Braxx wrote:Sup guys? I'm picking up my dads 02 maxima SE 6 speed in about 3 months from MA and driving it accross the country to where I live. Been reading the site for a day or two now, good stuff!
This will be my frist car as I am turning 17 in just under a month, I have some experience driving stick but launches are the worst part for me, any pointers you could give me would be great!
Quite a few years back my dad was letting me drive his car in a parking lot, and bieng the young retard that I was I did something and the car jumped aout 5 feet and smoke came out of the tranny, I assumed the terrible smell was the clutch and my dad comfirmed this, I think I was 12.
Ever since I have been afraid of the clutch, when I look at it nowadays I feel asthough it is made of glass and the slightest thing you do wrong ruins it. A few months back my dad let me try his car again and I didn't do anything wrong, rather it was a very sketchy start coming to a near stall.. my dad constantly tells me to barely touch the gas pedal ONLY when the clutch is nearing its friction point and never give it gas beforehand.
I was driving around with my friend last week in his 89 civic
and I noticed he revs the engine and then lets out the clutch.. is this a tecnique I should try? I'm just afraid the car will jump again and its not great for the clutch either, am I right or wrong? I noticed in the instructional video, the person states he revs the engine to about 1k RPM before letting out the clutch.
Also hills, if the tecnique I pointes out in the previous paragraph is true, don't you need a third leg? or fourth.. so you can hold the break give it gas and let out the clutch? I was told you use the clutch to not roll backwards but how can you do that if the slightest movement of the clutch pedal without the gas stalls the maxima?
I know im a n00b but to be honest noone really has had the time to explain this to me in real life. Perhaps some of you l33t manual tranny veterans can help me out
Welcome to the site! I'll try to answer your questions to the best of my abilities. Now for launching, see what your friend does? Rev the engine and let out the clutch? Basically, when you are starting out, Rev the engine to about 2k RPM's and let out the clutch at the same time. Sure, it takes practice, and you'll stall a few times, but how many of us haven't? Just remember the 2k RPM's and SMOOTH clutch release. It isn't made of glass or anything, and it isn't THAT delicate. As time progresses, you will be able to launch at like 1.5k, or even 1k RPM's. Just keep at it.
Also, about that smoke..the tranny doesn't really let out any kind of smoke, especially if whatever you did was jump ONLY 5 feet. I think maybe you gave Too much gas and let go of the clutch too fast and spun the tires, and THAT can give you a bit of white smoke. But don't worry about that either, once in a while is no problem.
Now, as for adding gas after you let go of the clutch, that's a good way to start. A very good way. I mean, the shifts will not be smooth, especially in the lower gears, but it's a good way to learn. Eventually, you'll learn that adding gas as your getting off the clutch will make the shift smoother, but if I wanted a smooth shift I'd be driving an Auto
And ONE THING YOU SHOULD NEVER EVER DO is hold the car on the hill with the clutch. What people should mean when they say this, is that when you are getting off the foot brake, you let out the clutch to the point where it slows down the rollback of the car long enough for you to get back onto the gas and launch the car forward, then get off the clutch. If you use only the clutch to hold the car on the hill, you'll burn that clutch up pretty damn quick.
Since you are starting out, I suggest you put time into learning the handbrake method. Basically, you yank the Handbrake on the hill. When the light turns green or when it's time to go, Put the car in First with the clutch in, then rev the engine to 2k, and start to let go of the clutch until you feel the car move, then start easing off the handbrake. The car should start to move forward with no rollback. Again, this is a thing of practice, you might not get it the first 10 times you do it, but invest time into it, it's better than rolling into the car behind you.
As for the instructional video's, don't pay attention to them. They're good videos, but his car has ALOT more power than what most of us drive, so a 1k RPM launch for him is pretty good, but for me it's not very fast at all. His advice is good, but his numbers won't work for your car.
Anyway, good choice on the Manual, once your proficient it's hard to go back! I know I can't
