Manual question

ayrton88 · 04-09-2012, 08:36 PM

I just picked up my Z today and while I love driving it fast I'm having trouble just cruising around trying to get nice smooth shifts. Clutch take up from a stop is much easier than my BMW. I just can't get nice , smooth shifts first to second like I did with my BMW however I try. The rest of the gears are great. Maybe it is because the Z has twice the amount of torque. Also, my 325i only had 184HP. I'm over 60 years old and been driving sticks all my life so I know each one is different. Any tips for non aggressive driving?

TerribleONE · 04-09-2012, 08:38 PM

The Z clutch definitely just takes some getting used to! give it time and you'll be alright.

nepali · 04-09-2012, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ayrton88

I just picked up my Z today and while I love driving it fast I'm having trouble just cruising around trying to get nice smooth shifts. Clutch take up from a stop is much easier than my BMW. I just can't get nice , smooth shifts first to second like I did with my BMW however I try. The rest of the gears are great. Maybe it is because the Z has twice the amount of torque. Also, my 325i only had 184HP. I'm over 60 years old and been driving sticks all my life so I know each one is different. Any tips for non aggressive driving?

It definitely takes some time to get used to our Z. I still mess up every once in a while. Checkout this thread: Clutch pedal too soft/no feel? Remove the helper spring!

I ordered one too but I haven't had a chance to install it yet.

ayrton88 · 04-10-2012, 07:55 AM

Thanks guys. It really isn't bad. The problem I have is when I release the clutch in second gear the car wants to lurch. A little bit in third as well but not as bad. I'll keep trying to find the perfect revs and how fast to engage the clutch.

mhcoss · 04-10-2012, 11:07 PM

Yea you will just get better. First week I had my car i was emberrassed to have others ride with me beucase I was lurchin all over the place. Now My shifts are buttery smooth regardless if i am pushing it or just accerlating off a light.

Huck · 04-10-2012, 11:42 PM

the gas pedal is also a bit touchy, at least in my case I've found that it's not the clutch as much as me gassing it too much or too little. Just do very slow acceleration for a while until you get the feel for it.

ayrton88 · 04-11-2012, 08:31 AM

Thanks everyone. I was driving around yesterday and found that as long as I accelerated slowly I was much smoother. Hopefully the fast stuff with smooth out as well with practice.

juicypinkkk · 04-11-2012, 09:39 AM

I also have a 8th generation Honda Civic Si, so i'm used to "light clutch" pedals. BMW's are some of the heavier ones out there, so what I would suggest is easing the strength used by your left foot.

ayrton88 · 04-11-2012, 04:46 PM

Yes, the my BMW was the polar opposite of this car. Very heavy clutch and a really long throw shifter. I went from a Honda to that so it took some getting used to as well. My friend has a late model Miata...easiest stick I have ever driven. Only a '60s Volkswagen bug comes close, but it didn't have a short throw shifter.

Zoren 370 · 04-14-2012, 07:13 PM

Is your SyncroRev ON while cruising? I had the same problem in the beginning but once I got used with the flow of shifting gears its a smoother ride. With the SyncroRev ON up-shifting gears a little slow blips the rpm as well,the computer thinks ur downshifting. That makes my Z surge/jump forward once engaged in higher gear.

04-09-2012, 08:36 PM	#1 (permalink)
ayrton88 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 397 Drives: 2010 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 14	Manual question I just picked up my Z today and while I love driving it fast I'm having trouble just cruising around trying to get nice smooth shifts. Clutch take up from a stop is much easier than my BMW. I just can't get nice , smooth shifts first to second like I did with my BMW however I try. The rest of the gears are great. Maybe it is because the Z has twice the amount of torque. Also, my 325i only had 184HP. I'm over 60 years old and been driving sticks all my life so I know each one is different. Any tips for non aggressive driving?

04-09-2012, 08:38 PM	#2 (permalink)
TerribleONE A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Socal Posts: 10,203 Drives: WOT Rep Power: 5850	The Z clutch definitely just takes some getting used to! give it time and you'll be alright. __________________ 638WHP 541WTQ @ 13.5PSI Build thread

04-10-2012, 11:42 PM	#6 (permalink)
Huck A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cocoa, Florida Age: 41 Posts: 5,075 Drives: Pantydropper machine Rep Power: 33	the gas pedal is also a bit touchy, at least in my case I've found that it's not the clutch as much as me gassing it too much or too little. Just do very slow acceleration for a while until you get the feel for it. __________________ VLEDS \| Evo-R \| Moddiction \| CF Hood Struts \| F.I. CF CBE & LTH \| Stillen CAI \| NST Pulleys \| UpRev \| Z1 \| M7 \| Status \| Forgestar \| PSS \| Whiteline \| SPL \| SPC \| Kenwood \| Zenclosure \| Kicker \| Alpine Type R

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04-10-2012, 07:55 AM	#4 (permalink)
ayrton88 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 397 Drives: 2010 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 14	Thanks guys. It really isn't bad. The problem I have is when I release the clutch in second gear the car wants to lurch. A little bit in third as well but not as bad. I'll keep trying to find the perfect revs and how fast to engage the clutch.

04-10-2012, 11:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
mhcoss Track Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Edmonton Posts: 520 Drives: 2012 370Z SPORT M/T Rep Power: 14	Yea you will just get better. First week I had my car i was emberrassed to have others ride with me beucase I was lurchin all over the place. Now My shifts are buttery smooth regardless if i am pushing it or just accerlating off a light.

04-11-2012, 08:31 AM	#7 (permalink)
ayrton88 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 397 Drives: 2010 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 14	Thanks everyone. I was driving around yesterday and found that as long as I accelerated slowly I was much smoother. Hopefully the fast stuff with smooth out as well with practice.

04-11-2012, 09:39 AM	#8 (permalink)
juicypinkkk Base Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Toronto, ON Posts: 162 Drives: 2012 Sprt 6MT 370z Rep Power: 13	I also have a 8th generation Honda Civic Si, so i'm used to "light clutch" pedals. BMW's are some of the heavier ones out there, so what I would suggest is easing the strength used by your left foot.

04-11-2012, 04:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
ayrton88 Enthusiast Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Chicago Posts: 397 Drives: 2010 Nissan 370Z Rep Power: 14	Yes, the my BMW was the polar opposite of this car. Very heavy clutch and a really long throw shifter. I went from a Honda to that so it took some getting used to as well. My friend has a late model Miata...easiest stick I have ever driven. Only a '60s Volkswagen bug comes close, but it didn't have a short throw shifter.

04-14-2012, 07:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
Zoren 370 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: FL Posts: 11,018 Drives: 11 Nissan 370 M6 Rep Power: 1913653	Is your SyncroRev ON while cruising? I had the same problem in the beginning but once I got used with the flow of shifting gears its a smoother ride. With the SyncroRev ON up-shifting gears a little slow blips the rpm as well,the computer thinks ur downshifting. That makes my Z surge/jump forward once engaged in higher gear.