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don't have to let off the clutch slowly. thats only if you want a really smooth ride. personally I only worry about a smooth ride when I have passengers so I just get into gear and let the clutch up normally. not like racing speed but I don't worry about smoothness.

btw...when we say smoothness it just means we dont' let the car jerk when we shift.

when you want to get the most performance out as possible...you wanna shift closer to where your peak HP is. say your engine specs are 170hp@ 6000rpm. so you'll want to shift closer to 6000rpm. your power band is a few hundred RPM within your peak RPM. like in this example between maybe 5800RPM and 6200RPM...maybe even more. between that rpm is when your engine is making it's most power. anymore or anyless and you're making less than peak power.

for daily driving anywhere between 3000rpm - 4000rpm is a good shift point. I personally shift at 3000rpm. it doesn't give me the best acceleration but it conserves gas. and remember, in instances where you're going like 3000rpm in 4th and you need to accelerate faster for some reason, just pop it into 3rd and your rpms will jump to around 4000rpm and you'll be closer to your powerband and just punch it.

Yeah, didn't think about how what gear you're in will affect your gas usage. BTW, what's the (reg.) gas prices for you guys? It's $1.90US here.

we pump your gas and its 89 cents/liter here.

it's 99.9cents/litre for regular here.

err. We do it in gallons you damn metric people, lol.

A engine has whats known as a "power band" these are the rpms where the engine is at its peak preformance, or the rpm range where the engine is tuned to make all of its horsepower.

You can let out the clutch as fast as you want, as long as you give it enough gas to not stall the engine. if you let it out too fast, the car will shake/stutter/stall this is known as "popping the clutch".. So you can put it into first, release the clutch immediatly and floor the gas if you wish.. but youll burn out and smoke your tires; not something you want to be doing in traffic.

Also, suddently releasing the clutch when the engine is high reving in low gear isn't firendly to the transmission, engine etc... Expensive repairs can results of abuse like thoses (CV joints, transmission, engine, rear suspension etc).

for my car you need to shift right at redline everytime.. no matter the gear; or else you fall right out of the power band

added: its really just about how "smooth" you are in the process

This post has been edited by sidewaysgts on May 31 2004, 05:27 PM

another thing to know about is your torque band.

when you drift, the key is not dropping below your torque band. just thot I'd add that.

in most cars the torque band is around 3200rpm+-

where are u from?

still... to damn expensive. we pump the shit, AB government is gayness..

to the west of you. I'm in BC.

but back on topic.

Torque for drift is really mis-understood. Most import will reach their max toqrue BY 4000. Torque is really important off the line acceleration, and of course if yoru towing something. Torque really isnt an issue unless you REALLY suck at managing your engines rpms, since the powerband of most imports is above the max torque figure.

Driving stick is not hard at all. it took me around 45 minutes to learn. i was driving my friends Honda Accord. That car was the wrong car for me to learn on. It was fully decked out with a turbo. Its not good when you trying to learn to drive stick and your friends keeps dropping the car on you.

But, basically, once you launch its really easy from there. Here is a secret, if you take your shoes off and drive with your toes for about 15 minutes, you can feel the clutch catch and you will be better as far as slowly launching or quickly launching. it sounds crazy, but trust me, its really really easy, once you get the hang of it.

This is a great topic. I suggest pinning it and keeping it open for discussion, I'm sure a lot of us new drivers or soon-to-be drivers are learning A LOT, I know I am.

i never got a "feel" for it, more or less i "know" whats going on with the different pressures of the pedals. I have steel toed shoes with a thick bottom, and can feel nothing. The only time i noticed a different is when i pushed the clutch with my right foot, i can feel a "Give away" point since your right foot developes more of a finese touch to it, and the left foot is jsut accustomed to pushing the pedal hard. also if you try and press the gas with your left foot it feel feather-light (until youve trained a finese into your left foot anyways)

added: as soon as i get the chance to im going to buy some like vans or something better so i can learn the "Feel" ive heard about, itd also make quick actions that need a different finese like heel-toe easier (considering im 6'2 and have a 12 or so, lighter more "nimble" shoes would be a big help)

This post has been edited by sidewaysgts on Jun 1 2004, 07:11 AM

i just hope people see this instead of opening yet ANOTHER thread ><

this is somewhat off topic but...

sidewaysgts: get those pumas with the thin bottom, there are some that they make for driving or something like that...notsuper expensive, like 50-70 thats the prices i've seen for those...there was a special version which has sparco stitchings...but i've worn those for a lil...feels pretty damn good...

I can't imagine learning how to drive stick w/o learning to feel clutch engagement...

Thanks TRD i know what ill be looking for then i should have been looking around actually; anyone else know a great shoe to get my feet into or anyone else agree with trd on the pumas? (and hey; having good shoes leads to learning foot control leads to better stick control...so its on topic)

Um... revived for all the wrong reasons..

But, i got my leaners. =D

1 year 7 months late but i have it god damn it. gahahahaha, gonna try driving my buddies 86 soon.

Your one lucky mofo you shall soon see why i love my 86

yeppers, also i will talk to they guy who has the 86 in my neighboor hood. I'm not gonna buy it if more then 1200 cause i know i can find one for that much here...

If i cant.. 4agze AW11 for me. =D

This post has been edited by fr86 on Jun 6 2004, 02:25 PM

lol man... where the hell are you that you can find an 86 for 1200? theres one on ebay, pretty stock with the exception of lights and seats goign for over 3000, and it wasnt even up for a day yet

In Edmonton.

I said before, some people dont know the value of what they have.

I want to hear the opinion of a guy that's into cars and knows a true good car from a bad car, and I want him to never heard of the AE86. Then, I want him to drive it and give his full opinion on it. That'd be the true test.