It was mentioned in another thread that it's poor technique to push the clutch all the way to the floor when shifting. Is that correct? I was experimenting on my way home from work today, and I noticed I can shift with the clutch just barely pushed in without any burning or grinding. Is that better?

Also, it was mentioned that it's poor technique to keep the clutch in at a stop sign. Okay, at a stop light I throw it in neutral and let the clutch up. But at a stop sign, I keep the clutch in during the entire stop. What's better?

I guess by better, I mean what promotes the clutch, throw-out bearing, etc. lasting a long time?

 

I dunno if its poor, but I feel more comfortable knowing its in so I can sshift faster and not grind. Whenever I don't push it all the way in, I end up grinding sometimes. I hate it.

 

Well if you're not fully engaging your clutch, you are putting more stress on the catch point, and you will burn your clutch out quicker.

 

I push my clutch in all the way when shifting. You just have to know the shift point so that you can let off the clutch properly.

 

I'm not sure what pushing all the way down could hurt. If there was some reason to have less travel, it would be built that way, don't you think? I've always pushed the clutch all the way, to make sure it's fully disengaged. Much more problematic to fail to fully disengage the clutch, imho.

 

With a beautiful RX8, I dont take any chances. i would rather just drive stick the way I always have and be comfortable know nothing bad is gonna happen.

 

umm.... where did u get this? pushing the clutch all the way in does not hurt... it was designed that way... pushing the clutch not fully in will HURT the clutch...

 

It's all guesswork- if you're not fully depressing the clutch pedal you're guessing (with feedback from the clutch slipping/engine revving) the point the clutch disc has disengaged the flywheel. Guys that are really good at drag racing learn to feel this point of partial engagement and to help speed shift. I was pretty good at my Miata... but I'm not willing to burn through the clutch in my 8 that way.

 

The cones seem good in the 8 - you can do clutchless upshifts if you want. It's a question of making sure road speed matches engine speed when you go into the next gear. I've done it once to prove the gearbox was a good'un, but I don't plan to do it again, since it only saves you about a millionth of a second.

Going from 9k to 6k when booting it you can really use a quick dab of the left foot, but any other time the flywheel is too heavy and the revs don't drop quick enough anyway.

 

not sure why those would be considered bad technique. I always push to the floor when shifting in any car, they way I know the clutch is all the way disengaged. I also always have the clutch pushed in all the way at a stop sign or red light, and in first gear. This was the way I was taught. At the red light or stop sign this allows me to get going a little fast since I don't have to push in the clutch and put it in gear when it is my turn or the light turns green. Oh and for the people doing clutchless shifts, please be careful doing it wrong is hard on a tranny, I know of a tranny that is wearing out very quickly because of this (it not a rx-8 tranny, it a very robust 3/4 ton pickup tranny), not telling you should or shouldn't just letting you, I do it in my truck, but not a whole lot, I am trying to get rid of the clutch in it because it needs a new one, fairly badly.

 

I for one would NEVER do a clutchless sift, first cause I've never done it nor how to, but mainly because it's insignificant gain can cause you a SIGNIFICANT LOSS of a tranny. It's just not worth it.

I push the clutch in to at least 85% of it's travel but I agree that it's probably even better to push it ALL the way down just in case. 85% works 99% of the time so that's what I normally do.

At a red light I take it out of gear and get off the clutch but at a stop sign I keep the clutch pressed so I can "slow and go" instead of comming to a complete and sometimes UESLESS stop...LOL, all cops sorry...but you know you do it too...

 

I let the clutch out at long stops (lights, nasty traffic) because it does not stress the clutch-release mechanisms.

 

So, am I the only one that goes 5mph in bumper-to-bumper traffic with the clutch not fully depressed?

 

Slipping the clutch is different than shifting....

At 5mph, you shouldn't need your foot on the clutch.

 

I'm new to driving a manual transmission, I push the pedal in all the way. When going slow, I let it slip a little. I feel bad because I know I'm burning the clutch when I do this. Lately, I've gotten the hang of either having it depressed or fully engaged when in traffic. I'm getting better, slowly...

Remember, it's cheaper to replace a clutch than your whole transmission. :p

 

I like this story:

A guy slows down at a stop sign, but doesn't stop. A cop pulls him over and asks him if he knew there was a stop sign. The guy says he saw it and slowed down, "what's the difference?" The cop responds, "I'm going to beat you with this stick, let me know if you want me to completely stop, or just slow down"

 

:D

that's awesome.

I completely engage the clutch when shifting- doesn't make that much difference in time and I don't find that I'm competitive in Auto-x to really worry about the tenths of a second that it will save me.

As for clutch in while at a stop- I completely go into neutral for every stop.

Also- in 5mph traffic. just leave it in 1st and leave the clutch alone- the car moves just fine.

 

Even when not pressing on the accelerator?

 

Correct, the car idles at about 6mph(really 3 due to inaccurate speedo?) in 1st and about 8mph in 2nd. It doesnt stall out as long as you're not dropping speed quickly.

 

Pressing the clutch all the way will not hurt it. Holding it in at a stop sing dosnt hurt anything, all it does is shorten the life off the throwout bearing, but not a noticable amout to care about. Besides its safer to have the clutch in and car in gear that way you can make a quick getaway if you need to. IE some moron comes up from behind to quick and you think he might hit you.

 

all the way to the floor kids