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Shifting advice for new GT owner

8K views 21 replies 12 participants last post by  gwhitson 
#1 ·
Hi All,

I just purchased a '06 Mustang GT. It is a 5spd and is completely stock far as I know. I had two general questions for you shifting experts out there for general non racing driving.

First, I am finding much easier to accelerate from a complete stop in second gear. Is this acceptable? Is it hard/bad on the car in any way? I find if I shift right into first gear I get to much power. I feel it is a bit of a mix that I am a rookie stick driver and that there is a lot of power under the hood.

Second, what is a good fuel efficient RPM range to stay in? When should someone shift up? (I feel it's around 3500rpms) When should I shift down? (I feel it's at 2000)

Sorry if this is a super beginner question, but I am really trying to improve my shifting!

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Your style of driving with a manual transmission is something that will develop over time, and it may be a little different based on the power of the car (e.g., a Mustang GT vs. a Honda Civic).

I start off in 1st most of the time, but if there is any downhill slope or roll, or I'm in slow traffic it may be smoother to start off in 2nd. To get a smooth 1-2 upshift it also seems easier if you can let it wind up a little in 1st before you shift to 2nd.

Upshifts at about 3000-3500 RPM seem to be a sweet spot for a smooth gear transition since you are in a good solid part of the torque curve. However, sometimes its fun to go a little higher, since the car really pulls well from about 3000-6000 RPM. I usually merge onto freeways in 3rd gear because I can go from about 45 mph on up to 70-75 mph very smoothly, and then drop it into 5th for the cruise.

Downshift points are usually driven by the traffic conditions. You can cruise at a steady speed down to 1500 RPM or lower, and then drop to a lower gear if you expect to need some acceleration. 2000 rpm is okay for a downshift, but I usually just pick the downshift time based on the need for torque. The ability to anticiate the need and downshift ahead of time is one advantage you have over an automatic transmission. If I don't need the power and as long as it doesn't feel like I have the engine lugging, I just wait.

Bruce
 
#3 ·
As long as you don't have excessive clutch spin and the engine pulls away smoothly, there is no problem starting from second. Reserve first for hills or a quicker start. Sometimes I even skip 3rd and go right to 4th. Also, no need to downshift to a stop since brakes are cheaper than clutches and engine parts. Downshift only to get into the right gear for a subsequent maneuver, like a swooping curve or a quicker pass.

In general, the sound of the engine and the seat of your pants will tell you the best time to shift. Driving a manual in a car like this is much different than driving an automatic because you and the car are one. Turn the radio off and listen to what it is telling you. Strive for smoothness at first; try to mimic the shift points of an automatic car. Then gradually put some aggression into it and feel the car respond accordingly.
 
#4 ·
Personally I'd rather start in first gear, go easy on the throttle, don't have to slip the clutch too much, and then make a quick shift to second . . . when you start in second gear you generally have to slip the clutch more to make up for the difference, which will wear out the clutch over time.

For easy normal driving the upshift comes around 2500 RPM ; much higher than that if you are going for maximum acceleration. Like Yadkin said, you don't really need to worry too much about the downshifts as you slow down; you just want to be in the right gear when you start speeding up again -- which means somewhere between 2000-2500 RPM in most situations. Again this is for easy everyday driving, for a high performance situation it would be much higher.

Nothing wrong with slow and smooth while you are learning, and later on too.
 
#6 ·
Thanks everyone for all your tips and thoughts! I have another questions.

I spend a couple days a week in the city of LA. As we all probably know there is stop and go traffic. I notice from time to time the smell of the clutch. It is faint but still present. Is it common for even experienced shifters to have a little clutch smell in stop and go traffic for like 30 mins? When I come to a stop I try to shift from 2nd to N as quick as possible so I don't sit with the clutch in.

Thanks.
 
#7 ·
Clutch burning smell comes from "slipping" it too much, not from sitting with the clutch disengaged.

"Slipping" is when the clutch is partially engaged, but not fully engaged; so the clutch plates are "slipping" over each other. This slipping is essential for smoothness when you start from a standstill, but it wears out the clutch discs and causes that burning smell if you over-do it. That can happen in stop and go traffic for sure; try to slip it just enough to start smoothly but not so much that it is slipping for a long time so it gets hot, etc.
 
G
#8 ·
start from first, theres a reason its there.

On my last mustang I started from second in "hopes of saving gas", within a month or so I ended up having to replace the clutch AND rebuilding the tranny because the second gear got messed up.
 
