asdfg123hk

hey

i know this topic has been covered over and over again..but i'm curious if i'm doing anything wrong..because this is my first stick.

anyways, i heard the clunk sound is normal because the shifter is directly connected to the transmission or something..but sometimes when i shift..i feel some kind of resistance and i would have to use a bit more force to get it in gear, especially going from 1st to 2nd..is this normal?

Also, i have had the car for a week now..and my shifting isn't really smooth yet. Should i be dipping the gas when i release the clutch when i shift? i usually release the clutch with my foot fully off the gas pedal..it sometimes work but it sometimes jerk.

thanks

BillY2KFRC

I think a little extra resistance when shifting is normal. For the 1-2 shift you can try pulling the shifter more to the left when putting it into 2nd. That seems to make it a little smoother. Sometimes being a little slower and not rushing the 1-2 shift seems to smooth it out as well. 1-2 doesn't seem to like being shifted as quickly as the other gears.

As for the technique when letting up the clutch... yes, you should be getting on the gas as you are letting up the clutch. You'll find this makes your shifts far less "jerky" as you get more practice with it.

Good luck and have fun.

decker

asking how to shift is asking how to kiss a woman. I'm litterally going through the motions trying to figure out how i do it :-P Don't worry, once you get in the hang of things, it'll come naturally :-P

some tips
1. when clutching, do a 70%/FULL release on the clutch (unless your racing it). Basically as you realease off the clutch (honda has some springy damn clutches), stop about 70-80 from fully released let it grab a little, then quickly release it all. Don't ever snap your foot off the pedal. Do it slowly at first and then work at getting quicker till your at a comfortable shifting zone. Also don't linger too much or rev too hard while your semi-engaged or you'll be polishing your clutch more than you'll be driving :-D

2. Use your heel. This used to be a bad habit for me not to do (i wear 12 shoesize). Drive barefoot if you have to and get used to the clutch, but try and always keep your heel on the floor, kind of pull your foot back and let the pedal slide out. This will let you have finer control. (ps if your racing, just twist your foot to the right to drop the clutch!).

3. Shifting should never be "hard". You should be able to flick-it into gears with your finger tips (takes practice, more you drive, easier it gets). If your having to pull hard to get it in gear, this is not too good. You might need somethign liek syncromesh to keep your gears smooth. You should be able to shift in the same time it takes for you to close your hand from a open position (not counting the clutch pedal). Its a sport shifter so 90% of your effort should go into the pull (up/down) and the rest should be
slight angled to the direction the gear is (1-2nd, slight to the left). You should never have to grip the shifter like you grip the handbrake. S2000's respond finesse rather than violence (*cough*mustang*cough*)

4. If this is your first manual (dear god...manuals are fun, but you need a beater for the first!), change your transmission fluid after a few months and go easy on "driving fast". You don't want little metal parts in the fluid to stay there if you grind.

5. It seems like you are already driving, so you might not need to do the following. The way i teach all my gf's to drive manual is to drive to a open flat(gotta be flat) parking lot. And drive around using just the clutch, no gas. This will teach the finesse of the clutch and how to gauge clutch-engagement. Trust me, 2-3hours of this and a whole bottle of tums and you got yourself someone that can hand the car. Y'know the wax-on wax-off in the karate kid? well this is the similar. Master the technique then master the power of the S2k.

6. Don't worry, relax and enjoy! Its a gorgeous car and fun as heck-to-drive. Remember, if your stressing and not having fun driving, your not doing it right!


