[Snakely]

So, i have a confession to make...

I thought I could drive stick. Turns out, i can make a car go, and generally not look like a doof, but i cant Drive it that consistently.

I get some smooth shifts sometimes, but its 50/50 from 1st > 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) on if it it lurches. i suppose I'm not giving it enough? or the timing (my timing) is off.

This is just spirited driving on the street mind you.

Rev matching helps, but even then, i think(?) that i've got to pull completely off the gas and not get back on it until the clutch is all the way out? sometimes maybe i touch the gas a little too soon?

Does anyone have any technique tips? this is the first Manual V8 car ive owned, driven a few older ones (60's\70's).


Anyway, Im just thinking out loud here, killing time when i should be working.

[WhiteMale]

Ive driven manual almost exclusively for 25 plus years and they're all different, some shift rougher, clutch pedal release points, anomalies in the trans and synchros that don't quite mesh, it's hard to hit smooth up/down shifts all the time. 1-2 is almost always has some kind of notchyness especially when cold that make that one inparticular tough to hit smoothly.

[FarmerFran]

For me it was just time. It took time to learn the vehicles I drove and how they behaved. Each one is different. SO just keep "practicing" and it will come to you.

[Heat Magnet]

Yeah, basically it's just practice. My dad has decades of experience driving a stick (he drove a slightly modified Vega when he was younger and he drives a 2002 Silverado 1500 with a 5-speed manual) but even he still slips up on the rare occasion (I've been in the vehicle with him when he's missed a gear or two). Probably just granny shift until you get good feel of the clutch and the gear shifts. Once you get that down, then you can double clutch and feel like a real pro.

[CamaroChriSS]

The harmony between gas/clutch between shifts, the clutch engagement points, etc. like everyone mentioned, is different with each car. You can drive stick for 20 years and still feel like a beginner getting a new car. Don't beat yourself up over some lurchy starts and stay at it. A couple weeks and you'll be great.

[NA18CamaroSS]

The main thing when driving a stick is to match your RPMs as well as possible between shifts. For instance, if you upshift at 4,000 RPM, let the RPMs fall to approximately where they will be in the next gear. Learn to be as smooth as possible with your clutch release. Learn where in its travel the clutch actually starts to engage. It is a learned skill, but practice goes a long way.

[NotFast]

What I don't understand is: why does the first 1-2 inches of clutch travel have no effect? Seems like that slack could be removed, or cured via a bump stop on the floorboard.

[JSH]

Originally Posted by Snakely

So, i have a confession to make...

I thought I could drive stick. Turns out, i can make a car go, and generally not look like a doof, but i cant Drive it that consistently.

I get some smooth shifts sometimes, but its 50/50 from 1st > 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) on if it it lurches. i suppose I'm not giving it enough? or the timing (my timing) is off.

This is just spirited driving on the street mind you.

Rev matching helps, but even then, i think(?) that i've got to pull completely off the gas and not get back on it until the clutch is all the way out? sometimes maybe i touch the gas a little too soon?

Does anyone have any technique tips? this is the first Manual V8 car ive owned, driven a few older ones (60's\70's).


Anyway, Im just thinking out loud here, killing time when i should be working.

It boils down to coordination between your arm and leg. An average athlete with average coordination can practice and become proficient.

Here's a professional making what I would call average "speed" shifts, nothing fantastic -

[Snakely]

Thanks All!

I've got a few hundred more miles before the first oil change. trying to mostly taking it easy until then.

[Crushin_LT1]

I find the 1-2 shift in this car to be very notchy, other shifts are fine but 1-2 is very notchy for the first 15-30 mins of driving (ironically the times I need first gear...)

[Jaxcam02]

Try it in competition mode. I drive exclusively with the trac control and other nannies off because the computer really changes how the cars drive.

When i had my 18 SS 1LE i had the same issues you had and I was driving a built 2002 SS for 15 years prior. I didn't figure out how different the car drives with the nannies off until I got this ZL1 and started to experiment.

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by Heat Magnet

then you can double clutch and feel like a real pro.

For 99.9999% of those driving a synchronized transmission, teaching them to double clutch is just adding wear unnecessarily. Better the words were never spoken.

[zaimer]

Yes, every car/vehicle is different. So whether you are a "pro" or not with some other vehicle, chances are you won't be an immediate pro with said car. It takes many miles and different circumstances to really become a great manual driver (with a specific car).

That also goes with saying that every car also has it's own unique quirks/disadvantages, certainly including the Camaro. I don't doubt that ours Tremecs are bulletproof but they do have minds of their own. Notchy shifting, finicky when cold, finding the sweet spots, etc. are all part of the game.

[Zr8000]

Originally Posted by Snakely

So, i have a confession to make...

I thought I could drive stick. Turns out, i can make a car go, and generally not look like a doof, but i cant Drive it that consistently.

I get some smooth shifts sometimes, but its 50/50 from 1st > 2nd (and sometimes 3rd) on if it it lurches. i suppose I'm not giving it enough? or the timing (my timing) is off.

This is just spirited driving on the street mind you.

Rev matching helps, but even then, i think(?) that i've got to pull completely off the gas and not get back on it until the clutch is all the way out? sometimes maybe i touch the gas a little too soon?

Does anyone have any technique tips? this is the first Manual V8 car ive owned, driven a few older ones (60's\70's).


Anyway, Im just thinking out loud here, killing time when i should be working.

It’s probably just your timing when you are getting back on the throttle. Get more drive time on it and you will figure out the feel of the car