cls-6mt

Ok, downtown Los Angeles is not know for its hilly streets (like SF), but there are a couple out there and I just happened to hit one today!

Here's what happened:

I started driving up a hill and had to stop at the light. Everything seems to be okay at this point. (Just remember, I got my car 8 days ago and learned how to drive stick about 2 weeks ago.) In my rearview mirror, I see this chump drive right up to my bumper- with about 2 inches to spare. GREAT. At this point, I start to panic and the light turns green.

In my hesitation, I stalled the car and had to crank up the engine again. This guy starts to look at me and I waved to him, motioning for him to go around. Fortunately, I had my hand brake on and I didn't roll backwards. I tried to take the hill in 2nd gear, but I must have left my foot on the clutch as I was gunning the accelerator.

At this point, a line of cars start to build up behind and I'm getting even more panicked. My car moved a total of 2 feet, mainly because I didn't release the brakes, nor did I let go of the clutch. Luckily, I remembered to press the hazard lights and everyone started to drive around me. I finally get up the hill, but not after seeing, hearing, and smelling my clutch burn. I'm embarrassed by this whole ordeal...

First question, is it REALLY REALLY screwed up to smell burning clutch?

How do I know if my clutch starts to 'slip'?

Second question, how the HECK do I prevent this from happening again? Any practical tips on how to tackle a hill other than by trial and error? I know, flame me for not learning how to climb a hill while driving my 8 day old 6-speeder, but that's why I'm here. I'm determined to conqueor this freakin hill.

Thanks and gawd I hate that burning clutch smell!!!

ccshamrock2004

don't worry about it, everyone who learned how to drive a manual has gone through this ordeal. your clutch will be fine just take it easy. when someone pulls behind you just relax and don't rush it. ignore them.

when on a hill keep your foot on the brake and have the clutch fully engaged. keep the foot on the brake and slowly(real slow) release the clutch. you'll notice when you release it that if you release it far enough you'll hit the friction point and your revs might go up but you'll notice it trust me, you can then let go of the brake while keeping the clutch at the friction point. and start to accelerate.
when the clutch is at the friction point it will prevent the car from rolling back. just practice this in a angled driveway or a very empty hilly area.

Bobbydoedoe

should've learn how to drive a stick on a crappy car like a nissan before driving stick on ur lovely acura

ccshamrock2004

and if you stall it don't worry, just relax and start her back up.

sidemarker

very good explanation. just go out to a place with a hill and practice finding that grabbing point. also, you should slide your heel over to the accelator to make a better transition from the brakes to the gas!

sidemarker

cls-6mt

Tell me about it. How about a crappy Maxima (which was my last choice)!

My poor baby got hurt today! On the brighter side, I didn't hit the guy behind me and nobody got hurt. Thank God.

lou_RENAMED

damn first of all I just want to say is you aughta be SLAPPED for a couple of reasons.

1- why would you ever practice on a new Cl-S how to drive stick if you need to practice do it on any Nissan or Infinity product before even sitting a CL-S6 cockpit.

2- How can you embarass everybody here on the forum with such incompetence. I really hope you didn't have one of those acura-cl sticker on your window

3- by admitting to doing so on the forum this is just the ultimate disgrace. Im surprised the girl driving the celica behind you didn't come over and politely asked you "excuse me sir your causing a traffic jam here do you mind if I move your car out of the way till you figure out how to drive it"







just kidding dude but really start practicing Im a little rusty myself but Im almost back to 110%

stejus

Practice, practice, practice. There's a fine art of balancing the clutch, brake and gas pedel on inclines. As ccshamrock2004 stated, you'll get to know your clutch and know when you're at a cluch point to let foot of brake and move it to the gas without stalling it.

Two rules to follow.

Never balance your car on an incline using your clutch (this means letting out clutch to hold your position). You should only do this at the point you want to move forward.

Go easy on both the gas pedal and clutch release (until you're good at it), otherwise you could stall it, buck it, spin wheels or even hit the car in front of you. This car has a lot of ponies under the hood and reacts to throttle .

Good luck

6speedctrlfreak

Hey Lou what ever happened to that problem you were having with your shifter on your 6speed ????? Is it at the dealer??

Smitty

Why not just apply the hand brake.. take your damn foot off the foot brake and apply a little gas... start letting the clutch out slowly.. when you feel the car pull forward let the hand brake off slowly, the clutch out alittle more, apply allitle more gas and drive up the hill.. YOU WON'T BURN a damn thing up then.

I taught a ton of people this method and not one of them rolled the car backwards 1 inch.

