Driving a manual

[Checkers]

I can drive my Eclipse 5 speed well around town, but there are a few points I'm still not clear on. For one, when is the best time to shift? I don't care about fuel economy, just keeping my engine and transmission healthy, and power. I've been told to listen to the engine, and when the noise levels out and stops increasing, then I should shift. But when I got the car, it had a full aftermarket exhaust with no cats, so the sound doesn't level out until around 4000 RPM, and I feel like that's fairly high. Since it's winter, my car idles around 900 RPM, and I've been shifting around 2500 RPM, but also because there's been a lot wrong with my car since I got it. I've heard things like "A redline a day keeps the torque wrench away" but I don't know about that.

Also, when going up a hill, should I downshift to get more power? If I stay in the same gear going up a steep hill, I usually slow down significantly, but I'm worried about revving the car too hard. The hill by my house is a real pain, and even in second gear it's hard to get up. Is it safe to be in first if the RPM don't go too high?

Are there any other tips to driving a manual I should know? Again, fuel economy doesn't bother me; I'm most concerned about balancing power and keeping my engine healthy.

 

[Checkers]

I couldn't agree more. I LOVE cruising around driving the speed limit in a turbo-charged, blacked out car. Every single time I go anywhere people are right on my ass. I find it soooo amusing.

I always feel really bad when getting onto the highway or something, because about a 1/5 of a mile past the on ramp I always use there's a common speed trap, and cops LOVE my car. Other drivers see a 17 year old in a loud, riced car, they assume I'm going to book it to wherever I'm going and not doing the speed limit or a little over, then speed around me angrily. I'm usually in the right lane but I still feel like I'm holding up traffic

 

[turbo tim1]

don't call dsms ricer cars.

unless u see a god awful looking body kit, big basket handle wing and spinners on it, then u can label it riced out.

 

[Bullet3]

In normal conditions i generally shift between 28-32rpms. As for feeling like your holding people up when doing the speed limit etc, i say screw em. When im in my car the only person i worry about is myself. I keep a close eye on my surroundings and only worry about myself feeling comfortable. I know what my car can do, and thats all that matters

 

[98mitsubishigst]

In normal conditions i generally shift between 28-32rpms. As for feeling like your holding people up when doing the speed limit etc, i say screw em. When im in my car the only person i worry about is myself. I keep a close eye on my surroundings and only worry about myself feeling comfortable. I know what my car can do, and thats all that matters

Exactlyyy

forget everyone else, haha my dsm gets enough attention just cruising around all clean all the time as it is..

if i was speeding around.. id get into some trouble.

 

[turbo tim1]

In normal conditions i generally shift between 28-32rpms. As for feeling like your holding people up when doing the speed limit etc, i say screw em. When im in my car the only person i worry about is myself. I keep a close eye on my surroundings and only worry about myself feeling comfortable. I know what my car can do, and thats all that matters

+1 don't let idiot on the road affect your driving.

 

[Checkers]

don't call dsms ricer cars.

unless u see a god awful looking body kit, big basket handle wing and spinners on it, then u can label it riced out.

I guess, but I'm just so used to being labeled as a ricer it's become habit. Bright, loud, etc etc. I'm sorry if I offended you

 

[wkmitsu]

my bottom ends not stock either...but even with a built bottom end. without having the cams/valves/springs/retainers to back it up...you aint gonna rev past stock without messing something up.

1) so cams dont allow you to rev the car higher?

2) upgraded springs and retainers dont allow you to rev the car higher?

if thats the case...im suing every vendor who sells/makes cams.

and yes, i have my rev limit, 2 step, and NLTS set by dsmlink.

1) Not without the bottom end built.

2) Not without the bottom end built.

The whole bottom end needs to be BUILT to rev past stock redline safely, not just a built head.

http://magnusmotorsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/DetailedEngineList.pdf

Do you see anything in there about cams, valves, or retainers?

I see one comment about valve springs, and that only applies to a motor with a rev limit higher than 9500 RPM.


What I do see is a whole list of aftermarket parts required for the bottom end in order to rev higher. With the exception of the OEM crank.

Magnus Motorsports Magnus Valve Springs

This comment, "Offering an even lighter retainer and the ultimate in valve control at rpm up to 11,000." Doesn't mean that you can throw this set of valve springs in your car and then magically be able to rev it to 11,000 RPM. You need everything else that goes with it, which includes a built bottom end.

The bottom line is that if you want to rev high, everything needs to be taken care of. You can't just upgrade half the motor and then expect it to be able to rev to the sky safely. Both halves need to work hand in hand in order to do it right, that means upgrading all critical parts.

 

[Checkers]

If anyone is still looking at this thread, what does rev matching mean? What are you matching, and how necessary is it? Also, is it necessary to double clutch when shifting? I want to maintain the life of my car as much as I can, but also have some fun.

 

[wkmitsu]

If anyone is still looking at this thread, what does rev matching mean? What are you matching, and how necessary is it? Also, is it necessary to double clutch when shifting? I want to maintain the life of my car as much as I can, but also have some fun.

Rev matching is exactly what it sounds like, you blip the throttle when shifting down a gear so you match the RPM going into the gear that it will be at when you let the clutch out.

