Check the new Z

dainedazz · 09-04-2009, 03:37 PM

when it comes to learning to drive stick, this is key:

U DRIVE & U LEARN

you'll get the hang & "feel" of it..

enjoy the ride and welcome to the z34 fam!

polarity · 09-04-2009, 03:39 PM

Good luck with it, I've never tried moving with no gas at all I will have to give that a shot.

-William

kannibul · 09-04-2009, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polarity

What helped me out with my first stick was taking the car somewhere without traffic (get a friend or parent who knows how to drive a stick to get it there with you).

Setup away from traffic/people/anything that will make you nervous or less focused on what you're trying to do, from there it gets pretty easy actually.

Let the clutch out slowly, while giving the car a little gas. You can start off at higher RPM if you want, but if your sitting in heavy traffic and try to dump the clutch at 2k rpm you're likely to rear end the poor bastard in front of you. Try to keep the RPM at or below 1k, the real trick here is just doing it over and over, pay close attention and see at what point the clutch actually starts to engage, once the car starts to roll it's easy sailing from there, continue to let the clutch out slowly and just keep rolling (dont worry about giving it more gas yet, this is just to learn the feeling of the clutch. Once you're rolling put the clutch to the floor, take it out of gear, come to a stop and start over.

You will probably stall the car quiet a few times. Once you have the hang of that, next part would be to follow the exact same steps.. Clutch out slowly around the 1k rpm mark, this time when the clutch is almost fully engaged (your foot off the pedal) start giving it more gas. Then go ahead and drive around a bit, shift to second, and move the car to the starting point and do it again. If you can get the car out of first, the rest of it is nothing =)

With about 30 min of sitting on an empty street or parking lot you'll be driving it like it was an automatic not even thinking about it anymore. You'll love the car so make sure you take your time and enjoy it.

-William

2K isn't a bad RPM to start off with - don't over-rev the car...1K is hardly do-able (that's roughly idle!). The goal isn't nessicarily to keep it at 2K. Rev it up to around 2 - 3K depending on how hard/fast you want to take off. Now if you floor it as you drop the clutch to keep it at 2-3K, then yeah, you're going to cause the car to launch forward. The idea is to give the engine a bit of intertia to drop into the drivetrain to get the car from that inital standstill=>movement effort - much like you don't touch first unless you're stopped or are on the way to 2nd gear.

What I do with my truck is I feather the gas (on/a bit off/ a bit on/a bit off) and use that along with the clutch to get it rolling.

But, it's also a vastly underpowered vehicle for it's weight and the torque is crappy (pinto engine FTL!)

The point about rolling the car without touching gas is NOT for you to rely on - it's to break the habit of mashing the gas and potentially stalling the car by letting the clutch out too fast, and/or barking the tires, etc. Once you've mastered the gas-less roll, you've learned the progression of your clutch and have established some "muscle memory"

Adding the gas pedal to the mix after that is pretty easy.

The next thing to learn once you've done that, is to learn shifts without having the engine wind up or jerk the car forward.

Supragtsxr · 09-06-2009, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kannibul

2K isn't a bad RPM to start off with - don't over-rev the car...1K is hardly do-able (that's roughly idle!). The goal isn't nessicarily to keep it at 2K. Rev it up to around 2 - 3K depending on how hard/fast you want to take off. Now if you floor it as you drop the clutch to keep it at 2-3K, then yeah, you're going to cause the car to launch forward. The idea is to give the engine a bit of intertia to drop into the drivetrain to get the car from that inital standstill=>movement effort - much like you don't touch first unless you're stopped or are on the way to 2nd gear.

What I do with my truck is I feather the gas (on/a bit off/ a bit on/a bit off) and use that along with the clutch to get it rolling.

But, it's also a vastly underpowered vehicle for it's weight and the torque is crappy (pinto engine FTL!)

The point about rolling the car without touching gas is NOT for you to rely on - it's to break the habit of mashing the gas and potentially stalling the car by letting the clutch out too fast, and/or barking the tires, etc. Once you've mastered the gas-less roll, you've learned the progression of your clutch and have established some "muscle memory"

Adding the gas pedal to the mix after that is pretty easy.

