Hey all.

I love my 8, and I've driven standard for years, but my technique isn't that great. I tend to be jerkey when switching gears (esp 1-2, 2-3). I don't mind it at all, but it can be annoying for passengers (and i tend to spill a lot of coffee).

Right now I just gas off/clutch in, shift gears, clutch out/gas on.

Is there any technique you guys use for making the transitions between gears smoother?

 

I tend to pull the clutch out slowly and give it gas as I am letting it out.

 

how long have you been driving stick??? this is basic, dont drop clutch...find where it engages and just try to ease on the gas while slowly letting the clutch out. the key is to be smooth. btw when you let your clutch drop like that and you feel the jerk you are hurting your clutch so try to be smoother

 

gas off slower, gas on slower

 

slip the clutch a bit more till you're aware of the rpm and engagement points...

once you know where your rpms need to be, if you rev match, your shifts should not be jerky.

 

If I'm riding passenger in a sports car, and the driver can't drive a standard smoothly even though he's been driving a standard for years, I will politely ask to pull over and let me out.

Don't you have any friends that can help you learn how to do this? You could read here until your blue in the face, but you need someone to show you how to do it. Let them drive your car and show you... and don't go to your Uncle Larry because he's driven a truck all his life. Find somebody that really knows how to drive a sports cars.

 

for cruising around I find if you shift around 4-4.5k, its very smooth
give that a try--worked for me

 

yeah when letting out the clutch find that "sweet spot" and give it gas at the same time and htat will make it smooth but EVERYONE will have a shift that is jerky once and awhile that is just because nobody is perfect(even though I"m sure many of you after this post will say different) haha

 

To make it smooth on an up shift should be easy, but I can't tell what you're doing wrong without seeing you drive. Be sure you are giving it a little gas while engaging the clutch. If you are letting the clutch out before pressing the gas that might be it. You should be pressing down on the gas at the same time as you are engaging the clutch.

Being smooth on the down shift is trickier. You may need to rev match the engine to the transmission by hitting the gas to spin the engine up to where it needs to be for the lower gear. You could also learn to double clutch, but almost no one does that anymore, though it's cool and can save wear on the clutch.

 

but double clutching is not needed during everyday driving becuase now a days there is such things as synchronizers but I do agree double clutch does make it feel to slide into gear alot smoother...

 

how fast are you acceleratiing? the crazier you driver the crazier the shifts will be.

 

I feel your pain. This is my first m/t vehicle and being a sports car it has been a learning experience. For me I find going by feel instead of being overly watchful of the rpm's is the key. Just find the sweet spot in the clutch and learn to move as smoothly as possible.

 

just take it slow, the slower your shifts the better the ride

 

honestly man take it to the point of stauling out and then to pop the clutch in at around 4500

work in both directions until you find the best shift point that works for you.

by the time your done you will have just shifted over 100 times in a 5 min span.

bam! your now able to shift. theres no way around actually practicign shifting and clutch technique.

later on would on double clutching, rev matching, and down and up shifting around corners.

 

Go to an empty parking lot.
Put her in first then press the clutch down and let it go very slowly. You could almost feel the car move forward when you feel it, start adding gas as you let off the clutch.
I think thats whats suppose to happen...

 

Thanks for all the replies. I figured it had to be me not giving it enough gas as i let the clutch out. It's not really that bad generally - I'd like it to be as close to automatic shifts as possible (very smooth).

 

i hear you on that, but getting to the point of an automatic takes many years of practice. many many many.

 

I have been driving a MT for over 4 years and I still have bad shifts every now and then

 

this drivetrain drops revs more quickly than most cars, so that's why it can be herky-jerky. either let the clutch out more slowly or apply throttle more quickly.

 

and shift quickly before the revs drop too much.

 

Been driving stick for about 6 months now. Im still getting better at it day by day. Give it time.

 

Practice is the key .......................... When I started I did the jerky dance too.....

 

I've been driving stick for..geez, 3 years now? I still have times like you. Takes quite a long time of practice!

 

My boss (female) came to town for a local visit, so I'm doing the driving - we had a nice discussion about cars, bosslady owns a Civic DelSol back home, and just loves it.

When we get to our destination bosslady says 'this is an automatic, right?'

I say no, six-speed and point to the (fairly obvious) shifter.

Then she says her Civic is really jerky when it shifts, so she just assumed my '8 was an auto.

Really hard not to bust-a-gut laughing right there.....

S

 

^Oh wow lol Why not show her how to use the stick the right way