ideal rpm to get moving in first gear

[jhg1232]

Ive had my car (first manual) for almost 3 months now and im pretty much driving smoothly but one thing I have been wondering is
what is the ideal rpm to take off smoothly AND quickly without wearing out the clutch prematurely. Not excessively quick but not slow either. I find when I want to get moving
in first quickly and smoothly I usually rev it to around 1500rpm so I can also lessen the time I slip the clutch. I can get moving around 1100, 1200 but that takes me a little longer
and I dont want to slip it longer than I need to and hold up cars behind me at lights. Can revving excessively high put wear on the clutch because technically when your upshifting into higher gears at higher speeds the clutch pedal engages at around 2k rpms (50 mph 5th gear) which is like revving to 2krpm from a stop in first gear? or is this a wrong way to think of it?


also I have noticed when I accelerate in first gear and come off the throttle quickly to shift into 2nd, the shifter comes out very easily like itll pop out with a very slight nudge but if I accelerate in first and come off the throttle slowly then the shifter wont pop out of first as easily

i know its a long post any help is appreciated

[IMBoring25]

It is better to launch at lower RPM and get the clutch fully out as soon as possible, but you haven't listed an RPM that's really abusive and you have a basic idea of what you're trying to do. More advanced skills don't demand RPM to accelerate moderately...You use more throttle but move the clutch more quickly to compensate and the RPM doesn't go up much until the clutch is out. However, there's no need to obsess about it early on as long as you're aware of keeping RPM and clutch transit time down. You can frustratingly try to perfect it later.

No, shifting is not the same thing as launching. When you launch, everything downstream from the clutch is stopped, so the engine RPM is equal to the speed differential between the two sides of the clutch. When you're shifting, the wheels are turning, so the transmission is turning, so (when the transmission is in gear or hasn't spun down yet) the "back" side of the clutch is spinning. Minimum clutch action actually (usually) demands a non-idle RPM...One roughly equal to what the engine will be turning when the clutch is let out.

If you have the clutch all the way down before you start moving the shifter (and your clutch release system is working correctly) it shouldn't matter much to the shifter action what you do with the gas. But for the sake of discussion...For each vehicle speed and gear, there is a point in the travel of the throttle where you are neither accelerating the vehicle nor using engine braking. At that throttle position (at that speed and gear), there is no load through the driveline. If you disengage the clutch or reengage the clutch there will be no jerk. Even without the clutch, the shifter will slide in and out of (that) gear like butter (not recommended unless you're VERY sure what you're doing...I don't do it as a matter of course but knowing how came in handy to drive home when the clutch release system went out). If you want to drive smoothly, that's where you want the throttle when you move the clutch in or out (there's a timing element too but that's the basic idea).

[potownrob]

^What he said

it sounds like you're doing it right

[Squint]

IMBoring25 pretty much covered it. Feel free to ask if you have any questions or something doesn't make sense.

However, in regards to what you said...

...I can get moving around 1100, 1200 but that takes me a little longer and I dont want to slip it longer than I need to and hold up cars behind me at lights...

Don't worry about the other cars around you. They have the same responsibility that you do to not rear-end the vehicle in front of them. Yes, you don't want to be "that guy" in traffic, but accelerating a little slowly isn't the end of the world. Take your time to shift/drive properly and try to suppress that feeling that you need to rush for the people behind you. As you get more practice, everything will speed up and that concern will vanish.

You will never be the slowest vehicle on the road driving a car - there's always a loaded semi or SOMETHING else that people will also have to pass. They can deal with it (insert "Deal With It" gif here, my internet is being terrible at work today).

Have fun and feel free to ask any more questions.

[Rope-Pusher]

No, shifting is not the same thing as launching. When you launch, everything downstream from the clutch is stopped, so the engine RPM is equal to the speed differential between the two sides of the clutch. When you're shifting, the wheels are turning, so the transmission is turning, so (when the transmission is in gear or hasn't spun down yet) the "back" side of the clutch is spinning.

Is that like the back side of Mt. Rushmore?


Two halves maybe, but seeing how one half (Flywheel and Clutch Cover Assy) typically surrounds the other half (Friction Disk), eye wooden say two sides.

[jhg1232]

It is better to launch at lower RPM and get the clutch fully out as soon as possible, but you haven't listed an RPM that's really abusive and you have a basic idea of what you're trying to do. More advanced skills don't demand RPM to accelerate moderately...You use more throttle but move the clutch more quickly to compensate and the RPM doesn't go up much until the clutch is out. However, there's no need to obsess about it early on as long as you're aware of keeping RPM and clutch transit time down. You can frustratingly try to perfect it later.

No, shifting is not the same thing as launching. When you launch, everything downstream from the clutch is stopped, so the engine RPM is equal to the speed differential between the two sides of the clutch. When you're shifting, the wheels are turning, so the transmission is turning, so (when the transmission is in gear or hasn't spun down yet) the "back" side of the clutch is spinning. Minimum clutch action actually (usually) demands a non-idle RPM...One roughly equal to what the engine will be turning when the clutch is let out.

If you have the clutch all the way down before you start moving the shifter (and your clutch release system is working correctly) it shouldn't matter much to the shifter action what you do with the gas. But for the sake of discussion...For each vehicle speed and gear, there is a point in the travel of the throttle where you are neither accelerating the vehicle nor using engine braking. At that throttle position (at that speed and gear), there is no load through the driveline. If you disengage the clutch or reengage the clutch there will be no jerk. Even without the clutch, the shifter will slide in and out of (that) gear like butter (not recommended unless you're VERY sure what you're doing...I don't do it as a matter of course but knowing how came in handy to drive home when the clutch release system went out). If you want to drive smoothly, that's where you want the throttle when you move the clutch in or out (there's a timing element too but that's the basic idea).

thanks for the detailed response!!

[jhg1232]

IMBoring25 pretty much covered it. Feel free to ask if you have any questions or something doesn't make sense.

However, in regards to what you said...

...I can get moving around 1100, 1200 but that takes me a little longer and I dont want to slip it longer than I need to and hold up cars behind me at lights...

Don't worry about the other cars around you. They have the same responsibility that you do to not rear-end the vehicle in front of them. Yes, you don't want to be "that guy" in traffic, but accelerating a little slowly isn't the end of the world. Take your time to shift/drive properly and try to suppress that feeling that you need to rush for the people behind you. As you get more practice, everything will speed up and that concern will vanish.

You will never be the slowest vehicle on the road driving a car - there's always a loaded semi or SOMETHING else that people will also have to pass. They can deal with it (insert "Deal With It" gif here, my internet is being terrible at work today).

Have fun and feel free to ask any more questions.

haha thanks you sound like my dad

[Squint]

haha thanks you sound like my dad

I could be your dad... *DUM DUM Duuuuuuuuuum*

Though I'm fairly certain that's not true. Otherwise my <2 year old son has discovered not only the internet has more than Blues Clues and Phineas and Ferb but that he can also type legibly.