The next thing to learn once you've done that, is to learn shifts without having the engine wind up or jerk the car forward.

I was able to get the car rolloing without using the gas. However, my results are inconsistent. Sometimes it will do it...sometimes i cant quite get it to work without damn near stallin out. I'm doing much better with the car than before. I need to try to get my left leg to 'remember' where the clutch starts to grab lol.

Supragtsxr · 09-06-2009, 07:31 AM

Ooh! I've one more question! How do i deal with stop and go traffic? Ya know, like when i have to move forward like 10ft and stop. and repeat.

Do i just roll the clutch in and out the whole time? For example, ease off the clutch to get the car to roll forward a bit and then disengage the clutch again?

370Zwolf · 09-06-2009, 08:27 AM

If it is very slow stop&go with only few dozens of feet between stops, I suggest to get it rolling and then immediately depress the clutch again.
Let it roll with idle throttle and floored clutch and focus on braking towards your next stop with the right foot.
Driving very slowly with fully connected 1st gear might get it to stutter or even stall.
You can practice this as well on a parking lot.
Try to find out what the lowest speed/rpms are to drive safely with fully connected 1st and 2nd gear.
Below those you just give short torque impulses and leave the clutch depressed in between during rolls.
Going like this for extended periods of time can exhaust your left foot which has to depress the clutch most of the time.
In this case it is also possible to put the stick in neutral during roll phases to get the left foot some rest off the clutch.

Another skill worth practicing for new stickheads is to start rolling uphill.
You will need this at your first traffic light when going up a road with slope or someones driveway.
Try to hold your car still with clutch and throttle alone and then try to launch slowly from there without rolling backwards.
Increase the slope once you get a hang of it. At some point of steepness you will have to use the parking brake as well to prevent backward movement during the time from when your right foot leaves the brake until your clutch/torque combo can hold the car in place again or get it moving forward.

CrownR426 · 09-06-2009, 01:54 PM

Remember if you see a cop, floor it!

Nick911sc · 09-06-2009, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supragtsxr

Ooh! I've one more question! How do i deal with stop and go traffic? Ya know, like when i have to move forward like 10ft and stop. and repeat.

Do i just roll the clutch in and out the whole time? For example, ease off the clutch to get the car to roll forward a bit and then disengage the clutch again?

In this situation I was taught to release the clutch half way to get the car moving and then push it back in.

theDreamer · 09-06-2009, 06:09 PM

One thing I do with stop & go traffic (depending on how fast/slow it is moving) is I will give myself some room between me and the next guy and get going, then put the car in neutral and roll. I can sometimes go for a bit without having to do anything and most likely the person in front is going to stop, my car will slowly decrease speed, and I am just rolling to a stop.

Supragtsxr · 09-06-2009, 09:53 PM

Thanks for the info. I tried letting half the clutch in to get it to roll then disengaging the clutch fully. Works quite well; I think i'll be able to get to work on Tuesday lol. It's day 3 now and im still a lil slow gettin off the clutch and gettin it moving. Training my left leg after driving automatics all these years sure is alot more work than i thought.

k20z3 · 09-07-2009, 02:43 AM

You have to think, as much as you let off the clutch let off the gas does that make sense?

2,000 RPMS I think or even 1,800 is the perfect RPM to let go of the clutch, now when I say let go dont think "Drop" the clutch cause that will almost give you a mini burn out, and or kill your car.

So remember give enough force letting off the clutch as much gas as you give into it, and remember RELAX when driving a stick

When it jerks back and forth that means its either your letting the clutch out too quick aka dumping the clutch or not giving enough gas... clutch you'll smell if your giving it to much gas why the clutch is still depressed.

Supragtsxr · 09-08-2009, 08:27 AM

I made it to work without stalling. I've gone stall free for 1 complete day! The clutch petal is still so grabby. I'm at 400miles now and still cant get the petal to be less 'springy'. It seems to wanna spring back on me when i push it down...modulating it is still proving tough. Will the petal eventually soften or will i have to get used to this?

