I know I am going to sound like an idiot about now
but....

I am just now learning to drive manual.

There! I said it! (Dusty puts on flame suit)

I am good at everything now but launching.
I know of two ways to start from a dead stop:
1.Gas, let up on clutch, bounce bounce bounce, stall.
2.Give it way too much throttle and dump it [bark]

Can you all give me some pointers on how to launch
without stalling or breaking traction?

practice. practice. practice.

Exactly... practice! It will be second nature in no time. It's all a matter of feel. And if you can find a way to discribe that, write it down!
Kevin

Idling on level ground, slowly let the clutch pedal up. At the point where it starts to engage, you'll hear a drop in the revs of the engine. You'll also feel that the car is trying to move.

This is the point that you want to be able to smoothly hit as you let up the clutch and give it gas. It's one of those practice makes perfect things. Anyone can rev it up and step off the clutch, but a smooth takeoff is a learned thing.

Anyone who says they never stalled a standard at first, or didn't jerk a few times doesn't remember the true story.

Practice, all of us stall the first couple times. Also try watching your RPMs and dont be afraid if your take off is slow. After a while you will get alot better. I sometimes just like to get the car rolling with out using the gas, just by releasing the clutch slowly. Good luck! I give you alot more credit than driving an auto!

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'85 SE 4 Speed
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No Cat
Holley Scoup
Holley Throttle Body

quote Originally posted by DustoneGT: I know I am going to sound like an idiot about now but.... I am just now learning to drive manual. There! I said it! (Dusty puts on flame suit) I am good at everything now but launching. I know of two ways to start from a dead stop: 1.Gas, let up on clutch, bounce bounce bounce, stall. 2.Give it way too much throttle and dump it [bark] Can you all give me some pointers on how to launch without stalling or breaking traction?

Like everyone is saying, Practice makes perfect

I bought an '87 with a 5spd at the beginning of November. This is the first stick I've driven since highschool (prior to 1994). So here we are about 7 weeks since I bought it. I'm now great at take-offs without having to dump the clutch. It's to the point where it feels like my 86 auto when I punch it...nice and smooth

So you're looking at about 2 months till you get it pretty good. I'm sure I have a long way to go too, but feel very comfortable with it now.

have fun
Dave

When i first started i always let up on the clutch and pushed down on the gas equally till I got faster and better at it.

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86 2.8 V6 fastback GT
65k original miles

Like everyone else said, PRACTICE!!!! But once you learn to drive a manual in a fiero, everything else will seem eaisier. Being Mid-Engine, the fiero is a harder stick to drive (in my experience anyways).

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87GT, Entertaining a Quad4HO swap. Currently sanding/priming/bodywork, and working on suspension and brakes...

This worked for teaching my friend how to drive stick: Hold the car at around 1500 RPM and slowly let off the clutch. When the RPMs start dying a bit, press on the gas to keep them up at 1500. Keep letting out the clutch, and do what you have to do with the throttle to keep the RPMs there. I know, I know, it burns the hell out of your clutch after a while. But, if you only do it a few times, you will get faster and faster at it (it's really not that tricky). Just remember that your left foot is trying to kill the car and your right foot is trying to keep it alive, so they must work in harmony.

EDIT: I remember when I got this fiero- my first stick car. I really sucked at driving stick, and ended up stalling the car at a stoplight on a major road (which just happened to run uphill) heading home for the first time. So I fired it back up and just revved it up and dumped it to get going. That was definitely interesting- it had rained, so I kinda slid a bit

[This message has been edited by Savagery (edited 12-26-2003).]

Brings back memories... 1st practice with a "stick" car, I think, was in a big parking lot, in a 4-speed Vega (4-cyl, lacking in low-end torque). Most frustrating!

Next try, was a Volkswagen Beetle (even less torque), on a low-traffic stretch of blacktop highway. Downright scary!

After I got my own car driveable (6-cyl Corvair Spyder 4-speed), taking off smoothly became easy as pie... Now, driving a stick is as natural as breathing... 4-cyl, 6-cyl or whatever. As the others said, it just takes practice. FWIW, I found it easiest to learn with a torquier, more forgiving car. Good luck !

Excercise 1:

Practice holding revs at specific point on the tach. Figure out the foot-position. Then practice letting go, and pushing gas in, trying NOT to make the revs go past your "target."

Excercise 2:

Practice getting car to move WITHOUT touching the gas. This builds up clutch foot coordination. Don't do this too often, or you'll kill the clutch.

