How you drive manual LGT ?

[GetAwayDriver]

www.standardshift.com is a very helpful site. I learned on there a while back.

[DCspecB278]

Can you explain how to do this clutchless shifting? It sounds really interesting, and have never heard of this before.

 

First off, I am not recommending that anyone do this...lots of folks warn against it, but, again, I have never had any problems-I've done it on every car I have owned (9 different cars over 20 years) for a combined mileage of over 500,000 miles and I have never had any transmission breakdowns (clutch, plates, etc.) then again, I do not "force" gears in or make any grinding noises from my baby!

 

These are the steps involved:

 

• Release the accelerator pedal (press gas just enough to create 0% pull and 0% push) &
  
• Shift into neutral
  
• Push the gearshift lightly toward the gear you want when the speed of the engine matches the rpms of whatever gear you are in
  
• Wait for the synchromech in the gear box to either speed up or slow down the motor until it matches speeds and drops into gear
  
• You may now step on the accelerator pedal again

-I don't even push the gearshift anymore until the rpm and mph are matching, at which point, the gearshift just slips in with no friction.

 

-The trick is knowing how far down the revs will go between gears (800-900rpm between 1st & 2nd, 2nd & 3rd, 3rd & 4th, and 500-600 rpm between 4th & 5th) and just pushing the gearshift in as the engine speed passes that sweet spot where it matches the speed and gear

(example: 4th gear, 40 mph, 2000rpm....)

 

-Pushing the gearshift blindly as the engine speed decreases or increases, hoping for that point where it slips in is probably not the best thing for your transmission... Nor is experimenting, trial and error, grind, grunt, and stall...

 

If you want to try it, remember, if you miss, you can always use your clutch!

This technique involves a wee bit of self confidence, where either you push it into gear, or do not push it in to gear, but if you "kind of" push it into gear, prepare for grinding noises!!!

 

DC

[psucaptainkickass]

Nice! I think I need to try this on a beater.

[BatChips107]

drive it like its stolen & u want to kill the tranny

[Lie495s14]

i just tried with engine off. shift lever wont move from 2nd into 3rd nor 4th without clutch pedal being pressed. something blocks the shift lever kind like a safty device.

[97subleg]

Get in the car, start driving. Drive day & night. In a week you can write the book. Practice, practice . . .fun, fun . .

[moviemadness]

the most important thing you should know when driving your car is the clutch point.

this is the point when you slowly release the clutch pedal the gear engages.

memorize this part and commit it to muscle memory.

the best way to find this part is to put the car into 1st, then without pressing the gas slowly slowly slowly release the clutch pedal until it engages.

that is your clutch point.

[KayGT]

didn't read everythin so i apoligize if someone said this....but driving manual is not rocket science. when u upshift the rpm's drop and in order for it to be smooth u have to let the clutch grip at the correct rpm's for that speed in that gear......if u downshift u revmatch the rpms correctly to the gear you're in accordingly to the speed.......if you want to be a good manual driver then get in tune with your car....know every inch and feel the car....and simply learn what rpms correspond with what speed in which gear....pay attention...memorize somewhat...and smoothness

[KayGT]

practice practice practice will just burn your clutch and ruin transmission.....get the concept of what goes on in the engine to the wheels when you engage and disengage clutch....go the http://www.howstuffworks.com ....read up on manual cars....just to get an idea because if you dont know whats happening you can never drive your car to your potential.

[scoobydrew]

One thing I learned on my own a few years ago was to leave my heel on the floor when engaging the clutch. My prior fifteen yrs of driving was always letting my entire foot rise with the pedal which equates to very little engagement control.

 

1. Clutch all the way down, being held somewhere around the ball area of your foot and up through toes, whatever is comfortable in that upper area of your foot and toes.

 

2. After gear change, let it all come back a little off the wall, then just before engagement begins, plant your heel, holding the pedal by almost just your toes, pull your toes toward you to engage by rolling your ankle through the engagement, then all the way off the pedal.

 

By doing this, engaging the clutch is very smooth and controlled. Basically you just need to get a feel for when to plant your heel and let your ankle control the rest. The quicker and smoother you perform this will create less strain on the drivetrain and more life to your clutch. <<<Rev-matching when downshifting is also good for the mentioned components and smoothes things out.

[moviemadness]

just curious.

what rpm do you guys launch? do you dump the gas at that point or feather it?

do you dump the clutch? feather? what combo?

[psucaptainkickass]

I roll my foot pushing the clutch in, and out. Someone on this board pointed out to me when I got my car and was looking for advice: "Rolling hills, not mountain peaks"

One thing I learned on my own a few years ago was to leave my heel on the floor when engaging the clutch. My prior fifteen yrs of driving was always letting my entire foot rise with the pedal which equates to very little engagement control.

 

1. Clutch all the way down, being held somewhere around the ball area of your foot and up through toes, whatever is comfortable in that upper area of your foot and toes.

 

2. After gear change, let it all come back a little off the wall, then just before engagement begins, plant your heel, holding the pedal by almost just your toes, pull your toes toward you to engage by rolling your ankle through the engagement, then all the way off the pedal.

