A mistake in my technique?

much2much · Post by **much2much** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 5:27 pm

Hey everyone. I've been driving manual for almost a year now, but I noticed something new the other night.
Whenever I begin in 1st gear or reverse, I usually release the clutch to the engagement point then add gas. I realized that at the point I personally bring the clutch to, there is a popping noise and the rpms dip right before I add gas. It's similar to the popping/clunking noise you hear when you stall the car.

Am I waiting too long on my clutch release to add gas? Or is launching this way alright?

theholycow · Post by **theholycow** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:58 pm

Have you experimented with adjusting your technique to see how other variations work?

That description of a popping sound is odd.

much2much · Post by **much2much** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:21 pm

I've experimented with giving the car gas earlier, which alleviates the sound, but results in me slipping the clutch at higher rpms for a launch. I guess I've been releasing the clutch too far and adding gas too late all this time if the sound is odd.

theholycow · Post by **theholycow** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 7:40 pm

Sounds like the earlier gas works for you. What kind of car is it and what RPM are we talking about?

much2much · Post by **much2much** » Thu Sep 08, 2011 8:27 pm

It's a lancer gts. Only about a year old.

When I launch my usual way I would say I go to about 1200 rpm. With an earlier clutch release and earlier gas I launch at 1600-1900

Charles421 · Post by **Charles421** » Sat Sep 10, 2011 10:12 pm

I'm not sure what the popping noise is ... but your technique sounds fine: release to clutch engagement point and add gas. That's what I do; my foot is on the gas pedal by the time the clutch gets to the engagement point so I can add it as needed and keep the RPMs from dipping much.

Regarding your last post, launching at 1600-1900 RPM seems unusually high.

Check out this video from Greg @ the M5 driving school on normal launching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRgA7KEP24o

His technique is a bit different; he revs slightly, holds the RPM, then lets the clutch out. So you could experiment with that.

tankinbeans · Post by **tankinbeans** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 4:03 pm

There can't really be a mistake in your driving technique, just a difference. What one person finds acceptable another may find intolerable. My opinion anyway.

much2much · Post by **much2much** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 6:23 pm

Charles421 wrote:I'm not sure what the popping noise is ... but your technique sounds fine: release to clutch engagement point and add gas. That's what I do; my foot is on the gas pedal by the time the clutch gets to the engagement point so I can add it as needed and keep the RPMs from dipping much.

Regarding your last post, launching at 1600-1900 RPM seems unusually high.

Check out this video from Greg @ the M5 driving school on normal launching:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRgA7KEP24o

His technique is a bit different; he revs slightly, holds the RPM, then lets the clutch out. So you could experiment with that.

I've been experimenting with the car the past couple days and I'm beginning to wonder if I should just accept the noise. It's very difficult to launch without the car making the noise. I'm thinking maybe its just the sound of the transmission hooking up? It's not very loud unless I "dump" the clutch to the engagement point and there are a quick dip in rpms.

And my launches are 1600-1900 only when I'm trying to compensate my clutch release for the noise, and I have to slip the clutch longer. Maybe I just have a loud tranny?

theholycow · Post by **theholycow** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 7:49 pm

Do you think a video camera would pick up the noise?

Rope-Pusher · Post by **Rope-Pusher** » Mon Sep 12, 2011 11:16 pm

theholycow wrote:Do you think an AUDIO camera would pick up the noise?

Fickset!

theholycow · Post by **theholycow** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 7:01 am

I have to fight my instinct to ask for audio recordings sometimes because it's so much easier to stick a video on Youtube than to get us all some audio, but in this case video is what we need. We need to see what's going on, which there is no doubt that a video camera would accomplish, while we hear what's going on (which is questionable).

Rope-Pusher · Post by **Rope-Pusher** » Tue Sep 13, 2011 8:51 pm

Fine, then have him take video of the noise and we can watch it - U R F N Nuts!

much2much · Post by **much2much** » Thu Sep 15, 2011 3:44 pm

Unfortunately I can't get my camera to pick up the audio on the sound. It's difficult to discern with all the other noises the camera picks up. I did ask some other lancer owners about the noise and a few of them said they noticed it too, so I'm guessing it just has to be the car.

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