A spin off of the manual transmission competency thread. Since there were an overwhelming percentage that claimed to be highly proficient. What is your selection for your clutch and gear handle method?

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

If you have a Packard with automatic clutch the clutch pedal is seldom used....just shift.
If you have a 810/812 Cord you shift, then cycle the clutch to shift.

__________________
Current:
1985 300D aka Miss Margaret
1991 300SE aka Alarice
1995 SL320 aka Samantha
1997 K1500 Silverado
Past:
1999 E300 ex-wife got it and let her son ruin it
1984 190 2.3 ex-wife got it and let her son destroy a great car
1985 300D (CA version) aka Maybelline lost to deer at high speed.
1981 300D aka Madeline (went to salvage at near 400k) rusty, yet best car I ever drove
Wishlist:
McFarlan TV6 (only a few privately owned)
ReVere with Rochester engine
1917 Premier (only one left)

Any Packard or Cord drivers on this forum?

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

Is that a "pre-selector" transmission?

Yes, indeed. Tucker used the same transmission and shifter unit, but they had to modify the transmission for heavier gears because the Tucker engine had much more torque than the Cord engine and could destroy the gears very quickly.

__________________
Current:
1985 300D aka Miss Margaret
1991 300SE aka Alarice
1995 SL320 aka Samantha
1997 K1500 Silverado
Past:
1999 E300 ex-wife got it and let her son ruin it
1984 190 2.3 ex-wife got it and let her son destroy a great car
1985 300D (CA version) aka Maybelline lost to deer at high speed.
1981 300D aka Madeline (went to salvage at near 400k) rusty, yet best car I ever drove
Wishlist:
McFarlan TV6 (only a few privately owned)
ReVere with Rochester engine
1917 Premier (only one left)

Are we talking about starting from a dead stop? Shifting under acceleration? Downshifting in anticipation of a stop, or of a passing opportunity? Just at cruise to better match gear to conditions?

I'm not sure how much attention I've ever paid. I think it's different in different vehicles. I'll get back to you.

MV

I have no idea how I do it, but I have been doing it for 40 years and haven't broken/burned up anything. Someone else needs to observe it....

I think it's mostly:
"Move the gear handle before clutch pedal reaches the floor"

except the 1.6 diesel Jetta has a bad 3 rd gear synchro, so it's pedal to the floor, count one beat, change gear only 2-3. Really hurts the 0-60 time

__________________
80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

I try to set up all my vehicles so that "pedal to the floor" is the proper fully disengaged position. Then, I like "start of engagement" to happen about an inch or so off the floor depending on the throw of the pedal.

Now, if it's a heavy truck with a clutch brake, the only time you push the pedal all the way to the floor is when you're in neutral at a dead stop. From then on, it's only part way down.

To further complicate things, if you're driving a tractor with a 2 stage clutch for the transmission and the PTO, then you only push it about half way when shifting if you want the PTO to remain active such as when mowing, etc...

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

my method is first I slam the clutch into the floor as hard as possible, then I yank the gear handle violently into whatever gear feels right while at the same time applying WOT.
Then I slide my foot off the clutch pedal entirely and let it pop completely out. If I haven't left any teeth in the steering wheel, I count that as a good shift, and can concentrate on my cell phone game until the warning lights on the dash and the scream of the motor indicate its time for a new shift.

__________________
This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

Like a Ferret scout vehicle...

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

You're wasting your left leg, dude! I just jerk it out of gear and slam into the next one for upshifts -- the grinding stops eventually & the stick bangs into gear. For the downshifts, just slam the gas to the floor momentarily and manhandle the stick in -- truckers do this all the time!

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

OK, now for my serious answer: for upshifts, I use the clutch a split-second before the stick, but am already pulling the stick out of gear before the clutch is to the floor. I first roll partially off the gas such that when I let the clutch out, the gas is where it will need to be for the next gear so that I can just come off the clutch & have everything already rev-matched. On downshifts, I roll completely off the gas and then come back on to rev-match.

__________________
"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

Usually option #3: The 1st gear syncro on my Jetta is somewhat worn, so the clutch has to be in for a moment in order to go into 1st without grinding. I have to repeat that trick on the 1-2 shift, or it will grind shifting out of first

At least all the other syncros are still working good

Why is 1st worn out? My car spent at least 150k miles being driven with a worn out, loose shifter linkage. Sadly that fries the syncros But I installed an upgraded linkage last summer, so it wont wear any more

-J

__________________
1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

Depends on where the release point is. My '00 Wrangler was about 3/4 the way to the floor, my '98 International 8100 is all the way to the floor, my old Subaru Loyale (man, do I miss that old wagon!) was about 1/2 way to the floor. With my Jeep and Subie it was nearly simultaneous pedal/shifter movement, with the Cornbinder I wait until the clutch is engaged. Although I won't and don't claim to be proficient with an Eaton 10 speed!

__________________

1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

I just do it all slowly, but then I am pretty old.

I push the clutch in slow, move (not shift) to the next gear, and release the clutch.

If the engine has enough power I usually skip second gear and go right into third. If you are driving like an old man this works pretty well.

I have only replaced three clutches in my life. An Audi GT after 243,000 miles and a Toyota Truck. The truck I was putting in a new engine for a friend who gave it to his son who burned out the clutch in 900 miles by hot-rodding it. So we replaced it with a racing type and a strict lesson in 'this is what a burned out clutch looks like'.

About 45 years ago I had a Buick Skylark with the aluminum V-8 and a factory four-speed and that one I had to slam into gear. That got old quick.