Nick911sc · 09-08-2009, 08:31 AM

I don't feel like my pedal fights up against me when I'm driving. But that might be because I started learning on a 78 Porsche with the clutch on a cable. The force pushing back at you was pretty heavy. But the clutch should break in as time goes on. So I wouldn't worry too much.

Supragtsxr · 09-08-2009, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick911sc

I don't feel like my pedal fights up against me when I'm driving. But that might be because I started learning on a 78 Porsche with the clutch on a cable. The force pushing back at you was pretty heavy. But the clutch should break in as time goes on. So I wouldn't worry too much.

Ok. I'll give it some work on the way home from the office today.

kannibul · 09-08-2009, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supragtsxr

Ooh! I've one more question! How do i deal with stop and go traffic? Ya know, like when i have to move forward like 10ft and stop. and repeat.

Do i just roll the clutch in and out the whole time? For example, ease off the clutch to get the car to roll forward a bit and then disengage the clutch again?

You're not supposed to "ride" the clutch, as in, keeping the car in gear but the clutch pushed in to keep the engine disengauged.

But, a lot of people do it, and it tends to not cause any major issues.

So, in other words, don't do it, try and get into the habit of dropping out of 1st gear into neutral when you don't need to move the car under power...and release the clutch so there's no pressure on the bearing and so on.

But, if you don't, it's not the end of the world - just like washing your car is a good idea...

09-04-2009, 03:37 PM	#31 (permalink)
dainedazz A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: NY, NJ, Philippines Posts: 1,325 Drives: 09' SR 6MT Z34 Rep Power: 293	when it comes to learning to drive stick, this is key: U DRIVE & U LEARN you'll get the hang & "feel" of it.. enjoy the ride and welcome to the z34 fam! __________________ DaineZ' Rosalena \| Kenwood \| Pioneer \| 3M \| 180 Custom \| Stillen \| Z1 \| Fast Intentions \| Setrab \| Eibach \| Varis \| UpRev \| TEIN \| UAM \| Amuse \| Bride \| Southbend \| WORK \| TWM \| BFGoodrich \| Robispec \| TAKATA \| GTSPEC \| *Instagram* @johndainez

09-06-2009, 08:27 AM	#36 (permalink)
370Zwolf Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Erding - City of Beer Age: 48 Posts: 77 Drives: 370Z Pack 6MT BP Rep Power: 15	If it is very slow stop&go with only few dozens of feet between stops, I suggest to get it rolling and then immediately depress the clutch again. Let it roll with idle throttle and floored clutch and focus on braking towards your next stop with the right foot. Driving very slowly with fully connected 1st gear might get it to stutter or even stall. You can practice this as well on a parking lot. Try to find out what the lowest speed/rpms are to drive safely with fully connected 1st and 2nd gear. Below those you just give short torque impulses and leave the clutch depressed in between during rolls. Going like this for extended periods of time can exhaust your left foot which has to depress the clutch most of the time. In this case it is also possible to put the stick in neutral during roll phases to get the left foot some rest off the clutch. Another skill worth practicing for new stickheads is to start rolling uphill. You will need this at your first traffic light when going up a road with slope or someones driveway. Try to hold your car still with clutch and throttle alone and then try to launch slowly from there without rolling backwards. Increase the slope once you get a hang of it. At some point of steepness you will have to use the parking brake as well to prevent backward movement during the time from when your right foot leaves the brake until your clutch/torque combo can hold the car in place again or get it moving forward. __________________ "For once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the face of the earth with your head turned skywards, For you will forever long to be up there again where you once have been." - Leonardo DaVinci Last edited by 370Zwolf; 09-06-2009 at 08:33 AM.

