Normal for car to jerk in 1st when taking foot off gas?

[steve28h]

Hey everyone. I am wondering if it is normal for my car to jerk when I take my foot off the gas in 1st and proceed to push the clutch in so I can shift to 2nd? This is what happens. I take off in 1st and go to 2500-3000 rpm, then I take my foot off the gas and before I push the clutch in the car jerks?? Why is this? Am I not pushing clutch in fast enough? Should I keep my foot hovered on the gas slightly and then press clutch in (I tried this and car didn't jerk). Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

[six]

To answer your question, if you take your foot off the accelerator quickly while you are in first gear, the car will jerk in most cases because you transition from engine power to engine braking very quickly, and since first gear is so low, everything is amplified. The higher the RPM, the more pronounced the jerk. There are two ways to solve this: 1)Take your foot off the accelerator slowly; or 2)Press the clutch in before you take your foot off the accelerator, or do them both at the same time. An alternative way, once you get better, is to switch away from 1st gear as soon as your start moving (less than 1500RPM in most cases), and do all of your accelerating in 2nd gear.

[Squint]

An alternative way, once you get better, is to switch away from 1st gear as soon as your start moving (less than 1500RPM in most cases), and do all of your accelerating in 2nd gear.

This is my preference for average driving when not on a hill. I tend to switch away from first at or before 2000 RPM. If I'm on a hill or need to accelerate faster than normal, obviously that goes out the window.

[IMBoring25]

Especially in lower gears, any abrupt movements in the throttle pedal will result in abrupt motions of the vehicle. A manual doesn't have the fluid coupling of the torque converter to mask sloppiness.

Additionally, if you come all the way off the gas in this situation before you put the clutch in, putting the clutch in will cause a jerk as engine braking is abruptly removed.

[tankinbeans]

I have been known to wind out to around 3500 in first and haven't really noticed much of an issue. Of course usually I'm irritated and focusing on getting away from some mindless oblivioid in a transportation module applying her face, or stuffing his mouth, or performing "business" on his yacking device.

I used to pay attention to the farsical shift light supplied by Ford, but realized it's a pain in the Arschloh and doesn't pertain to everyday driving.

[steve28h]

To answer your question, if you take your foot off the accelerator quickly while you are in first gear, the car will jerk in most cases because you transition from engine power to engine braking very quickly, and since first gear is so low, everything is amplified. The higher the RPM, the more pronounced the jerk. There are two ways to solve this: 1)Take your foot off the accelerator slowly; or 2)Press the clutch in before you take your foot off the accelerator, or do them both at the same time. An alternative way, once you get better, is to switch away from 1st gear as soon as your start moving (less than 1500RPM in most cases), and do all of your accelerating in 2nd gear.

I'm going to try all three of these techniques. Thanks everyone for the help!

[Rope-Pusher]

Stop being such a Jerk...

I mean practice developing fine motor skills with your right foot such that tipping into and out of the throttle doesn't happen so abruptly.

Maybe go out in the back 40 acres of some parking lot and just spend some time driving around in 1st gear until you can transition it from drive to coast without the apple rolling off the hood of the car.

[Squint]

Maybe go out in the back 40 acres of some parking lot and just spend some time driving around in 1st gear until you can transition it from drive to coast without the apple rolling off the hood of the car.

HEY! That's not an Apple at all! That's a Dell!

And if you had done this, RP, it would have been a wood computer precariously balanced on the hood of your car.

[Rope-Pusher]

Maybe go out in the back 40 acres of some parking lot and just spend some time driving around in 1st gear until you can transition it from drive to coast without the apple rolling off the hood of the car.

HEY! That's not an Apple at all! That's a Dell!

And if you had done this, RP, it would have been a wood computer precariously balanced on the hood of your car.

Aw Contrary Mine Fiend.

This is Adele


And this is what would have slid off the hood of my car when I was learning to drive Amish.