Excercise 3:

Put the two together.

quote Originally posted by Mach10: Practice getting car to move WITHOUT touching the gas. This builds up clutch foot coordination. Don't do this too often, or you'll kill the clutch.

I have taught a few people how to drive a stick.
The best way involves Mach10's approach.

Go find a HUGE empty parking lot, like a Mall or Wal-mart, that has as level ground as you can find.

Put the car facing a dierection where you can go straight far as long as distance as possible.

Now, Push clutch in (the car is running right? )
Without touching the gas, let the clutch out until car is moving along and clutch is fully released.
Push clutch in apply brakes until car is stopped.
Repeat 10 times in a row WITHOUT stalling the engine. If you stall the engine , start your count of 10 over from the beginning. NO CHEATING!!! It's only yourself you will hurt

After you do this part, it's only a matter of practice until you can do a 50' sustained burnout

As soon as you can do the above described procedure, you should be able to get in any normal vehicle with a manual transmission and drive it away (with permission of course).

As long as the vehicle is in decent running conditon, there should be no problems with the clutch frying.
I have used the above procedure at least 6 times and have Never had a mechanical problem when I am done teaching and I have always used my own car to teach in.

Good Luck!

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1984 SE - 30800 out of 136840. Being modified!

I may be the negative one in this tread but I can live with that. I first learned to drive stick in a 99 ranger with no Tach in IL during the winter. Stick shift in the snow with out 4x4, as a beginner is no fun.

When you first learn, turn off the radio!! If you can hear the engine its much easier. It takes about 2 minutes to figure out what your engine SOUNDS like as it stalls out. It takes about 2 days to keep your tach at a "Target" speed. Forget the tach. Use your ears not your eyes!!

That said just remember the see-saw effect. Learn where the Friction Point in the clutch is. You know the point when it begins to engage. Raise the clutch to that point -- then when you hear the engine revs drop depress the throttle as much as you let the clutch up "See-saw". If you do HEAR the engine begin to stall Depress the clutch a little-Keep the gas the same. Learning to manipulate the clutch and not the gas is MUCH EASIER than screeching away from every stop light.

And as the wise men before me said PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE!!!!!!!!!!

Hope it helps

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Failing to prepare - Is preparing to fail....

ALL GREAT ADVICE GUYZ!

My dad taught me to drive a straight by telling me to practice letting the clutch out and giving it gas at the same time. Clutch release......gas on.......plus PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE.....LOL.

I HAD TO DO IT. Good luck and have patience and don't be so hard on yourself.

Phil

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87 FIERO GT 2.8 5spd

If you found my advice helpful, please take the time to give me a positive rating. Thanks

Oh, and stay away from stop signs and traffic lights on hills until you do get good. That or get a '63 Studebaker Lark with a 'hill holder clutch'. heheheh (That was my drivers ed car.)

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Notchbacks RULE

"It's cool to have a car you can look back at."

[This message has been edited by Fierobruiser (edited 12-27-2003).]

For me this post is kind of amusing. I´d say that about 90% of all cars in Sweden have manual transmissions. Therefore almost everyone that learns to drive a car does it with a manual transmission. My Fiero is a 5spd manual but my dad´s volvo is automatic. And whenever a friend of mine tries to drive it, they get confused and have to ask me how to do. So things are quite the other way around over here =)

My first car was a 1976 Vega 5-speed. My dad was trying to teach me how to drive it by trying to drive it himself. After the 10th time or so of him trying to move the car even 5 feet he let me try it. I remember it well he gets out of the car and says something must be wrong with it because he couldn't get it to move. I got into the drivers seat started the car up and off I went. All you need is practice.

The car I am learning on is a little Isuzu pickup w/ 5 speed.
I am getting pretty good at it now. I did a grocery run
earlier and only barked it once, and NO STALLS!! B)

I accidentally 'speed shifted' yesterday afternoon, barking
the tires while I shifted to second was pretty cool.
I will have to use another car to intentionally speed shift
as this is the company ride, don't want to get myself in
trouble now.

My problem as I have found is that I was revving up the right
amount, but I was just dumping the clutch, and not easing out
of it. It's starting to get like second nature to me now.
I'll have to take out a 5 speed Fiero GT sometime and see
what it's like.

edit: smileys

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<Black 86.5 GT, Auto w/ 3.33, Sunroof>
<2.5" Flowmaster Exhaust, K&N Filter and no rain guard>
<Yokohama 215/60R15 Tires, CS130 140 Amp Alternator>
<Pioneer DEH-P77DH, Pioneer 4X10's in dash>

[This message has been edited by DustoneGT (edited 12-27-2003).]