09-06-2009, 01:54 PM	#37 (permalink)
CrownR426 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: South Korea Posts: 4,676 Drives: Manual Rep Power: 847	Remember if you see a cop, floor it! __________________ Love + Hardwork + Passion RIP SVTRacer

09-06-2009, 06:09 PM	#39 (permalink)
theDreamer A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 30,879 Drives: 370z Rep Power: 4210	One thing I do with stop & go traffic (depending on how fast/slow it is moving) is I will give myself some room between me and the next guy and get going, then put the car in neutral and roll. I can sometimes go for a bit without having to do anything and most likely the person in front is going to stop, my car will slowly decrease speed, and I am just rolling to a stop. __________________ theDreamer's Z // Fast Intentions // Uprev // GTM // HKS // TEIN theDreamer's Silvia // URAS // GREDDY Houston Zs // Facebook // Twitter // Instagram

09-07-2009, 02:43 AM	#41 (permalink)
k20z3 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2009 Location: Denver CO Age: 33 Posts: 2,146 Drives: 2006 Civic SI HFP Rep Power: 404	You have to think, as much as you let off the clutch let off the gas does that make sense? 2,000 RPMS I think or even 1,800 is the perfect RPM to let go of the clutch, now when I say let go dont think "Drop" the clutch cause that will almost give you a mini burn out, and or kill your car. So remember give enough force letting off the clutch as much gas as you give into it, and remember RELAX when driving a stick When it jerks back and forth that means its either your letting the clutch out too quick aka dumping the clutch or not giving enough gas... clutch you'll smell if your giving it to much gas why the clutch is still depressed. __________________ 2006 RALLYE RED HONDA CIVIC SI HFP Clint's Helpful Photoshop Hints!

09-04-2009, 03:39 PM	#32 (permalink)
polarity Base Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Mississippi Posts: 166 Drives: [2009 370Z] Rep Power: 16	Good luck with it, I've never tried moving with no gas at all I will have to give that a shot. -William

09-06-2009, 07:31 AM	#35 (permalink)
Supragtsxr Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 81 Drives: '09 Black Base+Sport Rep Power: 15	Ooh! I've one more question! How do i deal with stop and go traffic? Ya know, like when i have to move forward like 10ft and stop. and repeat. Do i just roll the clutch in and out the whole time? For example, ease off the clutch to get the car to roll forward a bit and then disengage the clutch again?

09-06-2009, 09:53 PM	#40 (permalink)
Supragtsxr Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 81 Drives: '09 Black Base+Sport Rep Power: 15	Thanks for the info. I tried letting half the clutch in to get it to roll then disengaging the clutch fully. Works quite well; I think i'll be able to get to work on Tuesday lol. It's day 3 now and im still a lil slow gettin off the clutch and gettin it moving. Training my left leg after driving automatics all these years sure is alot more work than i thought.

09-08-2009, 08:27 AM	#42 (permalink)
Supragtsxr Base Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 81 Drives: '09 Black Base+Sport Rep Power: 15	I made it to work without stalling. I've gone stall free for 1 complete day! The clutch petal is still so grabby. I'm at 400miles now and still cant get the petal to be less 'springy'. It seems to wanna spring back on me when i push it down...modulating it is still proving tough. Will the petal eventually soften or will i have to get used to this?

09-08-2009, 08:31 AM	#43 (permalink)
Nick911sc A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Long Island, New York Posts: 1,698 Drives: 2010 Nissan GT-R Rep Power: 20	I don't feel like my pedal fights up against me when I'm driving. But that might be because I started learning on a 78 Porsche with the clutch on a cable. The force pushing back at you was pretty heavy. But the clutch should break in as time goes on. So I wouldn't worry too much.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
check this out!!!	mikew	Nissan 370Z Dealer Inventory	37	05-02-2010 12:25 AM
check it out!	black09Z	Member's 370Z Gallery	11	07-15-2009 11:39 PM
Check it out!	mikew	Boardwalk Nissan - Supporting Dealer	1	02-08-2009 02:25 PM
Check out	Devil Z	The Lounge (Off Topic)	1	01-29-2009 05:30 PM
HAHA Check it out!	TheManTheMyth	Nissan 370Z General Discussions	4	12-03-2008 01:12 AM