The Sweet Spot- Shifting Inquiry

[Evolution1980]

I really like it rough when I am alone.

Really, DRTH VTR, that kind of personal should be kept between you and...well, ya know...Rosey...

 

[Gonzo]

I see this thread started a while ago but I thought I would throw in my two cents as well.

I traded in my LT4 for my Zo6, and I have driven a clutch since I learned to drive back in 1980. Well I stalled the thing at a light on the way home:cry Needless to say I was embarresed,and of course my wife started laughing at me because I always say see that guy in that sports car who just stalled out and call him a Bozo. Now I was the Bozo in the sports car.Then to make matters worse we get to the driveway and I prepare to back up, and wouldn't you know it GM moved reverse on me, the Lt4 was over and down the Z is over and up. By now my wife is asking herself how she ever married me in the first place.

Bottom line the pedal is alot lower on the Z than it was on my LT4 IMHO. and even the best of (wait make that the worst of) us can miss a shift

 

[cavettefan]

Try missing a shift and putting it into a lower gear by mistake.... But then again that has never, ever happened....

 

[Gonzo]

I had a friend who downshifted 5th to 2nd and blew his LT4. Had to get a new engine:cry

 

[SJRAMROD]

I have the same problem! Haven't driven a stick in 20 years, in fact, never owned a stick car before this. I had a little advantage since I have a bike but, this is a wole different animal. The only conclusion that I've come to is.......I have good shifting days and bad shifting days with it! Some days, I'm as smooth as silk. Other days, forget it!

My question is: When I take off easy, no problem. Fast, no problem. In the middle, I jumping the car all over the place! what the heck am I doing wrong?

 

[cavettefan]

SJRAMROD, the jumping all over comes from not getting a good mix of throttle for the gear that was selected. As you noted in your post, "...Some days, I'm as smooth as silk...." You will improve with practice (but you will need to drive the car often to get the practice).

 

[Evolution1980]

I have the same problem! Haven't driven a stick in 20 years, in fact, never owned a stick car before this. ..I have good shifting days and bad shifting days with it! Some days, I'm as smooth as silk. Other days, forget it!
My question is: When I take off easy, no problem. Fast, no problem. In the middle, I jumping the car all over the place! what the heck am I doing wrong?

An unrelated question: Did you buy the car new or used? If you are the first owner...on some level, it seems amusing that you've done all these mods to the car and didn't learn how to drive it first :L :L
Anyways...if you'd like, I'd be happy to borrow the car from you for a week and I'll figure out all it's shift points for you and then get back to you with it all mapped out for all the different driving situations

 

[slong]

Find that empty road and practice. I know you will get it down in no time at all. With all the help just mention, you got it licked already. Now just curious. For sure, there are no issues with the Vette? Can you get an experienced clutch driver to do a quick check?

 

[theblackvette]

oooooooooooooooooooo

that had to hurt!

I had a friend who downshifted 5th to 2nd and blew his LT4. Had to get a new engine:cry

 

[SJRAMROD]

I'm not totally in the dark with the shifting. In fact, I'm probably pretty good but, I am a bit of a perfectionist. I'm so used to driving an automatic that I guess I'm just trying to mimic the smoothness of the automatic! I had a few street races from a standing start and rolling, won them all.....so far!...lol

Like I said in an earlier post, it's that "medium speed take off" that just bugs me! I think that these car are just a little quirky. Sometimes can't get the right feel.....if you know what I mean!

 

[cavettefan]

SJRAMROD, practice will make you perfect. Before I developed tendonitis in my left knee, I could shift a manual transmission C4 smoother than an automatic would shift - at any engine rev range. Of course, I had probably in excess of 250,000 miles in manual transmission cars at the onset of tendonitis

 

[Roadfrog]

I taught my daughter to drive a manual by just having her let out the clutch slowly with NO GAS applied in a parking lot. Had her doing it several times, then had her use the gas pedal to accelerate and shift through the gears. In 20 minutes she had it down pat. Had an M Roadster at the time.

I've found the ZO6 to be the most forgiving manual I've ever driven. There's enough torque to climb a tree!!

However, I do have humility. I can't hit a golf ball to save my Corvette.

