speed88

I have been driving the car for about 2 months. It's a used 2004 mustang gt with 51,000+ miles on the clock. My first manual transmission car. Occasionally, when starting off from first giving it gas (1500-2000 rpm) and letting out the clutch slowly all the way the car will sometimes buck/lurch like crazy. Even if i fully push in the clutch and let it back out, it does the same thing. It only goes away after I shift to second gear but it has even happened in second a few times. Is this normal? Any idea what it is or could be causing this? Sometimes just putting around in a parking lot (5 mph) with the clutch all the way out in first I will go to give it a little gas and it just starts bucking. Any advice on what I am doing wrong or am i just a really bad driver?

cliffyk

Our cars, which are basically 1/2 ton pickup trucks with flashy bodies, are prone to this--as are most all higher torque manual transmission RWD vehicles. You just need more experience to refine your use of the clutch and the skinny pedal.

Once you gain that experience you'll be able to make it do that as you wish, and will find that every now and then (more rarely as time passes) it will buck a bit anyway...

speed88

Thank you cliffyk.

defconfire

+1 my Mustang was my first Manual car and when I first got it I did that a few times in the first week or so, once you figure it out it wont happen any more.

Just give it a little bit more gas and slip the clutch a little bit more when your getting moving.

And putting around the parking lot at 5mph while in 1st gear can very easily trigger some drive line shutter. Like Cliffy-k said these are basically trucks, and have clunky drivetrains.

04CompetitionOrange

Mine did that this weekend...and the look on my wife's face was priceless. She thought the car was going to explode.

Eagle2000GT

Yep, they have a tendency to buck when trying to drive at too low of an rpm. At 5 mph in a parking lot I normally work the clutch in and out going from power to coasting to keep it from bucking.

ar0wan

As long as you are accelerating this should be very very minimal. First isn't really intended for driving, just getting the car rolling. If you're moving too slow for second then just take it out of gear and coast.

I noticed a little improvement (at really low RPMs) following a standard tune-up e.g. wires, plugs, and air filter

Eagle2000GT

Or push in the clutch and coast. You are correct but sometimes driving in first can't be avoided as in dead stopped rush hour traffic on the interstate that just creeps along in a stop and go pattern. At least in Indy it only lasts a few minutes around certain intersections. Nothing like LA or NY.

OP, you also need to practice taking off on a hill without rolling back. There will always be someone who pulls up right on your rear bumper when you have to take off on a hill. At least hand brakes have made this procedure a lot simplier than it used to be. We used to have to hold the car with the clutch while stopped on a hill.

Cody Manz

Try to flex/stabilize your right foot, or just give it wide open throttle. My b20b crx does this really bad especially in rough intersections where shifting into 2nd right away is awkward. You get stuck in this snowball effect of lurching. I know i shouldn't use a Honda as an example on a stang forum but i think its the same issue. Except mine is just a combination or low weight and short gearing with way more immediate torque than the chassis and transmission are meant to handle. Hope this helps.