Noob shifting question
Official Ford Rep
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,075
From: MI
So I've had my 2010GT about 2 weeks now and it's the first manual I've ever had or even driven. It's pretty safe to say my shifting skills are still pretty infantile. My question is this;
What speed and rpm's do you shift from 1st to second for a smooth transition?
On a separate note is the stock shifter spring loaded for 2nd to 3rd? I just need to push straight up from 2nd and it will pop over and go right into third.
What speed and rpm's do you shift from 1st to second for a smooth transition?
On a separate note is the stock shifter spring loaded for 2nd to 3rd? I just need to push straight up from 2nd and it will pop over and go right into third.
Congrats on the new 'Stang! Don't worry, you'll be shifting perfectly in no time flat.
The Owner's Guide has the following suggested shift speeds on page 208:1 - 2 11 mph (18 km/h)
2 - 3 19 mph (31 km/h)
3 - 4 30 mph (48 km/h)
4 - 5 40 mph (64 km/h)
Shifting into 2nd gear is always a little more notchy feeling than other gears. The stock shifter is made to want to return to center so that pushing straight forward would be 3rd and straight back would be 4th. If yours feels different, you may want to have your dealer check it over. Let me know if I can help with anything!
~Natasha
Thread Starter
1st Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 91
From: Oceanside, NY
Thanks for all the replies,
Ulrichw, when you say give it more throttle before engaging the clutch, should I be just bliping the gas immediately before clutching much like bliping before engaging 1st from a stop?
Also here are 2 pics of my shifter (iphone quality sorry).
From looking around at other pics I think it probably is the standard shifter, just a different ****
(is black stem standard?)
Ulrichw, when you say give it more throttle before engaging the clutch, should I be just bliping the gas immediately before clutching much like bliping before engaging 1st from a stop?
Also here are 2 pics of my shifter (iphone quality sorry).
From looking around at other pics I think it probably is the standard shifter, just a different ****
(is black stem standard?)
5th Gear Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,235
From: MO
You can also try shifting from 1st to 3rd. I do this with the wife and kids in the car when driving around town. Try reving to 2500 and go right into 3rd. If its still jerky, try 2000..or maybe even 3000. On my car, going to 3000 then hitting 3rd is a very smooth transition and I get plenty of power in 3rd for daily driving. My grandma shifting is 1-3-5.
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 6
From: CA
To me, a blip is when you push the gas down quickly and then let up again. What I do when I upshift is start applying the gas again before the clutch is fully engaged. It is quite similar to starting from a stop, but with less gas, in general.
You also want to feed in the clutch a little gently - clutch wear from upshifts is nothing compared to starting from a stop - so I wouldn't worry about that.
Cut & Paste Expert
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 13,322
From: NW Arkansas
On a separate note is the stock shifter spring loaded for 2nd to 3rd? I just need to push straight up from 2nd and it will pop over and go right into third. I have no idea if the previous owned switched out the stock shifter or not. There is also a roush **** on the shifter but that really dosent mean anything except that me may of just switched the ****.
Its actually in the trnasmission and not part of the external shifter.
Aftermarket shifters has a 'booster' spring in them to help with
any missed shifts between 2nd and 3rd.
You can check to see if you have a stock shifter or
an aftermarket one by grabbing the shifter boot and
squeezing. If it feels like a thin flat piece if steel for
the shifter arm, its aftermarket. If you feel a very large
vibration isolation device, its OEM. The looks of it makes
me think aftermarket **** (i have one) and OEM shifter.
Just replacing the OEM shifter mounting bushings with
Good Prothane Polyurathane pieces will help tremendously
with shifting.
On another note...
Dodge has the 'hill assist' braking that holds the brake
on after you release it until you can get the clutch
engaged and start to take off...
Last edited by 157dB; Nov 5, 2011 at 09:59 AM.
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 917
From: Wisconsin
Mustangs do have a hills assist, it's call the parking brake.
Pull on the parking brake enough to keep the car from rolling backwards, keep the button pushed in. Rev the engine a little and slowly let out on the clutch until you feel the engine slow down a little due to the clutch starting to engage, release the parking brake handle slowly and release the clutch slowly and you'll be on your way.
By the way, one huge difference in driving a manual over an auto, if you need to accelerate quickly, you will need to down shift. When I got mine I practiced shifting from 6th to 3rd and 4th on the freeway over and over. Now if a truck starts to move into my lane I'll shift to 3rd automatically to get out of his way. I usually try to stay in the "power band" in traffic, around 3,000 RPM. This way I have enough power to dodge the crazy people on the road. This is not good for mileage, after a while you'll anticipate when you need to down shift without thinking.
Pull on the parking brake enough to keep the car from rolling backwards, keep the button pushed in. Rev the engine a little and slowly let out on the clutch until you feel the engine slow down a little due to the clutch starting to engage, release the parking brake handle slowly and release the clutch slowly and you'll be on your way.
By the way, one huge difference in driving a manual over an auto, if you need to accelerate quickly, you will need to down shift. When I got mine I practiced shifting from 6th to 3rd and 4th on the freeway over and over. Now if a truck starts to move into my lane I'll shift to 3rd automatically to get out of his way. I usually try to stay in the "power band" in traffic, around 3,000 RPM. This way I have enough power to dodge the crazy people on the road. This is not good for mileage, after a while you'll anticipate when you need to down shift without thinking.
Last edited by Chromeshadow; Nov 5, 2011 at 03:16 PM.
Thread Starter
1st Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 91
From: Oceanside, NY
Sandman I see what your talking about from 1 to 3, it is a very smooth shift for standard street traffic.
Ulrich I've been applying gas while engaging the last 2 inches of the clutch like always, just a little less gas, and I do see a smoother transition, If this is minimal wear than I guess it's no problem.
157db, I feel a little box right under the ring of the boot followed by a shaft semicircular in cross section leading all the way down. I Guess this is the stock shifter than
Ulrich I've been applying gas while engaging the last 2 inches of the clutch like always, just a little less gas, and I do see a smoother transition, If this is minimal wear than I guess it's no problem.
157db, I feel a little box right under the ring of the boot followed by a shaft semicircular in cross section leading all the way down. I Guess this is the stock shifter than
5th Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 4,404
From: Texas
I never double clutch, I guess that is an art that eluded me. I always relied on the synchros to do the job for me.
As for shifting to prevent the thud, always let the clutch slip a bit. Yes, you are wearing out the clutch, but it is better than the shock stresses you put on the drivetrain (including your engine!). The shock stresses from the thuds are more destructive than any wear your clutch takes. And in normal DD, letting it slip to prevent that thud is perfectly okay. You will not glaze the clutch & flywheel surfaces and the wear is not that excessive.
As for shifting to prevent the thud, always let the clutch slip a bit. Yes, you are wearing out the clutch, but it is better than the shock stresses you put on the drivetrain (including your engine!). The shock stresses from the thuds are more destructive than any wear your clutch takes. And in normal DD, letting it slip to prevent that thud is perfectly okay. You will not glaze the clutch & flywheel surfaces and the wear is not that excessive.