a greenhorn needs some advice
 

hi guys,
i have just happend to be an owner of my 8 in Dec 2006. just like a dream come true.
i used to ride my MX-6. I found that much easier to handle. may be the clutch is still new and the torque is notoriously low. I have always stalled when starting at slopes.

Any advice as to how to drive the 8 in a proper way so as not to damage it.

thanks

If you are still not used to the clutch, on hills you can use the e-brake:

a) Hold it up with the button pressed
b) Start to engage the clutch with gas
c) As the car begins to move, lower the e-brake (with the button down the whole time)

After a while, you should learn the friction point and know how high/fast to rev before releasing the clutch. This should not stress the car much. Learn FAST. I hope this helps.

If I read your post correctly, it sounds like you are stalling your RX-8. If that's the case, be aware of the flooding problem with our cars. You risk flooding the engine when you turn it off before it fully warms up. This risk increases in cold weather. Search the forum and you will find a whole slew of threads on this subject.

Cheers

yes and no. yes, there is a chance that could happen but the car warms up pretty quickly and if he has the new battery and plugs this shouldn't be a main concern. i think learning to drive the car properly (and i mean absolutely no disrespect to samsonyip with that comment) and knowing the engage point of the clutch is really the only concern here. all cars are different and it's just a matter of learning the intricacies of each. the e-brake method is probably the easiest to learn and start to understand the car until it feels more natural and then you no longer need that.

thank you

drive fast and furious then you won't have a problem shifting.

One thing I noticed early with my 8 is that you need a few more revs when starting from a start. It has a small displacement, not much torque, good horsepower. Just rev it more and keep feeding it the gas. If the tires chirp or spin, you did it right.

You can try Stepping on the gas more before you let off the clutch.. and the rocket will take off.

I had this same problem, too. This is my first manual tranny car, so the way I go from a stop is most definately bad for my clutch, but it might help you get a feel for the car...

Just rev up somewhere between 2-2½ with the clutch all the way down. Then just ease off the clutch at a medium pace. I can conveniently time it so that by the time my foot is all the way off, the revs are right at 1k (just above idle, which is good.... I think). From there, just drive it normally ;)

Another way to get the feel of using a clutch is to find some level ground with nobody around, like an empty parking lot. From a stop, let the clutch up slowly and see if you can get rolling without pressing the accelerator. Then try it with a little throttle, then a little more. That will give you a feel for when the clutch bites. You kind of add throttle as the clutch bites and threatens to slow the engine.

Revving it high before letting the clutch up will get you going, but puts extra wear on the clutch and does not train you in how the clutch engagement feels.

Oh - and keep away from anyone who tries to teach you by using phrases like "scissor action" or mechanical descriptions like "Imagine two rotating cymbals."

Ken

Any time you change cars it takes a little time to completely get used to the clutch, they're all different. In short order I'm sure you'll be finding the sweet spot without thinking about it. I wouldn't worry about it too much.

redline it frequently.

9k a day keeps the carbon away :wiggle:

-Cody
:smoker: