hey guys i am trying to learn stick shift, could you guys give me any pointers in how to shifting smoothly?

i just bought a 04 s2000, and when i shift the car has this jerking action back and forth. i see people shift and it is so smooth compared to mine.

 

don't pop the clutch....don't let it out fast....add the gas slowly......


slow down....the slower you are in learning the quicker you'll master it.

 

Hit empty parking lots when you have free time and practice.

 

Do NOT ride the clutch!

 

Preferably the one without parking blocks.

Seriously, learn the point where your clutch starts to grab. One way to do this is let the clutch out slowly from a complete stop until you fee the car start to move or the engine start to slow down. At this point, add a little gas, maybe enough for about 500rpm of engine speed, then let the clutch out the rest of the way quickly but smootly. One mistake that a lot of first-time stick shift drivers make is giving too much gas. It can lead to the jerking you're experiencing and also premature clutch wear. Unless you're really trying to accellerate quickly, go easy on the gas until the clutch engages. Lather, rinse, repeat.

For upshifts, keep in mind that your revs will fall during the shift. You might nominally want the revs to fall between 700-1200 RPM when upshifting. If you were at 4000 in 1st year, then when you complete your shift to 2nd, you should be around 2800-3000 RPM. Essentially, you're trying to match the speed the wheels turn in a lower gear to the speed they move in the next gear up. Since the engine can turn the wheels faster in higher gears, the engine must be turning slower in a higher gear to get the same speed as in a lower gear at higher RPMs. It is the mismatch between wheel speeds from one gear to the next that causes most of the jerkiness. Not using enough gas can also cause jerkiness. It's a true balancing act.

That is of course a rough estimate, and it's a crutch. In reality, you don't spend much time watching your tachometer. I mention it only to help you get an idea of what your car is doing when. As you learn the behavior of your vehicle, you will start to do these things automatically and by "feel". When you know what you're doing, letting out the clutch will be a fairly quick process, but you really don't ever want to "pop" it out.

The #1 thing you need to do is practice, practice, practice. Seriously hit the parking lots (away from cars and other obstacles). It'll soon be 2nd nature.

 

In order for us to be more helpfull in your situatioin, please provide us with more info out your driving style, and then we can help you correct the problem.

How do you like your 04? So far, from what I can tell from people's reviews, there's like no difference in feel for the increased tq.

 

bring the rpm up to 9000 and drop the clutch. simple as that.

 

well, especially 2nd gear is so rough. i get the car moving in first by pushing the clutch to floor shift in 1st then gas up to like 1,500 rpm then let out the clutch slowly until it catches. then when im moving i get to a speed where the engine sounds like it wants to be shifted then i let off gas clutch it shift and when i am done with shift my foot wants to come off the clutch too with it, then i gas her back up. and this seems not to be right.

I know practice makes perfect, but it seems hopeless. i am getting frustrated at myself for not improving. eveytime o get bhind the wheel, i get anxiety attacks. i dont feel comfortable driving it, and whenever someone is behind me i start freaking out and adrenaline starts to pump into my system and i then sometimes freeze and forget what to do. this is the most horrible experience in my life. driving a car to me is like the most exciting time for me but in my s it seems like i made the wrong mistake.

i am so depressed right now.

 

buddy, go with someone that can drive stick well let them coach u. i heard it takes like 2 straight hours to learn.

 

don't worry... it takes a long while to get used to that 1-2 shift. soemtimes my left leg gets tired and it still jerks into 2nd. it is very frustrating and don't worry about people behind you so much. Just go to the parking lot and wear it in.

also, I'm not sure how true this is but in my expeirence, the clutch got softer over time and is easier now to let up.my shifts have either gotten tremendously better (which I doubt) or it's a bit more worn in now and is easier to drive. it just takes time.

 

The '04 is limited to 8000rpm not 8900rpm like the previous models. The engine tweaks they made this year required them to drop the rev limiter.

 

they don't offer the 2.0 no more? thought it was an option?

 

As far as I know, there aren't options on the S2000 other than color.

 

Most important thing (you may already know, but no one is likely to tell you): the clutch is not an on/off switch. Think about it. For that matter ... neither is the gas! This should help you on steep hills.

Don't get frustrated. It will take you weeks (maybe a month) to become really smooth. I think I took about 4-6 months before I was not choking down every now and then.

Some may recommend you go with someone, but I'd say do it on your own. If you get stuck (can't get out of first or second, etc.), then ask for help!

Don't ride the clutch... easier said than done when you are learning.

Your leg, arm, whatever may get tired and stay tired for awhile. You'll eventually get used to it - give it good time. Sometimes traffic sucks, but then there are those times on wide-open roads - with no one around - where you'll NEVER want to have an automatic again. Everything in life is give and take..!

 

When first learning how to stick shift, many people cause damage to the clutch - by jerking, riding, and stalling - thereby greatly shortening its life. Clutches are expensive to replace!

Have you thought about trying to rent a standard transmission car for a few days so you could practice on it rather than your own car?

 

dude..as long as u know the basic concept of shifting..

it takes time to learn to shift smoothly..
that is what i have learnt when i was 18

 

Zap is right. You are letting the clutch out WAY to quickly, that's why it's all jerky. Take it slower in the beginning, until you find the shift points.... the S2K is an easy stick to drive and learn on IMO.... you'll be fine

 

good luck get help from someone in real life

 

The problem with learning on something like an S2000 is that is has little to no tq, thus it wont recover as easily from a botched shift as good as something with more displacement.

Dont get too frustrated. I learned on a 4 banger Ranger loaner truck I stalled it at least 10X on the way home, and was very afraid of rolling into someone if they were on my ass and it was uphill. If you are really worried about rolling backwards you can always pull up the e-brake and start to drive off normally. Once you feel the car trying to move forward release the handbrake and as logn as you stay on the gas and continue to slowly release the clutch you wont roll backwards at all.

It takes some patience and practice, but in the end it is worth it.

 

actually, u need someone in person to show you....all the theoretical knowledge in the world isnt the same as a live person

 

yeah you need someone to show you.

My dad taught me to drive stick so i could drive a nascar in orlando.

tip of the day: when your dad thinks its funny to throw the car in neutral while youre not looking, dont panic, and try to remember what gear you were in. if you panic like me and throw it into second from 5th gear.. youll put a straw the roof of your dads mouth

 

That’s fucked up on your dad’s part.. BUT….how do you panic and go to 2nd gear when you were in 5th? He probably never saw that coming. I would have killed you if I was your dad.

 

Um.. In that case, go to 8000rpm and drop the clutch...

(you sure it's limited, or just the redline @ 8k???)

 

It is limited to 8k in '04.

 

asloudasitgets,

You are doing fine.. IMO, the S2000 isen't exactly the best car for you to learn stick shift in. The car is know for being kind of nouchy even for the experienced drivers. I suggest that if you know a friend or family who has like a civic or integra (similar honda family of cars), ask if they can couch you in their car.

I love the S2000, but I think that if I didn't start out with my Integra (which later had upgraded clutch and PP), I wouldn't have been able to drive the S as smoothly as I do today.

Trust me, it will take a lot of partice, and since the s2000 is a very nice car, I know exactly how you feel, when you feel like you are not able to be ONE with this machine.