#9 ·
Went out for a little drive. I am trying to start from first more when I feel confident or I am pretty much alone. I find I basically need to just rest my foot on the gas pedal and slowly let off the clutch. This seems to be sufficient to start slow and safe. Easier said than done though still. Every now and then I find I chirp the tires from stop or I am just a tad clunky but maybe that is from releasing the clutch to fast.

Regardless, driving a 5spd is soo much more fun and is such an experience over an automatic stang (that I used to drive).
 
#10 ·
That reminds me about the 2nd gear thing -- if you are starting in 2nd gear in stop and go traffic, that explains the clutch burning thing. To start in 2nd gear you have to slip the clutch a lot, and that's why it gets hot, and that is why we have a first gear.
 
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#11 ·
I generally shift through all the gears, and usually start in first. The mustangs clutch is a little grabbier than others, so that's where you are getting the jerkiness from. I find it helps if you use very little gas when starting, keeping the rpms down as you let the clutch out, once it is fully "out" its pretty much quick shifting from there to my desired speed.

It just takes practice, keep at it.
 
#12 ·
When I first got the mustang I found that if I wasn't firm enough with the gas when starting in 1st gear, the car would do a hurky jerky bucking bronco thing. I tried to get smoother and smoother, but I would be barely giving it any gas, and then it wouldn't work. Then I just started getting more aggressive with the gas pedal and got a lot smoother. I pretty much rev and hold the car at a constant rpm (1200-1500 rpm ish?), and then let the clutch out until it starts to grab, and then I just hold the clutch and the gas until the everything equalizes (you will feel when the engine and transmission synch up with each other).

Also, to get smoother shifts between gears, don't rush it. Also, because the mustang clutch is more grabby, it helps to ever so slightly slip the clutch when you upshift. If you are accelerating hard, you don't want to slip the clutch at all, but for normal cruising, it shouldn't really hurt it. This will help reduce the clunking you get from the driveshaft and rear end.

Just FYI, the owners manual says what speeds you should shift at. They probably provide the best fuel economy, but they may feel a little slow, especially the 1-2 shift and the 4-5 shift.

Shift to 2nd gear at 11 mph (too slow for a smooth 1st to 2nd shift)
Shift to 3rd gear at 20 mph
Shift to 4th gear at 30 mph
Shift to 5th gear at 40 mph (really 45 is about as slow as you want to shift to 5th to feel "right")
 
#13 ·
I am a new owner to the GT/CS 5.0 a 2014. Haven't shifted in about 15 years. I notice I seem to have a real rough jerk from first to second and sometimes from second to third. I've tried to hold it in first longer before shifting - thinking I am shifting to quickly and popping the clutch. This seems to help a little but still a bit of a jerk. I've noticed my husband seems to have the same issues as I do. Is this normal shifting behavior for those gears for this vehicle? Or are we just still rusty. We have had the car a month - but it isn't an every day drive - but we try and get it out a couple times a week. Thoughts?
 
#16 ·
After a 15 year gap, from a car that was probably even older, it may not be all on the driver. MT cars have been holding the revs up a bit on upshift for a while now, for emissions reasons (when you suddenly lift and the revs are allowed to drop sharply - like you may have been accustomed to before - there's a brief spike in emissions).

If you are coming from cable or linkage activated clutches, the S197's hydraulic clutch will have a slightly different feel and the point of engagement might not be as distinct (you end up being a bit 'off' with timing your clutch foot to the pressure plate's 'engaging' position)


Norm
 
#14 ·
Jerkyness (is that a word?) is sometimes hard to avoid especially is you have being slipping the clutch and have gotten it hot. It's kind of like driving around with your foot resting on the brake pedal. Sooner or later those brake pads are going to get hot and will not feel right.

Myself, I found with my 05, adding a aftermarket tune really went a long way in make the car noticeably more of a pleasure to drive, never mind the little bit of extra power that was gained.
 
#18 ·
The Blowfish shifter bracket is also said to make for significant improvement . . .


Norm
 
#20 ·
Yes, basically. I put my fingers on the front underside of the round knob and pull straight back (a little to the left, of course, to counter the centering spring force). I found my shifts are not smooth if I'm at all grabbing/grasping the knob or pushing down at all. Just horizontal pressure on the direction you want the shifter to go.
 
#21 ·
I am trying not to put downward pressure on the knob - not round in the 2014 GT Premium. I thought about it and if you are putting any downward pressure - that is what you do to go into reverse and I think that makes it harder to get from gear to gear. So now I am trying a lighter touch - it seems to be working better. My husband says it doesn't need much and it just will slide into the proper gear - I think I try to manhandle it more for whatever reason. More practice. LOL.
 
#22 ·
Good, I'm glad it's starting to come a little easier. And, yes, the MT-82 and shifter do not like to be manhandled, that's for sure!
 
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