shifting from 2nd in stand still - bad idea?
 

Hey guys, looking for some consensus here if it is really a bad idea to shift from 2nd gear while at a standstill (red light or stop sign or whatever).

I ask this as it makes it smoother for the passenger when they are in the car. I just didn't know if there would be any damage down the road if I did this every so often?

I know other cars usually bog down a bit if you try to roll off in seond gear but the Z seems to be fine.

Thanks in advanced!

p.s. May the 4th be with you! (Star wars reference)

bad idea. just rev your engine to 2000rpm and engage 1st while you count to 3.

basically catch a glimpse of your tach when the needle is horizontal, then engage 1st while you count ichi ni san :icon17:

hope u get the lame joke at end :ugh:

To add to that, heavy launching from second gear is no bueno. Ask forum member Mitch about that.

:icon18:

MITCH~~!! :mad:

bad idea. this will put unnecessary load/strain on the engine.

and the Z has one of the more smoother 1st to 2nd gear changes....perhaps you're letting off the clutch to early?

1st and 2nd gear are a bitch. Practice makes perfect.

Sure is, take your time on releasing the clutch. Unless you're driving hard the clutch likes a little more time

ichi ni san

The only time starting from 2nd should be warranted is when you're trying to get a better start from snow.

only applies to HEK.

HEK+Z=Poor Z:rolleyes:

From a standing start it's harder on the clutch. It would be harder on the motor but I don't think these modern with electronic throttle engines really lug the way old ones do, but still, probably best to avoid it.

Rolling start, say 5 mph, 2nd gear is no problem. Of course, you'll get a ticket for that, so don't.

The 1st to 2nd shift in this car is a little trickier than most; the approach required varies depending on how fast you're accelerating, and what RPM you shift at. Usually that's a problem only when shifting at higher RPM; the Z is actually very easy to shift from 1st to 2nd at higher RPM, but a little trickier in the more typical 2500 - 3,000 RPM range.

the peaky latent throttle response dont help newbs either.

i drive my Z then drive my G, wow so butterly smooth :yum: (one of the key reasons why i still have my G35C... beautiful and smooth).
i drive my Z then my fit, wow where the f- is 6th gear?! :eekdance:

A Fit has 6 gears? 0_o wait... you can get a Fit in a M/T?!?!?!

My Civic's clutch is so light that I hulk smash it through the wheel wells every time I am forced to take that pathetic excuse of a car out onto the roads. Then again, i've had to start it in 2nd gear when we have 8+ inches of snow just HOPING everything would explode so I could collect insurance and be happy in life.

yah, the current gen fits have 6 gears, but mine is a '12 so only has 5 gears.
i dont mind the light clutch on honda's and the gear box. they feel great to me.
easy to go fast.

Why do you hate your Civic so much? Might as well sell it! :ugh2:

yah really. the fit is pretty cool. it can carry my Z's wheels to the tire store with no fuss. :icon17: and the gearbox is very smooth.

but it does grind in 3rd on cooler days.. a honda thing. :ugh:

Leased....And I cry every day I think about it

I'll trade you my bathtub on wheels for your box on wheels :bowrofl:

:rofl2: muhahaha! NO! :mad:


btw, you can return a lease early if you hate the car, if the value is high you could get another car on a trade and pay nothing to close the lease.

Yeah Honda tends to have really easy effort shifting and clutch and they use an anti-dump valve to where you can pretty much just let the clutch up and it won't grab too fast. Makes anyone look like a stick shift pro. :bowrofl:

but no SRM so not sure about 'anyone' who cant drive MT. lol

elitist post :gtfo2:

Heel/Toe feels way more fun though.

Only a year left on it. And this season will be non-stop Z driving. I'll suffer through it hahahahaha.

I don't heel/toe on the street.

Much. :ugh:

You will wear out ur clutch much quicker, and since ur holding clutch down longer than usual while getting up to speed u also will wear down ur csc and that thing will go quicker than clutch. The engine is fine.

Or unless you have a hard clutch. Push up to a stage 3, 4 or 5 clutch and you wont be able to do anything but start in first gear and you will have to learn how to be super sensitive about the so called "sweet spot" of the clutch. That's to where you can shift without any jerkiness like how this thread started. Just gotta find the sweet spot on the clutch although harder to locate when you go up in stages.
I went from a stock ford ranger clutch in my truck to a SPEC stage 3 clutch in my z and was a completely different ball game. It would be like going from peewee sports to Division 1 college sports .:rofl2:

Although once you have a durable clutch and know how to shift entirely, then you can learn to power shift, although that would go the complete opposite direction on jerkiness than this thread started originally.

Thanks for all the responses guys! Unfortunately I won't be doing any shifting till the car gets out of the shop...

you have the Z 24/7/365, practice til you can engage 1st gear smoothly :tup:

:eek:

Oh, I engaged smoothly but I felt like I was "granny shifting" is all :rofl2:

Smooth shifting in the Z requires getting used to the car.

How you shift from 1st to 2nd varies depending on your rate of acceleration & RPMs , once you get used to it you'll see the difference.

When I first got my Z it was driving me crazy, had me thinking about clutch mods. It was me that needed the mod LOL.

:driving:

I've only ever started the Z in 2nd gear on a downhill slope. Otherwise, you're just putting extra stress on the crappy, prone-to-failure OEM CSC :twocents:

:iagree:

if that was me i'd probably end up shifting it into R and dumping the tranny... :shakes head:

that's the trick. shift how you rev. rev 4.5+ you can release the clutch quicker and it won't be as bad.

shift at under 3 go slow and steady!





I pulled a noob move and tried to launch from 3rd the other day... let's just say the popo behind me was laughing and thinking 'AMATEUR HOUR!!!'

Are you trying to break your CSC? :wtf2:

for some reason i thought i was moving enough but came to a standstill and well.... :shakes head:

:icon14:

You have to be careful with aggressive, high friction clutches. You can do a number on the syncros in the Z's transmission with unnecessarily rough engaging high pressure clutches. Its entirely unnecessary in a Z that sees daily use around town, unless it sees regular track use with high heat (HPDE, etc).

From your mod list, you dont have anything that requires such a clutch w 20% plus additional torque capacity. No supercharger, no turbo etc. A stage 1, or an OEM clutch would have been fine.

I used to bracket drag race hondas, and did NASA HPDE track events with first a WRX and then a prepped Civic hatchback, and never had an instructor go over "power shifting". The last mention I heard of power shifting was in Fast and Furious 1.

I think modifications are supposed to be a package deal, and in synergy. For example I wouldnt upgrade my clutch, without first upgrading my clutch pedal to the RJM unit, and getting the Z1 transmission mount.

The RJM clutch pedal actually elimates all of the touchy-ness of the OEM Z/G clutch and makes it feel much more smooth with effortless engagement. Like most high-end manual transmissions are.

i think he drove a bus or something before? :confused: :icon17:

yah, i do this ..let the car roll a few feet while clutch-in and gently engage 2nd.