 

By doing this, engaging the clutch is very smooth and controlled. Basically you just need to get a feel for when to plant your heel and let your ankle control the rest. The quicker and smoother you perform this will create less strain on the drivetrain and more life to your clutch. <<<Rev-matching when downshifting is also good for the mentioned components and smoothes things out.

[Martyr]

Axis wasn't lying when he said:

 

I actually found the LGT to be very easy to drive (if you want a challenge, try the prev. gen SVT Cobra

 

I've been driving a stick since my first car at 15 (i.e. 20 years now) and I find my LGT clutch and stick to be very smooth and easy to drive. However, when I test drove a black 2003 SVT Cobra a couple of years ago...OMGWTH??? I thought it was broken at first, or maybe it was the parking brake, thought maybe I was standing on the foot rest. After practically standing on the clutch with my left leg it went in...and then I had the challenge of trying to roll out of 1st gear and then through the gears. I could not imagine trying to drag race it...people would think I looked like an idiot hopping up and down like a monkey in the driver's seat.

 

I test drove a 2006 GTO M6 today (400 hp/tq). The clutch obviously required more effort, but not bad (nothing compared to that Cobra). The engine/tranny just feel so rough and noisy compared to my LGT.

 

Martyr

[AWD_Rules3830]

just curious.

what rpm do you guys launch? do you dump the gas at that point or feather it?

do you dump the clutch? feather? what combo?

 

About 1500 to 2000, ocasionally my foot goes in to far and i launch it at 3000, but i dont smoke the tires though

[eL GaTo]

It depends what you mean by "LAUNCH". Are you thinking of "1/4" mile launching?

 

In a "normal" around town driving, 1K-1.5K RPM will get you moving from stop as long as you maintain your RPM prior to completely releasing your clutch. Every time you up shift do not let the RPM drop to more than 1K, ideally .5K, before completing your shift. Example......upshifting from 2.5K RPM from 2nd to 3rd gear, prior to completing your gear change, your RPM should be around 2K, that's 500 RPM drop. Try this on every gear. And remember, you have to be quick with doing all 3 moves(combination-depress clutch pedal & let up on gas; shift and; finally release clutch & depress gas pedal ) within the 500RPM drop. AWD cars tend to drop RPMs quicker than a FWD. Some people blip the gas pedal but, I don't. You just have to be quick. Short shifter helps.

 

I've been using this technique since my 1st manual....a 1975 FIAT 128. I bet, you guys do not remember FIAT in this country.

 

When you get used to the above. You can try double clutching, heel and toe and so on.

[scoobydrew]

....a 1975 FIAT 128. I bet, you guys do not remember FIAT in this country.

 

I remember them. I remember being in my brother's '76 Rally Sport Camaro, seeing an X1/9 and thinking what a POS.

[moviemadness]

1/4 mile launching

[scoobydrew]

1/4 mile launching

 

I know what you were asking. I was searching for a particular thread yesterday but couldn't find it. There's a guy on here, Xenonk. He posted on how to launch. It was a really great explanation, because I can finally launch AWD. I'll do my best.

 

When revving, getting ready to launch, the big key is blipping properly. 3 to 4k rpm's seems to be a good balance of nice take-off and less drivetrain strain (not including your clutch). As you rev, don't let the rpm's fall, keep the needle between 3k and 4k (I guess it's building boost pressure so you don't want that air to escape by letting the rpm's drop). Then feather it a little bit until it starts to grab, once it grabs pull your foot straight up and off sort of quickly, don't drop it. Then I almost floor the gas. I've had a couple of awesome launches, with plenty of clutch stank. With some practice you can do it w/o the stench.

[eL GaTo]

1/4 mile launching

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23729&highlight=1%2F4+mile+launch

Check this thread.

[eL GaTo]

I remember them. I remember being in my brother's '76 Rally Sport Camaro, seeing an X1/9 and thinking what a POS.

 

Fiat = Fix It Again Tomorrow:icon_bigg

Anyway they're still big sellers in Europe.

[victorobgt]

I find the GT clutch and Tranny to be BUTTER! It's so nice and easy to drive, I think I'm a little spoiled as I work at a dealership and I've been through 10 demos in the past 1.5years. The legacy GT is defin. the nicest combination of POWER and EASE of use hardly any effort required to get this car doing what it's supposed to do.

[Hyudra]

I just wanted to give my feedback.

 

I had a 02 impreza 2.5RS... easy to drive the manual

coming up to the legacy gt... I noticed it was a little harder to get it to drive smoothly. It takes a little time to get used to I guess.

Impreza STI... easiest driving manual ever that I've driven. I don't even think you need to know how to drive manual to drive that car!

[dark_templer_102]

Reverse Gear is really annoying IMO...esp on hills

[Lie495s14]

little update here. i'm just getting better and better each day with shifting in this LGT, friendship is in building.

 

as el-gato infer that start off 1k-1.5k, finaly i can get off at 1.5k rev after practice and practice. now that i am able to up shifting from 1 thru 4th gears within 2k rev smooth without yank. gonna work on the down shifting soon.