I too agree with Mach10. If the engine and clutch are in good mechanical condition, the car should move by engaging the clutch w/o gas on a level road. Practice getting the car moving by engaging the clutch WITHOUT using the gas pedal. Once you've got the feel of where the clutch grabs, then start using the gas pedal. Trying to equal out the gas and clutch is not a great idea. When I taught my girlfriend to drive my Fiero, the method described worked very quickly. Oh yeah, another tip, stop thinking about it so much! The more you think about it, the more you screw up. Just relax and a go with it!

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Hi Dusty

I've been driving a manual since 1972,

and the easiest way I've found to learn to launch is

in gravel or sand,

also up here in Canada we have this wonderful element called SNOW,

so go down to the local gravel/sand pit for a few hours,

practice your starts,stops,then spin a few donuts in victory.

Oh and welcome to the club,and just so you know I still buck and stall

from time to time,and it's not uncommon for there to be a good looking

chick sitting in the car next to you when it happens,something to do

with the law of nature I'm told,it keeps us guys humble in our bright

red sports cars (:

www.geocities.com/dales_railride

[This message has been edited by 87Gold (edited 12-30-2003).]

ahhhhhhhh Damn,

your making me hate my auto now. I really miss slaming through the gears....

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In Toronto crusin' it up in the V6...

[This message has been edited by ManiMack (edited 12-30-2003).]

quote Originally posted by FieroBUZZ: Idling on level ground, slowly let the clutch pedal up. At the point where it starts to engage, you'll hear a drop in the revs of the engine. You'll also feel that the car is trying to move. This is the point that you want to be able to smoothly hit as you let up the clutch and give it gas. It's one of those practice makes perfect things. Anyone can rev it up and step off the clutch, but a smooth takeoff is a learned thing. Anyone who says they never stalled a standard at first, or didn't jerk a few times doesn't remember the true story.

that's how it was taught to me. feel it go then help it go. i also did most of my first stick driving on a small motorcycle. i little easier than a car, to me anyway.

My 86 is the first Standard car I have, I have driven a motorbike with a clutch, so I have experience, but I use my hand for the clutch, and foot for the gears.

It was fun getting my car off the trailer, the car did not line up with the ramps too well, so I had to reposition it on the trailer. Well, it was nighttime, the trailer was lower at the front so it rolled forward when I pushed the clutch in. I was not too sure of the shift pattern, but quickly learned it. The EGR valve was sticking open, so the car sounded like it ran on 2 cylinders, so I had to keep giving it gas to idle, but when I took my foot off the brake, the car rolled forward. I had to go back, forward, back, forward, then back to get it alligned on the trailer. I only stalled the car once, and that was because I had to push the brake to stop the car from rolling too fast off the ramps, and it stalled because of the egr valve. I find this car pretty easy to drive though. I shall see what I am like when I get it on the road.

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Details on my 1984 Fiero 2M4 Sport Coupe #1192 Here
Long live the Duke!! 2.5L Upgrade coming soon I hope.
1986 Fiero 2M4 Coupe, 2.5L 5-Speed
Member of the Edmonto Fiero Club

Rate me if you want!

on hills, use your ebrake to hold you there until you start to get moving a little bit, then just ease on the gas and slowly let up on the clutch its easy i dont even thing about the clutch or shifting when i drive it just happens, it will be the same way for you soon

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1988 Formula 2M6 5 Speed - CRX Intake, NOS dry kit, ZEX Ejector Air Amplifier, Taylor Wires, NGK UR5 plugs, MSD 6AL Ignition /w 2 step rev control, MSD Blaster 3 coil, WCF dog bone, WCF engine mount, Autometer Ultra-Lite guages (A/F,Vac.), KYB GR2's, Sequential turn signals, Rapid 3rd brake light....
Recurring donator

Memories, memories...sometime in the late sixties I was 15 and my mother would not hear of me driving. But my dad had a farm full of steep mountains and dirt roads. And the farm had several Jeeps...one dating to the 50's with absolutely NO BRAKES. Dad said I could have it for driving inside the farm. Boy, did he know! A couple of days later I could teach lessons.

That's why my wife learned so quickly. Her first lesson included a few lights up a steep road (yes, I suffered much, it was my new car). But she learned in 2 days. She could even hold the car motionless on a steep hill without touching any breaks...not that I encouraged it, but it was good to practice.

Problem is, she now sneaks out in my Fiero when I am not watching. Can't she get it? The minivan is the car she asked for!

The Fiero is mine...mine...my preciuous.