Sorry 'bout the long rant, i get carried away sometimes...

asdfg123hk

awesome write up!

well i learned stick on a corolla and it didn't have the clunk or resistance as to those on the s2k..i just wanted to make sure i'm not grinding the gearbox or doing some major damage.

decker

don't worry, i just got my S last week and still grit my teeth when shifting every now and then. But once you get the hang of it, it is absolutely the best shifting i've seen on a "stock" car. So far, this car is designed for someone that can drive it like it should be. There is no sloppy shifter, or feather clutch that some manufacturers put in their vehicles to prevent users from busing their clutch/tranny. Go easy on it till you master.

this is my 4th manual car ( 1x4speed 1x5speeds and 2x6speeds)

Word of warning, in the future careful downshifting cause there is a little swagger at high rpm's. Never, and i repeat, NEVER downshift when taking a corner (unless your comfortable with it). When you do that, you quickly change the power to the wheels and can break them free causing you to spin out. Always downshift and brake before going into the corner, and accelerate coming out of the corner. When your in the corner, your controlling your car.

good luck! anyway, no more soapbox tonight!

asdfg123hk

one more thing..when i downshift i press the clutch all the way in and hold it there while i rev match with the gas pedal..then i slowly release the clutch..is this the proper way to downshift??

or would you recommend that i double clutch when downshifting?

also, is it bad on the gears if i cruise in 1st gear for a while in back alleys?

Liebernoodle

Kind of interesting, but my car seems to be the exact opposite. I was getting that "resistance" you talk about with the 1-2 shift, and to make it go away, I have to pull straight down from 1-2 and not to the left at all (as is my instinct).

I have an '02, but who knows.

Oh, and also, I noticed that shifting always seems to be smoother if i'm revving closer to 4k when I decide to shift.

1-2 shift is much smoother if I take 1st gear to 16-18mph before shifting.

decker

I've also found shifting to be easier when your engine is in a "upswing". If the engine is increasing rpm's and not decreasing(letting off the gas completely), the shifting is like butta.

It almost wants you to drive it like its stolen :-D

jwa4378

You never want to "slowly relase the clutch" this is known as slipping the clutch. Keeping the clutch at or around the friction point is BAD. When downshifting (I dont use it to slow down, just to go FAST) I just downshift, and get on the gas HARD as I quickly let the clutch out. It is kinda harsh and raw feeling, but that is probably just the rear differential catching a bit.

You always want to make your shifts a quickly as possible to reduce wear on the fiction disc (too slow / slipping of the clutch and you could glaze the disc). You do not want to drop it too fast @ low RPM, because that is hell on the rear differential (which is kinda weak on our cars). You want to hit that sweet spot where you are not caught in between engaging and not engaging, but not lurching forward.

You will get the hang of it. As for the 1-2 shift, I have heard that the S has had a problem with that, which has been recognized by Honda in a TSB.....not sure which one, but the sheet said something about a 1-2 "clunk" shift.....you may want to research this.

John

xviper

No, this isn't the correct way. If you release the clutch slowly after you "blip" the throttle (to rev-match as you say), you must release the clutch (after you've shifted into the next lower gear), in a fashion that the rpm meets the speed of the tranny at the point of clutch engagement. If you are too slow, the engine slows down too much and blipping the gas becomes pointless. You may have never done it. Timing is everything. Until you get better at it, just downshift shift from lower rpms and release the clutch slowly. It's downshifting that is your toughest thing to master.

Double clutching is mainly for downshifting into 1st when the road speed is still quite high. First, you need to find out exactly what double clutching is. You may (or may not) have the right concept in your mind. "Google" search double clutching and find out what it really is. Double clutching is not necessary on an upshift with this transmission. Double clutching a downshift (into 1st gear) generally requires a rev match in conjunction. You've got enough to learn and worry about right now. Double clutching is the last thing you need to concern yourself with at the moment. Even rev-matching is something that you can "work into" when your general operation of a manual gets better.

Cruising in 1st in back alleys ............... Most speed limits in back alleys is about 10 to 15 mph. If you are negotiating back alleys at legal speed limits, then 1st gear is fine. If not, then being in 1st gear in a back alley won't be your biggest concern.

It's hard to learn how to drive stick from advice given over the internet. You might benefit from a few pointers from someone actually sitting in the car with you, whether he/she is showing you how to drive it or watching how you drive it.