Smitty

lou_RENAMED

na the car has been thoroughly checked out twice and given a clean bill of health. The problem is an isolated incident and has not repeated itself.

Acura mechanic assured me its the double synchros of second gear and all the others are find. Does everyone have that like notchy feel going into 2nd gear and only 2nd its the synchros...and its normal. Atleast everything is documented.

Beelzebub

That is exactly what I do if someone is behind me so I don't roll back into their bumper. And it is also what I teach my friends what to do when they are learning how to drive a manual car.
After that just follow the two rules that stejus says and you will be fine.

ktgumbo

Learn how to drive stick?

Gilgamesh

But heel and toe is way more fun!!

fuzzy02CLS

iTrader: (2)

I smoked a few in my time. There's a learning curve. You'll learn how to drive on hills.

Beelzebub

true but harder for someone just learning stick, you do that after.

SilverBullet_RENAMED

The easiest way to control the clutch on a steep hill if you are not good at it is to use the parking brake. Hold yourself with the parking brake and when th elight turns, work the clutch out and gas while releaseing the parking brake. Makes life very easy.

gsrblack

I use the parking brake method...I can probably do it the other way since I'm used to the clutch but at least the parking brake is a sure thing for you not to roll backwards. If you want to practice using the parking brake, that's easy, and you don't need to be on an incline to do it. Just at a stop (flat or hilly)...just pull up the brake and then start to balance the throttle and clutch...when you feel the car try to pull forward, release the parking brake.

Slimey

Funny, I've never used the parking brake as assistance to drive a manual car. It just takes some practice and coordination.

The Subaru I owned in the Mid 80s had a 'hill holder'. The brake remained engaged when the clutch pedal was down while on a hill. Neat idea.

Of course I learned how to drive an manual car on a beater Chevy LUV that I repeatedly 'borrowed' from my college's motor pool. I would never want someone to learn a manual transmission on my car. That's what a rental or an old shitbox is for.

I'm not trying to be negative towards cls-6mt, you just need to practice. I wouldn't have chosen the CL-S as a practice car, but to each his own. Clutches are replaceable parts, so in the end there's really no harm done except to the wallet, which may not be a real issue.

cls-6mt

I took my car to the Acura dealer today to get my rear left bumper realigned. At the same time, I told them to check out the car since I smell burning plastic- possibly from my hill experience yesterday.

Slimey, I understand what you're saying. Practice makes perfect and my car took a beating yesterday. Fortunately, the only thing damaged here is my pride.

cls-6mt

I don't have a acura-cl sticker on my window. Why would I embarass you people? Although I should get a warning sticker that says, "Car rolls backwards on hills" :P

Anyways... all is good and I hope I'll never go through that again.

Weekend agenda: Find a steep and lonely hill. Practice, practice, practice.

Shawn S

Go to a parking lot with hills and practice there away from traffic.
A school or Industrial Park on a Saturday or Sunday morning is a good place to start.
Look for a nice steep area with nothing to hit if you stall or drift back.

The E-Brake trick is fine for beginners, but don’t use it as a crutch.
Some manual Tranny cars have floor pedals for the E-Brake so sooner or later you need to learn how to hold the car with just your two feet.
My first two stick shift cars were Dodge Daytona’s with floor brakes so I never really used the E-Brake method.

In due time you’ll be able to ignore whatever is on your ASS and just pull out normally.
It’s gonna take some practice though.

Shawn S

Klamalama

>Fortunately, I had my hand brake on and I didn't roll >backwards.

That was good thinking.

>I tried to take the hill in 2nd gear, but I must have left my foot >on the clutch as I was gunning the accelerator.

Why did you use 2nd gear? Not a good move.

>First question, is it REALLY REALLY screwed up to smell burning >clutch?

Probably no problem. My first car (Volvo P1800) once got stuck in 4th gear. I drove it in city traffic for about 2 miles while starting and stopping every other block. It reeked that smell but survived.

>How do I know if my clutch starts to 'slip'?

If you could start it in gear used to be a good test but the clutch interlock now prevents that. Check what your rpm is at say 20mph while going downhill in 2nd gear. Now check it while going up a steep hill. It should be the same.

>Second question, how the HECK do I prevent this from >happening again?

1. Engage the handbrake.
2. Shift into 1st while stepping on the clutch.
3. Put your hand on the handbrake.
4. Slowly release the clutch and...
5. As you feel the car want to move forward, release the handbrake.

In time you wont need to use the handbrake on any hill.

Slimey

This is probably some of the best advice to give a new three pedal driver. Don't worry about your pride or what the guy behind you thinks. Don't rush the situation. Take your time and learn.