 

[cavettefan]

Roadfrog, lessons and practice also apply to hitting a golf ball....

 

[Zektor]

Clutch Control...

Hi All,
I thought I would offer my advice as regarding clutch control. Being that I am UK based, I learned to drive in a manual, and have driven manual cars ever since, I've owned two automatic cars in that time. Probably about 90% of all cars sold in the UK come with manual transmissions.

Anyway, forget what people have told you about "balancing" the pedals. It's rubbish! Someone told me that when I first started learning to drive (about 16 years ago), and it was extremely difficult to do properly and only made my driving worse. I learned for my self that that is not the way to drive. At the end of the day, the clutch and the throttle are totally different parts of the car and are not joined in any way... treat them as two different systems and you will drive better.

To the driving then. You don't need to apply any gas at all to get the car moving. If you lift your clutch foot deftly and slowly enough, you will feel the engine begin to "grab" and the car will slowly start rolling. Eventually, when engine speed (idle) matches the road speed, you can lift the clutch entirely and literally coast down the road. Applying gas, will just accelerate as normal.

Now, depending on how fast you want to pull away, give the gas that you require to the engine and lift the clutch quicker. The car will pull away faster, and as long as you have enough gas, it will not bog down.

I would concentrate on pulling away slowly just like I have mentioned above for a while. Do it in a car park or something. Just practise the low speed pull away, and then give the car progressively more gas and clutch etc until you are used to it. This is better for the long term, as you will learn how to be easy on the clutch and therefore not wear it out quicker!

Eventually, you will not even think about "where the clutch bites" and will drive without even thinking about where your gas pedal is and where the clutch is. You will just drive!

Cheers
Dazza

 

[PDCjonny]

One thing for sure I have noticed, the shifting is a whole lot smoother once the motor and drive train warm up. When my Z is cold, and I don't want to rev it too high with a cold engine....can be a lil rough.

 

[cavettefan]

Anyway, forget what people have told you about "balancing" the pedals.

What do you think you are recommending in your next comment?:

If you lift your clutch foot deftly and slowly enough, you will feel the engine begin to "grab" and the car will slowly start rolling. Eventually, when engine speed (idle) matches the road speed, you can lift the clutch entirely and literally coast down the road. Applying gas, will just accelerate as normal.

Now, depending on how fast you want to pull away, give the gas that you require to the engine and lift the clutch quicker. The car will pull away faster, and as long as you have enough gas, it will not bog down.

Hmmm, sounds like "balancing" to me....

 

[Evolution1980]

What do you think you are recommending in your next comment?:


Hmmm, sounds like "balancing" to me....

I believe he is referencing having the same amount of depression on the both the gas and clutch. If you have the both pedals pressed the same distance to the floor, you'll rev the hell out of your engine and not be anywhere near the correct RPM for engaging the clutch. I think "balancing" was being used in the literal sense, such as what might be envisioned in weight scales measuring which of two substances has more weight.

"Moderation" would probably have been a more accurate description.

 

[Zektor]

Evolution,

That's exactly what I meant. That's why I suggested pulling away from rest without any use of the gas pedal whatsoever... therefore no balancing of pedals at all.

But used in a different context, it could be said that you are "balancing" engine speed with the clutch. Then I agree that this could be classed as balancing.

But, when it comes to the pedals themselves. I don't agree on the idea of balancing the pedals, hence my comments.

Years ago when I was learning to drive, someone advised me to balance the pedals. ie. to push the gas pedal in equal amount to lifting the clutch. Which is rubbish. At the end of the day you can slam the gas to the floor and lift the clutch slowly for a clutch burn out, where's the balancing???

So Cavettefan, what I am suggesting is that the driver can give any amount of gas with the pedal. And lift the clutch to any amount of degree to take up drive, hence not balanced at all. If you think I am wrong, then go out in your car and use the gas and clutch pedals like they are linked in the middle at a central point. Equally accelerate the car with the gas and equally lift the clutch at the same time. You'll been for a hell of a fairground ride!!!

But if what I have suggested is not what you were implying, then ignore my comments and I will shut up! :L

Cheers!
Dazza