just pump the gas rather than "apply" it, and release the clutch slowly. -P.
Reverse isn't grinding for me - it just wouldn't go into it.
Edit - Does anyone else have a habit of "leaning forward" when letting out the clutch to fight the forward movement? I do it and don't even realize it until it's already done. Feels stupid! Trying not to do it anymore. It reminds me of a heron stretching it's neck out.
< Message edited by Explaced -- 7/6/2006 3:21:10 PM >
dontlistento the manual lol its dumb, clutch in say your in first.. because your clutch is in and yourin gear, and your stoped, that means your transmission isnt turning lol.. go for reverse lol, the only chance is doesnt let you go in is because the teeth of the spur gear are linedup, so release the brake and then push her in the reverse gear
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05 V6 black,std, red int alpine CD9835 10" rockford P2 directedaudio x2600 amp xenon rear window scoops eibach pro-kit Dual GT take offs
for reverse. just let your foot slowlyoff the brake so you roll abit, and th gear should go in
and for the clutch slipping.. dont worry about it , unless you drive like my sister,your clutch will alst your forever, drive it howyouw ant,and youll learn to drive it toyour cars style and youll just get smoother fromthere
Lol blackfoot, wasnt it you that posted a while ago about your clutch slipping?
somebody posted a while ago that the reason it is hard to get into reverse is because it will not go in if it is on the right side of 3 and 4 for more than a second. Its some safety feature so you don't accidentally switch into reverse when cruising. So push it left then right into reverse. Works for me.
When shifting into first from a stop, is 1500-2500 RPM too high? I hold the gas in around that range (it varies because my foot's not used to the touchy gas pedal yet). I don't really 'pump' or 'rock' the gas, I just hold it somewhere in that range and slowly let out the clutch so I don't jerk the car.
Is that standard issue as far as driving a manual goes, or am I doing it wrong?
I saw it posted that this clutch is a heavy duty one. Is that information correct?
for reverse. just let your foot slowlyoff the brake so you roll abit, and th gear should go in
and for the clutch slipping.. dont worry about it , unless you drive like my sister,your clutch will alst your forever, drive it howyouw ant,and youll learn to drive it toyour cars style and youll just get smoother fromthere
Lol blackfoot, wasnt it you that posted a while ago about your clutch slipping?
lol yes lol, and the aftermarket clutch didnt come in because they thoughtmy car was an 04 lol!..but yeah mysister drove my car last year, (i would let her tkae little trips into town, soshe could feel cool :P) lol but what really killed my clutch is when i went on vacation and her boyfriend stole my car ( i charged him) he put 3500km onmy car, tires were half the life, and myclutch was near gone..
lol update,was i half writing this.. lol my sister got her second ticket lol doiing 65 in a 50 LOL.. 50$ ticket.. ive never had anytickets lol and she just got her licences too...
now im not gonna lie,imunder my moms name to cut prices down.. lol inmy name i wouldnt be able to afford my car.. my sister has the same deal.... my mom always threatened us that if we got a ticket we would lose that previage and be on our insurance.. she got two tickets and shes still under my mom.. she just laughs about it.. if iit was me, id be looking for a new home too :(
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05 V6 black,std, red int alpine CD9835 10" rockford P2 directedaudio x2600 amp xenon rear window scoops eibach pro-kit Dual GT take offs
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Manual transmission Questions - suggestions? - 
Definitely in a Mustang! 
Trying not to do it anymore. It reminds me of a heron stretching it's neck out.
