Hello all:

I've been driving cars with manual tranmissions for over twenty years and prefer them over automatics. Though I'd like to believe I use the clutch the proper way, who knows....... maybe I and others here could learn some valuable tips from those who know more than we?

Don't worry, I always depress the clutch the entire way before shifting!

Besides "heel and toe" are there any other performance based tips?

Does it matter if I keep the clutch depressed while sitting at a stop light?

What's better.... downshifiting or using the brake? Downshifting only when driving the car for fun and braking when taking it "easy"?

Any tips would be great! BTW I had to replace the clutch on my 240-D after nearly 300,000 miles. I loaned the car to a friend who didn't think she had to depress the clutch the whole way in before shifting!

keeping the clutch depressed while at a stoplight will add to throwout bearing wear.

engine braking is not a substitute for braking - the parts you will wear out are much more expensive than rotors and pads.

in general, you must "rev-match" on both upshifts and downshifts, to reduce drivetrain stress and clutch wear.

my Cdn$0.02 ...

On my truck, I only use the clutch for starting and stopping. I don't use it at all for gear changes. At lights, I usually put the vehicle in neutral and let the clutch out. It saves on the throwout bearing, the pressure plate, and keeps my leg from getting tired on long waits - especially in the truck with it's rather stiff clutch.

So you change gears by gauging the engine speed and shifting without the clutch at just the right time? Isn't that hard to do?

Ouch, you are making me feel guilty. I have gotten into the habit of downshifting to slow the car down, leaving it depressed at red lights, and just stabbing it to upshift (not pressing it all the way down).

How do you upshift without using the clutch? I know it will come out of gear easily at the correct speed, but do you need to lower the engine RPM's before attempting to crash it into the next gear?

Sholin

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What else, '73 MB 280 SEL (Lt Blue)
Daily driver: '84 190D 2.2 5 spd.

I don't really engine brake, I'll downshift if I need to be in that gear anyway and if it slows me down as well great. If I'm in gear and need to slow down I'll keep it in gear until the revs get to low.

I put a very small amount of pressure on the shifter before fully disengaging the clutch, as it comes to that point the shifter glides back and goes into the next gear. This makes for quicker shifts as well as the clutch doens't have to go all the way down.

I've heard many times if you hold the clutch to long you only shorten the life of the throwout bearing, I try to keep it in gear and coast or set it in neutral for any extended amount of time or in heavy traffic. Most times in stop and go I can manage to keep it in second as long as I can keep rolling just a little.

Wow that was brave, you loaned a stick shift to a women driver. I suppose my sister learned in time, but I'd bet she would put a LOT more wear on one than I would. I remember my brother inlaw saying he got his car back reaking of burnt clutch after she drove it in traffic. My brother's theory with taking off using a stick shift is to run the Rs upto near red then dump the clutch. With all that said the only person I could even think about letting drive my all wheel drive manual car is my dad.

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Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

The key to using a clutch (for someone who is unfamiliar with a manual transmission) is to know how it works and what it does. After that there is much debate about using engine braking, keeping the clutch in at red lights and all that...

I can see little point in changing gear in a road car without using the clutch. It is a useful exercise in case your clutch ever goes out, but such shifts generally take much longer to achieve (especially on the down shift) than they would if you dipped the clutch.

There are mixed opinions on engine braking. Brakes are cheaper to replace than clutches. And brakes light your stop lights, alerting those behind that you are slowing down. But then engine braking adds to that feeling of control; it also ensures you are in a gear for go at all times. I've always gone down the box at the same time as braking. There is no problem with this with a modern gearbox, you simply after to feather your brake pedal pressure.

Unless you are a real racing driver, an auto will always be faster. You just press and go: never a missed shift, never too much revs, never too little... Manual cars post faster 0-60 times but only on a perfect take off. The manual driver achieves perfection but rarely; the auto driver gets it every time.

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

I don't know about that. Maybe for torquey V8's and drag racing where you can choose an unnaturally high stall converter.

It's hard for me to believe that an auto 190D 2.2 would be faster than a manny tranny.

Sholin

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What else, '73 MB 280 SEL (Lt Blue)
Daily driver: '84 190D 2.2 5 spd.

Not at all. I learned how to float gears in a big truck, and it was a natural progression to the pickup. It's all just a matter of timing, and using the tach if you have one. The lack of a tach is what has kept me from taking the time to learn the Benzes.

When driving the truck, I use the two finger rule. I only use two fingers on the shifter as to prevent using too much force on it during gear changes.

No one except for JB Hunt drivers use the clutch for shifting into anything except for 1st and Reverse. JB gets mighty pi$$y about that. What sucks is these Super10's with the auto-box on them in Kenworths. He hates the boxes.

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http://comp.uark.edu/~dmgill/signature.jpg

Actually, I do remember driving some old Ford truck on the campus of my college years ago. The truck was about 40 years old and the letters on the front had been switched so it read "DORF" instead of FORD. Hence, it was called "The DORF". I guess that piece of information goes into the "who cares" file.....

Anyway, we would regularly shift gears without using the clutch and it wasn't that hard to do.

Acutally, the super 10 trannies quickly became one of my favourites to drive. I found it rather nice to be able to hit every other gear by only flicking the switch on the shifter.

I know. They are great trannies. The autobox on top of it in the T2000's is what he hates. they dont shift right.

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http://comp.uark.edu/~dmgill/signature.jpg

Amen to all of the above except auto being faster- no way. Automatics are usually about .5 to 1 second slower from 0-60.

If you want some tips on performance driving rent a tape from a rally where they show a footwork of a WRC drivers. It's like watching professional dancers.

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1985 190D 2.2l Sold-to Brother-in-law
1996 Mustang 3.8l -"thinks it's a sports car"
1988 Grand Wagoneer - Sold (good home)
1995 Grand Cherokee Ltd -"What was I thinking??!!"

Well in a lot of cases manuals are faster because they were designed that way. Whether it is a different cam which produces more power, different gearing to accelerate faster, or a different turbo it is almost always in favor of the manual tranny. Auto trannies can shift faster in most cases but lose more energy going through it, are given less power from the factory, and just aren't anywhere near as fun anyway.

__________________
Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k