This is theoretically why you should do it:

When you push the clutch in to downshift your engine slows down, but your wheels, gears, etc, keep moving at whatever speed you are going. When you let the clutch out for the next selected gear the engine is at idle or idling down, and then in an instant you are trying to make it run high RPMs. By "rev-matching" which is keeping the revs up while the clutch is in, you decrease the chance of putting excessive strain on drivetrain components.

So...it makes for smoother gearshifts and is easier on the equipment.

Chances are you don't need to worry about it though.

You don't need to worry about double clutching probably either. It's not practiced in drag racing, it's more common in road racing.

Heres more information about this:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/dri...ting-merged-11-8-clutching-synchronizing.html

 

[1991_talon]

Well, I might as well post another pointless reply. The reason I say this is everyone is gonna tell you different. It really comes down to knowing your car. As far as this hill, its simple if you can not maintain your rpms you are in too high of a gear. Anything above 2500 Rpms is ussally ok for your motor, of course the less rpms you got the more fuel youll save. I ussally never shift at redline if you ever look at a dyno readout you are familiar with the bell curve, the curve drops at redline i try to shift at 6.5k in a race. Anyone wanna explain double clutching lamo
EDIT: LMFAO as soon as I posted I saw the post above me good info but easy now let him get the basics first. No offense btw we all started out the same way youll get it done and refuse to drive an automatic again.

 

[KevinMCMXXCIX]

XD that's bogging down indeed.
I usually shift around 2.5 till 3.5 a 4k rpms while daily driving.
And minimal 1 time a day rev my engine up to the redline hehe
For every person it's different. Just do what suits you the best

 

[Bullet3]

There's definitely no harm in rev matching. When i first started driving manual i taught myself to double clutch rev match virtually all downshifts (unless i needed to stop abruptly). Was it needed? Not at all. Nothing wrong with expanding your driving techniques though

 

[Ghost1984]

I usually shift around 2.5-3k depending on traffic. I've been driving manual transmissions since I was 14, and now I'm 27 so I have a little experience under my belt, but don't get me wrong, I'll stall it once in a blue moon haha

 

[2gProjectCar]

All this talk about driving a manual has me bummed I can't drive mine right now. :'( Damn turbo conversion. .

 

[Checkers]

So I was screwing around earlier tonight with the gears and watching the RPM and at 4K in 1st, I'm doing like 20mph, and I can do like 55 or 60 at 3.3K or so in 4th. I feel like the speed is really high compared to the RPM. Is that normal for an Eclipse GS? I have an aftermarket exhaust with just a test pipe, but I don't think it would change the driving so much. And by accident I missed a gear (3rd) when I was accelerating from a light and someone was on my tail, and the car revved to like 5K and it was shaking, then later I was on the highway at like 5K RPM and it was shaking again. It didn't feel unstable, just more like a rumble. Is this bad, or just because there was so much power.

Also, because I have new exhaust and everything, my car is quite loud, and as soon as the people riding my bumper heard it, they backed off immediately, haha.

 

[cliffkemp]

You may have a broken motor mount or more. the speed for the rpms vs the actual speed is good. If the car is shaking at 5k rpms at any speed in any gear, motor mounts are probably shot and maybe other things are broken or loose.

 

[Checkers]

You may have a broken motor mount or more. the speed for the rpms vs the actual speed is good. If the car is shaking at 5k rpms at any speed in any gear, motor mounts are probably shot and maybe other things are broken or loose.

Ok, thanks. The other day I did it again and nothing rumbled or shook, so I think it's all good. I appreciate the input, and I'll keep an eye out! They were supposedly replaced recently, but the mechanic who did the work on them wasn't the best, and I no longer deal with him. Thank you again!

 

[JasonStern]

I thought downshifting up a hill was common sense?!!?

if the motor starts bogging, yes, but I was always curious about this in my old talon... as you start to go up the hill, the engine load increases and the turbo spools, generating the necessary power. that seemed neutral on the piston rings but less detrimental on the top end than downshifting, which would take my motor off of boost but add hundreds of RPM. so as far as longevity, is low RPMs + boost really worse than higher RPMs off boost?

 

[PanZero]

as you start to go up the hill, the engine load increases and the turbo spools, generating the necessary power. that seemed neutral on the piston rings but less detrimental on the top end than downshifting, which would take my motor off of boost but add hundreds of RPM. so as far as longevity, is low RPMs + boost really worse than higher RPMs off boost?

Hadn't really thought about that, and since I live in a flat beach city I don't do a lot of uphill (not on my Eclipse, at least). That's something I'd like to know.

 

[oneslowevo]

if the motor starts bogging, yes, but I was always curious about this in my old talon... as you start to go up the hill, the engine load increases and the turbo spools, generating the necessary power. that seemed neutral on the piston rings but less detrimental on the top end than downshifting, which would take my motor off of boost but add hundreds of RPM. so as far as longevity, is low RPMs + boost really worse than higher RPMs off boost?

good question. Hard to say, I think the higher revving is going to be worse on the car.

 

[2GbTalonGuy]

good question. Hard to say, I think the higher revving is going to be worse on the car.

Not if there is too much load on the engine. Running at 4k RPM with little load on the engine is better than running 1K RPM with the pedal to the floor and the car is shaking and sputtering because the RPM's are too low for it to make power.

 

[KevinMCMXXCIX]

+1 with this post above