ebcheon

i had a question about starting a 6MT tsx.

so here is it... well everyone knows you're supposed to press the clutch to start your engine. but do you:

a) press clutch, turn key, start engine completely, then release clutch?

b) press clutch, turn key, start engine, as soon as the engine goes, release clutch, continue starting the engine?

i'm wondering when is the appropriate time to release the clutch. just wondering what the right way was...

fdl

I just leave the clutch in the whole time. This is also because I usually leave my car in gear when its off (usually on an incline). But even if I had it in neutral I would do (a) and wait untill it was started before releasing the clutch. Honestly (b) seems a little ridiculous to me.

LeeLee

I concur with fdl. After I start my car, the clutch stays in until I pick either 1st or reverse gear and start moving.

TWong1200

You guys are being way too anal about this. The sole purpose of having to depress the clutch is to prevent the car from jerking forward if the car is in gear. That said, if the car is in neutral, you can let the clutch out as soon as the car fires up. All you're doing when you step on the clutch is pressing a button telling the ECU that the clutch is depressed. Nothing mechanical at all.

fdl

Exactly

Santacruz

chrisalberts

There is a little switch that the clutch pedal depresses when you have it full in that is an ignition cut out (when not pressed). That's all it is.

It's worth noting that other countries don't have this (I won't speculate why). The first time I tried to start a stick shift in this country I couldn't get it to even turn over until someone came to tell me to press the clutch. My habit (then) was just to check the car was in neutral before I started it. Personally I've considered deactivating the switch but I can't be bothered.

C.

tony4311

I park mine in gear so Start it up put in neutral and let out the clutch

I do agree though, its not a big deal at all. However just like its better not to sit with the clutch in while at stop lights its a good idea to treat it the same while parked. Plus its just easier to let the clutch out leaving your feet free while you reach and grab/adjust anything before you get ready to go.

miner

The TSX has 2 clutch switches, an upper & lower. My upper clutch switch was bad, car would not start unless clutch was depressed ALL THE WAY to the floor. Since it was repaired I can now start it without depressin all the way down.

TWong1200

Correct....the top switch is for cruise control. It's used to cancel cruise control if it's set. This way, your motor won't over-rev.

DjElucid

Just fire up the damn car and start cruising !!!

Gboyz78

Stupid question, start the car and just punch it!!!

efript

say u are coming to a stop and u downshift into first, can u then take your foot off the clutch while u are stopped and its in 1st?

chrisalberts

No, of course you can't. While the car is in gear and the clutch is not depressed, you must be moving or else you will stall. While at an intersection you can either keep your foot pushing the clutch down, or you can put the car in neutral and take your foot off. Up to you really, although excessive holding the clutch in will cause your throwout bearing to fail earlier, so if it's likely to be a long light, you should put it in neutral.

C.

majormojo

Quick observation here. I almost never downshift into first until the car is completely stopped. The exception might be if I was rounding a real sharp corner quickly and really needed to get down to that gear for a quick pullout. But that would be very very rare. If I know I'm coming to a stop I'd never downshift to first.

I think I acquired that habit when I had an MGB that really didn't downshift into first very well. I remember my mechanic (cool old British guy who worked on British cars his whole life) telling me the thing to do when it's hard to shift into first (when stopped) was to put it in second then go straight up into first. I think I still go neutral -> 2 -> 1 sometimes without even thinking.

To answer your question, yes you can let off the clutch when the car is stopped and its in gear - if you want to lurch forward and probably stall. I hear that chix dig that kind of thing, so be sure to try it in front of a crowd.

Gboyz78

Hahaha!!!!! There was this kid who had a RSX Type S who was driving in 5th gear, he was about to drop it to 4th gear, but he slipped and downshifted to 2nd gear. The tranny blew away. Gears were reduced to bits, and there was a big whole and tranny fluid was all over the highway. I believe that that the article also stated that their was smoke coming out of the engine. I am guessing he reduced his cylinder heads to bits too. I will try to look for the article with pictures. I will post it up when I find it.. Just a very funny thing to share with everybody.