[Squint]

I'm impressed at how quickly technology came along. I didn't realize the slide rule was that close historically to what I thought you grew up with...

[tankinbeans]

^^^

[six]

BURN

[PaintDrinkingPete]

To answer your question, if you take your foot off the accelerator quickly while you are in first gear, the car will jerk in most cases because you transition from engine power to engine braking very quickly, and since first gear is so low, everything is amplified. The higher the RPM, the more pronounced the jerk. There are two ways to solve this: 1)Take your foot off the accelerator slowly; or 2)Press the clutch in before you take your foot off the accelerator, or do them both at the same time. An alternative way, once you get better, is to switch away from 1st gear as soon as your start moving (less than 1500RPM in most cases), and do all of your accelerating in 2nd gear.

This is probably the most practical way to approach it...OP didn't specify what kind of vehicle it was, so it's tough to say if he's winding it up too high or not, but that would be my guess as well. For everyday driving on (relatively) flat surfaces, just think of first as a launching point, and once the vehicle gets moving, drop it into second gear almost immediately, which should provide a pretty smooth transition in most of today's modern vehicles.

I have been known to wind out to around 3500 in first and haven't really noticed much of an issue. Of course usually I'm irritated and focusing on getting away from some mindless oblivioid in a transportation module applying her face, or stuffing his mouth, or performing "business" on his yacking device.

I used to pay attention to the farsical shift light supplied by Ford, but realized it's a pain in the Arschloh and doesn't pertain to everyday driving.

Having owned quite a few manual transmissions vehicles in all sorts of shapes and sizes over the years, it could just be a matter of what you're driving. Whether or not you notice a "jerk" as described in the OP, can depend on the type of car/engine/transmission you have, the terrain you're driving on (uphill vs downhill), how quickly you're winding the engine up...just to name a few.

For example, I notice more severe engine breaking in first gear when driving in cold weather before the engine has heated up...if you live in a warm climate, you may have never noticed that.

[Squint]

To answer your question, if you take your foot off the accelerator quickly while you are in first gear, the car will jerk in most cases because you transition from engine power to engine braking very quickly, and since first gear is so low, everything is amplified. The higher the RPM, the more pronounced the jerk. There are two ways to solve this: 1)Take your foot off the accelerator slowly; or 2)Press the clutch in before you take your foot off the accelerator, or do them both at the same time. An alternative way, once you get better, is to switch away from 1st gear as soon as your start moving (less than 1500RPM in most cases), and do all of your accelerating in 2nd gear.

This is probably the most practical way to approach it...OP didn't specify what kind of vehicle it was, so it's tough to say if he's winding it up too high or not, but that would be my guess as well. For everyday driving on (relatively) flat surfaces, just think of first as a launching point, and once the vehicle gets moving, drop it into second gear almost immediately, which should provide a pretty smooth transition in most of today's modern vehicles.

I have been known to wind out to around 3500 in first and haven't really noticed much of an issue. Of course usually I'm irritated and focusing on getting away from some mindless oblivioid in a transportation module applying her face, or stuffing his mouth, or performing "business" on his yacking device.

I used to pay attention to the farsical shift light supplied by Ford, but realized it's a pain in the Arschloh and doesn't pertain to everyday driving.

Having owned quite a few manual transmissions vehicles in all sorts of shapes and sizes over the years, it could just be a matter of what you're driving. Whether or not you notice a "jerk" as described in the OP, can depend on the type of car/engine/transmission you have, the terrain you're driving on (uphill vs downhill), how quickly you're winding the engine up...just to name a few.

For example, I notice more severe engine breaking in first gear when driving in cold weather before the engine has heated up...if you live in a warm climate, you may have never noticed that.

^^ This.

And welcome back from your almost year long hiatus, PaintDrinkingPete.

[PaintDrinkingPete]

^^ This.

And welcome back from your almost year long hiatus, PaintDrinkingPete.

Thanks. I stop by every now and then...just don't post all that often.